Billy Dixon’s Record-Shattering Marksmanship
The fateful day Billy Dixon almost shot a mile.
Category The Wild West of Yesteryear
Explore the myths, legends, and untold stories of the American frontier in The Wild West of Yesteryear column by author and blogger Rachel Kovaciny. From iconic lawmen and notorious outlaws to forgotten pioneers, frontier women, and cultural curiosities, this tag dives deep into the people, places, inventions, and everyday life that shaped the Old West. Perfect for history lovers, writers, educators, and Western enthusiasts alike.
The Gun that Won the West: The 1873 Winchester
The Winchester 73 revolutionized history with its ability to use the same ammo as a pistol, and truly settled the west.
Laura Bullion: The Rose of the Wild Bunch | Female Outlaw of the Old West
Laura Bullion, the “Rose of the Wild Bunch,” was a skilled female outlaw who helped plan robberies before reinventing herself far from the Old West.
The Legendary Cooking of Tie Sing
How a Chinese immigrant cooked his way into history, and got a mountain in Yosemite named after him.
Sharlott Hall: She Loved a Territory into a State
The remarkable story of Sharlot Hall and the fight for Arizona’s future.
The Black Seminole Scouts
How a unit of African-American and Seminole men became legendary frontier scouts.
Mean, Ornery, and Worth Saving: Doc Holliday
Bat Masterson despised Doc Holliday, yet risked his reputation, money, and influence to save him from the gallows, all because of one man: Wyatt Earp.
John B. Stetson: The Hat That Shaped the West
Think the cowboy hat was born on the open range? Think again. The Stetson’s story begins with a sick young hatter, a Colorado gold rush, a beaver pelt… and a legendary piece of American history.
The Remarkable Life of Louis L’Amour: America’s Frontier Storyteller
Louis L’Amour lived the adventures he wrote about. From prizefighting to seafaring to bestselling novelist, his real life was as thrilling as his Western tales.
A School in Her Living Room: The Legacy of Elizabeth Thorn Scott Flood
In 1854, Elizabeth Thorn Scott Flood opened her Sacramento home to Black children denied an education—and changed history. From humble beginnings, her schools grew into the foundation of equal education in California, ensuring that all children, regardless of race, could learn and thrive.