The Wild West Extravaganza

King Fisher was no ordinary Texas gunfighter. This is a man who once killed a circus tiger so that he could make a pair of chaps from its hide. He boasted of killing 37 men, and at the height of his power, commanded over 100 armed bandits, ruling South Texas like his own personal kingdom. Known for his gold-embroidered jackets, rattlesnake hatbands, bells on his spurs, and those infamous tiger-ski...

For centuries, the Northern Paiute have told of the Si-Te-Cah, a mysterious tribe said to have lived on tule rafts across Nevada’s Lake Humboldt. Described as fierce warriors with red hair and even cannibalistic tendencies, the Si-Te-Cah were eventually trapped and wiped out at Lovelock Cave. Skip ahead to 1911, and miners discovered thousands of artifacts and mummified remains buried deep inside...

The Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine is one of the most enduring legends of the American Southwest. Said to be hidden somewhere in the Superstition Mountains east of Apache Junction, Arizona, this mythical mine is named after Jacob “Dutchman” Waltz, who supposedly discovered a rich vein of gold in the 19th century and concealed its location before his death in 1891. Over the decades, thousands of treasur...

Clay Allison was one of the lesser-known yet deadlier of the Old West gunslingers. Join me today as we follow Allison on his adventures in Dodge City, his encounters with Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, and finally his tragic demise in Pecos, Texas.   Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Free Ne...

This is a special bonus episode from the excellent Crimes of the Centuries podcast. When members of the incredibly wealthy Osage Nation started dropping dead of mysterious ailments in 1920s Oklahoma, few people in state power paid it much mind. After all, many of those who could do something about it were benefiting from the deaths. Eventually, with the help of a still-evolving agency called the F...

Clay Allison might not be as famous as Billy the Kid or Jesse James, but he was every bit as deadly. He was also just a tad bit insane. Clay got his start riding for Nathan Bedford Forrest during the Civil War. Then, after a brief career as a Texas Cowboy, Clay drifted west and found himself knee-deep in the Colfax County War. From New Mexico to Colorado and beyond, Allison left a trail of bodies...

Stagecoach Mary Fields worked hard, she drank hard, and if the situation called for it, she fought hard. And despite being born a slave, Mary lived to become one of the freest souls ever to draw a breath. Or a .38 revolver.   Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/   Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/   Free Newsletter! https://wildw...

On September 11th, 1857, over a hundred men, women, and children were brutally slaughtered. The victims belonged to a wagon train that had left Arkansas months prior, bound for California. They followed the Cherokee Trail before cutting north till they reached Fort Bridger. Up until then, things had gone relatively well. They were making good time and figured they’d reach their destination by late...

The late summer of 1868 found Major George Forsythe and his scouts fighting for survival. For nine long days, they hunkered down on a little sand bar as they faced off against an overwhelming force of Cheyenne Dog soldiers. Fierce warriors who were joined on the battlefield by none other than the legendary Roman Nose. But why? Why did Major Forsythe go kicking a hornet’s nest deep in the heart of...

The Saint Patrick’s Battalion, also known as the San Patricios, was a hard-fighting unit of foreign soldiers, mostly Irish, who deserted the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War. From the Siege of Fort Texas to the Battles of Monterey, Buena Vista, Cera Gordo, and beyond, these Irishmen served with valor and distinction. Surrounded, outgunned, far from their homeland, and branded as traitors,...

Whisperin’ Jim Smith was a deputy and railroad detective who was said to have written more red history with his pistol than any two men of his time, who had enough dead outlaws to his credit to start a fair-sized graveyard. Despite having a bestselling novel and several movies bearing his name, Whisperin’ Jim remains a relatively unknown figure. Join me today as we discuss a man who a contemporary...

For a brief period in the 1870s, Mart Duggan served as the lone vestige of law and order in the violent boomtown of Leadville, Colorado. Originally from Ireland, Duggan got his start out West prospecting for gold. He quickly garnered a deadly reputation, and by the time he arrived in Leadville, he had a total of 7 notches already on his gun. And when the town marshal was shot dead in April of 1878...

Seth Bullock first pinned a badge in Montana, where he presided over the territory’s very first legal execution. That’s in addition to serving as a territorial senator and establishing Yellowstone National Park. Bullock then drifted east to the Black Hills and helped tame the lawless boom town of Deadwood. And let’s be honest, Bullock’s time in Deadwood is what he’s mostly known for, thanks to the...

By the mid-1920s, Al Capone was the undisputed kingpin of Chicago and was working feverishly to expand his empire. The only thing standing in the way of his ambitions was an overzealous Nebraska lawman known as Richard “Two Gun” Hart. The mysterious Hart claimed to be half Native American and appeared like something straight out of a Hollywood Western. Still, he was said to be both fearless and in...

Dallas Stoudenmire was a soldier, mercenary, Texas Ranger, gunfighter, and extremely capable El Paso marshal. He was also a mean drunk. However, despite coming out victorious in the “Four Dead in Five Seconds” gunfight, Stoudenmire quickly spiraled out of control. It wasn’t long before the citizens of El Paso had to rein in their rogue Marshal.   Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Cu...

Regulators: Mount up! The Governor of New Mexico issued a press release on March 13th stating that Young Guns 3: Dead or Alive will be filmed in New Mexico, and that Emilio Estevez will be reprising the role of Billy the Kid, “alongside original cast members Lou Diamond Phillips and Christian Slater.” This is great news for Western fans! Join me today as I share what we know about the plot of Youn...

My name’s Josh, and this is the Wild West Extravaganza, a history podcast where we discuss all the real-life people and events from the Old West. Today’s show is somewhat different. Rather than talk history, I thought I’d share a few announcements. Sort of a State of the Podcast address, just my way of touching base and letting you know what’s going on and what to expect going forward. Check out t...

In the late 1940s, a man calling himself J. Frank Dalton made a startling announcement: He said that the outlaw Jesse James had not been killed by Bob Ford in 1882. According to Dalton, the entire thing was a hoax, and he – Dalton – was the REAL Jesse James. Join me today as we examine the validity of Dalton’s claims. We’ll also take a look at other Jesse James imposters, as well as the 1995 DNA t...

Join me as we discuss the final days of Jesse James. From the aftermath of Northfield to his untimely demise at the hands of Bob Ford. Also discussed are the Knights of the Golden Circle, along with the fate of Frank James, Dick Liddil, Jim Cummins, and the Ford brothers. This episode is sponsored by Mint Mobile – www.mintmobile.com/wildwest Frank James | The Old Shoe Salesman - https://www.wildwe...

The aftermath of the Northfield raid as Jesse James and the James-Younger gang are shot to pieces and attempt to flee Minnesota. Also discussed are the many injuries of Cole Younger, Jesse James, his alleged jump across Devil’s Gulch, and the mysterious fate of outlaws Clell Miller, Charlie Pitts, & Bill Chadwell. This episode is sponsored by ExpressVPN - https://www.expressvpn.com/wildwest Check...

On September 7th,1876, three heavily armed men entered the First National Bank of Northfield, Minnesota. They immediately pulled their guns and hopped over the counter, demanding that the clerk open the safe. When he refused, he was viciously beaten. And when one of the other employees made a break for freedom, the bandits shot him in the back. Meanwhile, their companions outside were likewise fac...

Today, we’re going to examine the war between the Pinkertons and Jesse James, a bloody feud that would culminate in an ill-advised attack on the James farm, along with the tragic death of Jesse’s eight-year-old brother. We’ll also be talking about that “special device” that was thrown through the window. Was it really a bomb or something else entirely? What the heck is Greek fire, anyway? And just...

Was the outlaw Jesse James a cross-dresser? Probably not, but an interesting story claims he dressed as a young lady on at least one occasion. Also discussed is how Jesse earned his nickname (Dingus!), Jim Lane and the Osceola massacre, the Lawrence massacre, how to properly pronounce Glassgow, American Primeval, Jim Bridger, and whether or not the Missouri guerrillas were on team good guy or team...

The outlaw Jesse James got his start during the Civil War as a young bushwhacker, fighting with William Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson. He killed his first man at the age of 16 and continued doing so even after the war was officially over. Today, we’ll discuss Jesse’s rise from a mere bushwhacker to an outlaw as he and his brother Frank begin robbing banks and have their first brush with the i...

According to many, Jesse James was a hero, a freedom fighter who continued resisting Northern aggression long after the Civil War came to an end. But to his victims, Jesse was nothing more than a cold-blooded killer, one who used the war as a convenient excuse to lead a life of violence and destruction. But where does the truth lie? What occurred during Jesse’s childhood that turned him to a life...