The Western Cattle Trail Association is delighted to announce that it will host an exclusive 150-anniversary conference in Dodge City, Kansas, on November 1st & 2nd. This two-day gathering, reserved for those truly passionate about the history of the Western Trail, is not just a celebration but also a unique platform to delve into the history of the Western Trail, provide free historical trolley rides of Dodge City, and to discuss the formation of a cattle trails consortium.
The upcoming conference presents a rare opportunity to delve into the historic trails that have significantly shaped America. These trails, including the Western, Goodnight-Loving, Chisholm, and Shawnee trails, hold a pivotal place in our nation's history.
The conference will occur on Friday and Saturday, followed by the prestigious Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame induction ceremony. On the evening of November 2, Michael Martin Murphey will give a captivating solo performance at the Dodge City Convention Center. Tickets for the Cowboy Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and concert will be sold separately.
Remember to mark your calendars for this momentous event in 2024: the 150-anniversary conference of the Western Cattle Trail, which will be held on November 1st and 2nd in Dodge City, Kansas. We eagerly anticipate your presence as we commemorate 150 years of the Western Cattle Trail in Dodge City, Kansas.
On this day, April 9, 1878, Ed Masterson, a lawman in Dodge City, was gunned down by a pair of drunken cowboys in a shootout outside a Dodge City saloon. Bat Masterson was not present at the time of the gunfight, but he quickly rushed to the scene after hearing of his brother's mortal wound. The two men involved in the fatal shooting were also severely wounded, and one of them, Jack Wagner, later confessed to shooting Ed Masterson before he, too, passed away. His partner, AU Walker, was later released because of Wagner's confession and his severe wounds.
Numerous contemporary newspaper accounts were crediting Bat Masterson with gunning down his brothers' killers, but such accounts appear to be greatly exaggerated. His brother’s death grieved Bat Masterson, but he did not have cause to fire his gun in revenge, and although he arrested four men as accomplices to the two gunmen, they were later released.
When Cowboys Came to Town: Story By Lynne Hewes
Cowboys during the l880s were fortunate that not all their time had to be spent on the trail. Once in a while, they got to come into town. In his book Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West, Christopher Knowlton says that a cowboy's first thought was to get clean once in town after a stint on the dusty trail. A boarding house, often just a simple dormitory with cots, offered a chance to shave and take a much-needed bath. Knowlton says that in such an establishment, cowboys "often encounter[ed] rows of bathtubs and sinks where communal toothbrushes hung on strings, alongside communal towels, hairbrushes, mirrors, and combs."
The Dodge House, which opened in l873, advertised, "Sheets will be changed...once in six months-oftener if necessary...beds with or without bugs".
After becoming "presentable," a cowboy would walk the streets of town, looking at merchandise in shops, stopping for a haircut, or even having his photograph taken. He would make some purchases: tobacco or thread, perhaps. But the next stop was almost always the local saloon.
A high-end saloon like the Varieties in Dodge City would have brass cuspidors for spitting tobacco and gaming tables and perhaps a dance floor. A shot of whisky usually costs fifty cents, while a quarter would buy a beer. And, yes, there were women: hurdy-gurdy girls were around to dance with—but nothing more. Prostitutes were available for between one to five dollars, although some charged more.
Knowlton says that Cowboy Teddy Blue recalled, "I suppose those things would shock a lot of respectable people. But we weren't respectable, and we didn't pretend to be".
There was gunplay, too, of course, but perhaps not as much as Hollywood movies lead us to think. According to Knowlton, "Most cowboys did not carry weapons at all....and most cowboys knew that wearing a six-shooter in a cattle town was an invitation to gunplay".
The important thing, instead, was to ge
What if you could face the toughest crowd and emerge victorious, not with swords or guns, but with faith, resilience, and a dash of humor? Brace yourselves for an enticing journey back to the wild, unpredictable frontier days of Dodge City, as we follow the extraordinary life of Reverend Ormond W. Wright. Born in New Hampshire in 1850, Wright showed up in Dodge City at the nubile age of 26 - a young, unordained minister in the midst of rowdy buffalo hunters and cowboys. Unfazed, he charmed the locals, and soon became a beacon of faith, guiding the town with his divine intervention.
Wright's story is punctuated with amusing anecdotes, including the time Luke McGlue, a notorious prankster, stole his prize pony, and how the shadier side of Dodge City came to his aid during hard times. Despite the tumultuous setting, Wright accomplished the extraordinary - he established the first denominational church in Dodge City. His journey wasn't devoid of hardships, but his undying spirit and sense of humor kept him going. Wright served in Dodge City until 1882, took a short health-related break, and then continued his service in Barnagat, New Jersey, for 30 more years, until his death at age 86. So, buckle up for a wild, inspiring ride into history as we unravel the fascinating tale of Reverend Ormond W Wright.
Civil War & Kansas
Since the birth of the United States, the North and South divisions of the country have cultivated diverse cultures, economies, religious values, and traditions. Still, it was the reliance on slave labor that lodged the conflict between both of the regions. On one hand, the South needed the institution of slavery to keep up with the needs of its plantations. On the other hand, the North sustained itself with factories and had a minimal desire for slaves.
This growth of industrialization spurred disagreement on behalf of the Northern states and the dispute intensified with the creation of the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Both pieces of legislation added new states to the Union. Advocates of slavery believed these laws would provide a chance to establish more slave states. In contrast, adversaries of slavery deemed that the institution should not expand into other regions. Over the course of time, both sides retaliated—the North with the abolitionist movement and the South with its threats of secession. Eventually, the South would attempt to dissolve the Union and begin the American Civil War.
The Civil War in the United States began in 1861, after decades of simmering tensions between northern and southern states over slavery, states’ rights and westward expansion. A common assumption to explain the cause of the American Civil War was that the North was no longer willing to tolerate slavery as being part of the fabric of US society. Slavery, while a major issue, was not the only issue that pushed America into the ‘Great American Tragedy’. The key issue was whether slavery would be allowed in the newly created states that were joining the Union.
The Civil War in the United States began in 1861, after decades of simmering tensions between northern and southern states over slavery, states’ rights, and westward expansion. A common assumption to explain the cause of the American Civil War was that the North was no longer willing to tolerate slavery as being part of the fabric of US society. Slavery, while a major issue, was not the only issue that pushed America into the ‘Great American Tragedy’. The key issue was whether slavery would be allowed in the newly created states that were joining the Union.
The Tale of Two Gunfights and One Crazy Mule (https://www.buzzsprout.com/64094/8846427) is an authentic story based on the first-person account of Emanuel Dubbs. Emanuel Dubbs's story takes place on August 20, 1871, when he arrives in Newton, Kansas. The story opens when Dubbs and his wife enter town-witnessing excitement in the streets. Next, Dubbs takes it upon himself to explore a recent Hyde Park gunfight between Mike McCluskie, a burly local man who had worked in Newton as a night watchman, and a Texan named Billy Bailey.
Dubbs enters the general store to hear a gunfight story told by a man named Wilkerson, a Texas Drover. Wilkerson describes how after midnight, on August 20, two friends named Billy Garrett, and Henry Kearnes entered the dance hall to settle a score with McCluskie. The three mingled in the saloon, waiting and watching McCluskie gamble. Soon, another Texas cowboy named Hugh Anderson, the son of a wealthy Bell County, Texas cattle rancher, also entered the dancehall, walking directly up to McCluskie and yelling, "You are a cowardly son-of-a-bitch! I will blow the top of your head off!"
Wilkerson, wounded in the skirmish, tells his listeners how Jim Martin jumps up to stop the violence and is ignored by Anderson, who shoots McCluskie in the neck. James Riley, McCluskie's friend, pulls his two Colt revolvers and opens fire on the Texans.
Dubs and his wife do not stay long in Newton, and Dubbs takes a job grading track for the Santa Fe Railroad. Then, during the spring of 1872, Dubs traveled with Mr. Wiley to the Arkansas River.
Mr. Wiley, a head contractor, and Dubbs were to scout out a location for a new supply depot. Dubbs riding on his favorite mule named Marie, traveled up the line from Fort Larned over what was then known as the Dry Ridge trail. They came off the trail in sight of the beautiful Arkansas valley about two miles above where old Fort Dodge stood. Dubbs describes the panorama view just minutes before he charges down an emb
Bents Old Fort
Bent's Old Fort was an outpost of American civilization situated on the southwestern edge of the American frontier. A symbol of Manifest Destiny, the fort was located on the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail, the crossroads of trade among the Indians of the plains, the trappers of the mountains, and the traders of the Southwest. Bent's Old Fort was the largest of all the trading posts in the mountain-plains region. The people who built and maintained the fort, and many of those who visited it, were essentially those who, driven by economic necessity and commercial understanding, carried forward the Americanization of the area during the 1830s and 1840s.
In the 1830s, the trade on the Santa Fe Trail increased as the fur trade market decreased. With the beaver virtu trapped out of the Missouri River drainage area and the introduction of the silk hat into European and American fashion, the fur trade market was severely affected. The independent trappers, such as Ceran St. Vrain and William and Charles Bent, were forced south into the Arkansas River valley to pursue the beaver, where they were exposed to the embryonic but highly lucrative Santa Fe trade. The Cheyenne had crossed the South Platte River and entered the upper Arkansas River region by 1827, opening up a new trading area. http://worldfamousgunfighters.weebly.com/santa-fe-trail.html
Gambling played a significant role in the lives of the buffalo hunters and cowboys who drove America's Westward movement during the nineteenth century. The game of chance was dear to the heart of the early frontiersman who spun the wheel on liquor, lust, and luck, whether it was a game of poker played on a blanket or a Faro bet placed in a saloon.
After months of pushing steers up the Western trail to the railhead, the cowboy longed for a hot bath, haircut, a good meal, a decent drink of whiskey, a woman companion, and a chance of "bucking the tiger" at the faro tables. The faro game was also called "bucking the tiger" or "twisting the tiger's tail," this was because, during the 1830s, a faro playing kit was often carried in a mahogany box with a Royal Bengal Tiger painted on the cover.
Wild West Podcast proudly presents an all-new series entitled Trails, Cattle Drives, Cowboys, and Cattle Towns. This new series will explore the early cattle trade, relive the challenges of a trail drive, describe the character of the cowboy, and retell the stories of individuals who endured the hardships of the cattle trails of the 1800s. The podcast series will provide Interesting Sketches of Early Cowboys and their Experiences on the Range and on the Trail during the Days that Tried Men's Souls. In addition, the podcast provides authentic narratives told by real Cowboys and the men who fathered the cattle industry. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wild-west-podcast/id1141540537
Hold on to your cowboy hats as we set off on a galloping journey back to the Wild West - the birthplace of the rodeo. We're venturing back to the mid-1800s, where it all began with Spanish missionaries, Vecarro culture, and the early cowboys whose fierce rivalry sparked the creation of what we now know as professional rodeo. Discover how their roping and riding contests for bragging rights transformed into a recognized sport, with a nod to pioneers like William F. Cody and his entertainment shows and William Pickett's innovative bull-wrestling technique, bulldogging.
We'll also steer you through the various events that have become hallmarks of the professional rodeo - from the rough and tumble of saddle bronc riding and bull riding to the heart-pounding excitement of team roping and barrel racing. Listen as we dissect each event, revealing how their roots lie deep in traditional ranching practices. As we hit the 20th century, join us for a rewind of the first annual Dodge City Rodeo in 1939, and a salute to influential women like Annie Oakley and Mabel Strickland Woodward, who paved the way for women in the sport. Get ready for a wild ride, partners! https://www.buzzsprout.com/64094/13327064
History of Boot Hill Museum
When the West was Young
Wild West Podcast will proudly present an all-new series entitled Trails, Cattle Drives, Cowboys, and Cattle Towns. The podcast series will provide Interesting Sketches of Early Cowboys and their Experiences on the Range and on the Trail during the Days that Tried Men's Souls. In addition, the podcast provides true narratives told by real Cowboys and the men who fathered the cattle industry. Subscribe to Wild West Podcast at ....https:// podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wild-west-podcast/id1141540537
The Aftermath: Battle of the Wash*ta
In this episode, buffalo hunters Jim White, Hoodoo Brown, Prairie Dog Morrow, and Josiah Wright Moore are camped along the Salina River, preparing hides to take to the market. During the evening, just before mealtime, a hunter by the name of Hoodoo Brown tells his account of the aftermath of the battle of the Wash*ta, which occurred on November 27, 1868. https://www.buzzsprout.com/64094/11334620
The battle is best remembered when Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer's 7th U.S. Cavalry attacked Black Kettle's Southern Cheyenne camp. Custer's forces attacked the village because scouts had found it by tracking the trail of an Indian party that had raided white settlers. Black Kettle and his people had been at peace and were seeking peace. On that day, Custer's soldiers killed women and children in addition to warriors. They also took many captives to serve as hostages and human shields. The aftermath is the December 7, 1868, story of Custer's return to the battlefield to claim the remains of the fallen and boast of his accomplishments to General Sheridan. Wild West Podcast proudly present’s - "The Aftermath: Battle of the Wash*ta."https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wild-west-podcast/id1141540537?i=1000579752787
In the fall of 2022, Wild West Podcast will proudly present an all-new series entitled Trails, Cattle Drives, Cowboys, and Cattle Towns. This new series will explore the early cattle trade, relive the challenges of a trail drive, describe the character of the cowboy, and retell the stories of individuals who endured the hardships of the cattle trails of the 1800s. The podcast series will provide Interesting Sketches of Early Cowboys and their Experiences on the Range and on the Trail during the Days that Tried Men's Souls. In addition, the podcast provides True Narratives Related by Real Cow-Punchers and the Men who fathered the cattle industry.
So make sure you subscribe to our podcast listed at the end of the description text of this podcast to receive notification on all new episodes. You can also join us on Facebook at to review excerpts and historical accounts of this new series entitled Trails, Cattle Drives, Cowboys, and Cattle Towns. Subscribe to Wild West Podcast at ….https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wild-west-podcast/id1141540537
H. L. Sitler constructed the first building on the town site of Dodge City in 1871. The location of the sod house was five miles west of Fort Dodge. The spot was near a lone cottonwood tree standing near the entrance of Wright Park that marked a long-used ford across the Arkansas River. The first business that opened on the site of Dodge City was George M. Hoover and John McDonald's saloon. The story produced by Mike King tells the account of how Hoover, a Canadian at age twenty-four, carefully measured out the distance of five miles west of Fort Dodge jurisdiction. On the morning of June 17, 1872, Hoover and McDonald's erected a tent and unloaded a wagon full of whiskey, and by 8:00 a.m., the first saloon in the area was open. He then moved his business establishment, the Hoover & McDonald Wines and Liquors, in 1874 to No. 36, Front Street. https://www.buzzsprout.com/64094/10394210
Early Gamblers of Dodge City
Episode 1 Card Games: Faro
Gambling played a major role in the lives of the buffalo hunters and cowboys who drove America's Westward movement during the nineteenth century. Likewise, the game of chance was dear to the heart of the early frontiersman who spun the wheel on liquor, lust, and luck. Whether it was a game of poker played on a blanket or a Faro bet placed in a saloon.
Gambling played a major role in the lives of the buffalo hunters and cowboys who drove America's Westward movement during the nineteenth century. Likewise, the game of chance was dear to the heart of the early frontiersman who spun the wheel on liquor, lust, and luck. Whether it was a game of poker played on a blanket or a Faro bet placed in a saloon, a playing kit was often carried in a mahogany box with a Royal Bengal Tiger painted on the cover.
