Wild West Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Step back in time on our auditory trail as we unearth the powerful yet overlooked stories of African American cowboys. Through the unyielding dust of cattle drives and the camaraderie of the trail, we pay homage to trailblazers like Bose Ikard, who, with their unparalleled bravery, navigated the complexities of a post-slavery America to etch their names in the annals of frontier h...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the unsung heroes of the Wild West as we share the riveting tales of Black American Cowboys, who emerged as skilled drovers and cow punchers in the post-Civil War era. Our journey through history celebrates these trailblazers, whose stories are often overshadowed, despite making up one-quarter of the 19th-century cowboy population. Join us for an episode that promises to...

Send us Fan Mail Strap on your spurs and hold onto your hats as I, Cranky McCabe, whisk you away to the days when Dodge City was overrun with buffalo hunters, traders, and outlaws. Ever wondered what it'd be like to stand in the midst of a buffalo stampede or face down danger at the turn of a card? Our latest journey into the echoes of the past promises tales of adventure, peril, and the raw...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder how a legendary Wild West town like Dodge City came to be? Prepare to be transported to the very roots of this iconic boomtown, where the dreams of early settlers flourished alongside the roaring trains of progress. Your ears won't believe the tales of Dodge City's first entrepreneurs, John MacDonald and George Hoover, or the dramatic fate of the Essington Ho...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine journeying through a blizzard-stricken landscape in late 1868, alongside General Custer and his men. Intrigued? That's just a taste of the thrilling expedition we embark on in today's episode, as we delve deep into General Sheridan's campaign. We're thrust into the harsh realities of the time - troops scattered across vast distances, severe winter condi...

Send us Fan Mail Join us on a captivating journey back in time as we unravel the heartwarming traditions of Christmas in the Old West. We've enlisted the help of historian Lucian Ruhl to paint a vivid picture of Christmas celebrations among pioneers, cowboys, and settlers. Sit back and immerse yourself in fascinating stories like Ruhl's family's harrowing journey from Virginia to Ke...

Send us Fan Mail Brace yourself for an unforgettable foray into the captivating narrative of Robert Service's poem, "The Cremation of Sam McGee." As the icy winds of the Klondike Gold Rush era whip around you, absorb the poignant tale of two friends' perilous quest for gold. Discover the historical significance of the term "sourdough," as we lead you deeper into the f...

Send us Fan Mail Picture this: it's 1858, a rugged miner's camp is bustling with activity, and a piano mysteriously shows up just in time for Christmas Eve. Oh, the chaos and hilarity that ensues! Journey with us as we follow our hearty miners wrestling with setting up the instrument and scrambling to find a player. This isn't just a piano; it's a beacon of camaraderie and fest...

Send us Fan Mail Prepare to be transported back to the Kansas plains of 1872! You'll journey alongside Richard Irving Dodge, a soldier stationed at the heart of the Wild West, as he recounts the awe-inspiring sight of a massive buffalo herd numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The vast prairie comes alive as he shares tales of life at Fort Dodge and his interactions with Robert M. Wright....

Send us Fan Mail Settle in, saddle up and join us as we ride alongside George W Brown and Prairie Dog Morrow, two audacious characters who guide us through the exhilarating era of buffalo hunting in the Great Plains of the 1870s. Hear how they mastered the art of buffalo hunting and their thrilling adventures from the Dakotas to Montana. Prairie Dog even reveals his unique prairie dog catching tec...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine the southern plains once teeming with 50 million buffaloes, a resource so vast it was considered inexhaustible. Then, picture it transforming into a desolate, putrid desert, the aftermath of a rampant hunting spree fueled by the discovery of buffalo leather by tanneries worldwide, the westward migration of war veterans and the establishment of railroads. This episode takes...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready to hitch a ride to the wild frontier with tales from the legendary George W Brown, also known as Hoodoo Brown. Born under the Missouri skies in 1847, he invites us into his past, from fighting in the Union Army to life as a bullwacker, hauling wood for the government. His trailblazing tales are packed with excitement, danger, and the raw reality of frontier life. With ev...

Send us Fan Mail Strap yourselves in folks, we're about to embark on a thrilling journey through the wild and gritty tales of the legendary Wild West! Ever heard of the infamous Bat Masterson? Well, this episode is all about his equally intriguing brother, James Masterson. We shine a spotlight on his tumultuous life, culminating in his pivotal role in the Battle of the Plaza and the exhilarat...

Send us Fan Mail Ever thought about how life was in the Wild West? Imagine, the rawness of survival against the elements, the adrenaline of buffalo hunts, and the intrigue of lawmen and outlaws! I'm inviting you to saddle up and join us on this journey as we live vicariously through the life of our protagonist, Josiah Wright Mooar, a young man discovering the thrills and perils of the frontie...

Send us Fan Mail Are you ready to step back in time with us to the age of the American frontier? This episode unfurls the tapestry of the life of the renowned Indian scout, Moses Milner, more famously known as California Joe. His tale, as wild and untamed as the frontier he called home, begins with his youthful years of trapping and trading with friendly Indians. We follow his path to the height o...

Send us Fan Mail Hold onto your hats as we whisk you away on a wild adventure with the charismatic Luke McGlue! Imagine a hidden backroom in the Lady Gay Saloon, brimming with peculiar jars and the air thick with anticipation. It’s a laughable escapade until the lights go out and bullets start to fly! If that’s not enough to get your pulse racing, we then introduce you to two intriguing doctors fr...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what happens when a charming mischief-maker crosses paths with a hapless cigar salesman in the wild, wild west? Buckle up and get ready for a roller-coaster of an adventure as we follow the delightful exploits of Luke Maglue, our very own Kansas troublemaker, and Saddler, our unwitting cigar merchant, in a town that's as mysterious as it is dusty. We promise you...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how a man named Luke McGlue transformed the wild west of Dodge City with his infectious laughter and pranks? Or what happens when a pet bear named Patty runs amok in a hotel and ends up as the main course for Christmas dinner? Buckle up, as we take a ride into the humorous and heroic tales of Dodge City, Kansas. We kick off the journey with the story of Luke McGlue,...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered what pranks looked like in the Wild West? Well, imagine being a naive, greenhorn man stepping into one set up by the seasoned regulars at the Dodge House. This episode whisks you into a wild adventure, spun from the tale of a man who fancied himself a lady killer being played by the cunning men of Buffalo City. Notably, a place where men far outnumber women,...

Send us Fan Mail Prepare yourself for a bone-chilling journey through the unchartered territories of the Wild West! Get ready to feel the sweat on your brow and the grit in your teeth as we traverse from Adobe Walls to Chicken Creek, recounting tales of confrontation, courage, and survival straight from the horse's mouth, Joe Plumber.  We kick things off with the horrifying recount of Dave Du...

Send us Fan Mail Based on true accounts of the first battle of Adobe Walls listeners immerse in a heart-stirring narrative of the Wild West as we sit by the campfire with Joe Plummer, a man as distinctive as the tales he shares. Plummer, a vibrant storyteller adorned with tattoos and piercings, spins a compelling yarn of Kit Carson's surprise attack on the Comanche and Kiowa winter village. W...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine strolling into a saloon and locking eyes with a man whose hatred for you is palpable. Welcome to a tumultuous evening in a Wild West Texas settlement, Mobeetiy, where confrontations brew, and gunfire could break out at any moment. In this high-stakes setting, we revisit my conflicted relationship with the despised Corporal Melvin King, whose return to town sends shockwaves...

Send us Fan Mail Hold onto your hats, folks! Ever wondered how a dance hall girl can set off a chain of explosive events in the Wild West? Let's journey back to 1879 and step into the infamous Lady Gay Dance Hall. It's here, amidst the gamblers and dance hall girls, that we find ourselves in the middle of a deadly love triangle. In this whirlwind of attraction and tension, we'll int...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready to venture into the gritty underbelly of post-Civil War Kansas with us, as we expose the chilling tales of the state's most notorious outlaws. We're dusting off an article from the Kansas Magazine, a deep-dive into the state's darkest past, co-authored by our very own producer Mike King. Guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat, we lay bare the unfi...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for a chilling walk down memory lane as we take you on a ghostly journey through Dodge City with our mischievous guide, Luke McGlue. Picture this: it's Halloween night, and the usually bustling streets are eerily silent. Luke has a mission - to administer the infamous Keely Cure to a stubbornly intoxicated judge. Sounds simple, right? But things aren't always a...