Posts from

Joseph A. Williams

Chisholm Trail history
Places

Chisholm Trail: The West’s Greatest Cattle Route

The Chisholm Trail is renowned for cattle, cowboys, chuck wagons, and nearly everything iconic about the Old West.…

judge roy bean
Lawmen

Judge Roy Bean: The Controversial “Law West of the Pecos”

Judge Roy Bean was the worst and most colorful dispenser of justice of the Old West. To fall…

great sioux war
Events

10 Important Battles & Fights of the Great Sioux War

These ten battles shaped the future of the Great Plains and its inhabitants. From the 1850s to the…

cowboy chaps
Life in the West

Everything You Need to Know About Cowboy Chaps

There is an indelible image of the cowboy: the wide-brimmed hat whose color hinges on one’s ethical alignment.…

famous native american women
Women

7 Famous Native American Women with Remarkable Stories

Meet seven courageous Native American women who impacted the history of the Old West. Old West history and…

isaac parker hanging judge
Lawmen

The Curious Life of Isaac Parker, the Old West’s “Hanging Judge”

The life and legacy of Isaac Parker, the “Hanging Judge,” was more complicated than his name suggests. The…

cherokee bill outlaw
Outlaws

9 Fascinating Facts About Cherokee Bill, Ruthless Outlaw

Notorious outlaw Cherokee Bill once killed a man while he was appealing to the Supreme Court for another…

calamity jane
Women

7 Intriguing Facts that Reveal the Truth about Calamity Jane

Calamity Jane was a legend of Old West lore more famous for being famous than anything else. Her…

Annie Oakley facts
Women

9 Curious Facts About Annie Oakley, Sharpshooter Extraordinaire

Annie Oakley was no pioneer, but Little Miss Sureshot is arguably the single most famous woman of the…

native american symbols
Places

10 Places to See Native American Pictographs & Petroglyphs in the West

Humans have been creating rock art since paleolithic times. The oldest known of which (so far) is cave…

conestoga wagon facts
History

7 Facts You May Not Know About the Conestoga Wagon

The Conestoga wagon was an icon of Western expansion, but it is often misunderstood. Conestoga wagons were important…

cheyenne dog soldiers
People

7 Facts About Cheyenne Dog Soldiers & Their Warrior Legacies

The Cheyenne’s Dog Soldiers, one of the most famous groups of Indigenous warriors in North America, fought until…