The Wild West Extravaganza

Latest Episodes:

Lewis & Clark | The Shoshone (Part 3) Mar 27, 2024

Show notes

In the spring of 1805, the Lewis and Clark expedition departed from the Mandan and followed the Missouri River west into Montana. They would need to cross the Rocky Mountains before the snow began to fall, and to that, they would need to find the Shoshone. Also discussed are the hunting on the upper Missouri, the portage of the Great Falls, and a fortunate encounter with the Nez Perce. This is part 3 in the Lewis and Clark series; links below for the previous two installments.

Part 1 in the Lewis & Clark series - https://www.wildwestextra.com/lewis-clark-the-corps-of-discovery-part-1/

Part 2 in the Lewis & Clark series - https://www.wildwestextra.com/lewis-clark-sacagawea-daniel-boone-part-2/

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Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose - https://www.amazon.com/Undaunted-Courage-Meriwether-Jefferson-American/dp/0684826976

Journals of Lewis & Clark - https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/

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Lewis & Clark | Sacagawea & Daniel Boone (Part 2) Mar 20, 2024

Show notes

One aspect of the Lewis and Clark expedition that’s often overlooked is that much of their success hinged largely on the good graces of the various Indigenous people on whose land they were crossing. Today, as we follow the expedition up Missouri, we’ll take a look at several such encounters, first with the Oto and Missouri tribes, then Arikara, the Yankton, and finally a near-disastrous confrontation with the Lakota – one that had the potential to significantly alter history as we know it. We’ll also examine the Corp of Discovery’s time among the Mandan, a possible meeting with the legendary Daniel Boone, and introduce a young girl who turned out to be one of the most valuable members of the expedition – a teenage mother known as Sacagawea. By the way, how exactly is her name pronounced? And was she really Shoshone? This is PART 2 in a series on Lewis and Clark - link down below for PART 1! Part 1 in the Lewis & Clark series - https://www.wildwestextra.com/lewis-clark-the-corps-of-discovery-part-1/ Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/ Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wildwest Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/ Hugh Glass - https://www.wildwestextra.com/hugh-glass-frontiersman/ Jim Bridger | Ashley’s 100 - https://www.wildwestextra.com/jim-bridger-ashleys-100/ Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose - https://www.amazon.com/Undaunted-Courage-Meriwether-Jefferson-American/dp/0684826976 Journals of Lewis & Clark - https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/ Join Into History for ad-free and bonus content! https://intohistory.supercast.com/ Merchandise! https://www.teepublic.com/user/wild-west-extravaganza Book Recommendations! https://www.amazon.com/shop/wildwestextravaganza/list/YEHGNY7KFAU7?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d

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Lewis & Clark | The Corps of Discovery (Part 1) Mar 13, 2024

Show notes

In the Spring of 1803, the United States acquired the Territory of Louisiana, a largely uncharted tract of wilderness stretching from Canada all the way down to New Orleans, over 800,000 square miles that, as the maps were concerned, remained a mystery. President Thomas Jefferson ordered an expedition to explore Louisiana west to the Pacific Ocean to understand this new purchase better. Tasked with leading this endeavor – officially known as the Corp of Discovery – were Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The Corp of Discovery was to travel some 8,000 miles, navigating their way up the Missouri River before turning west and crossing the Rocky Mountains. If everything went as planned, they’d locate an all-water route linking the Missouri to the Pacific and return to civilization as heroes. Sounds great in theory, but would Lewis and Clark be able to pull it off? Who exactly were Lewis and Clark? What exactly was the Louisiana Purchase? How’d they choose the men who would accompany them on the expedition? What sort of supplies would Lewis and Clark bring on the expedition? Is it true that Lewis and Clark were searching for wooly mammoths? And were they really the first to explore these new lands?

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Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose - https://www.amazon.com/Undaunted-Courage-Meriwether-Jefferson-American/dp/0684826976

Journals of Lewis & Clark - https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/

Explorers Podcast - https://explorerspodcast.com/lewis-and-clark/

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Introducing American Criminal Feb 29, 2024

Show notes

From Airship, the studio behind American Scandal, American History Tellers, and History Daily, comes a new true crime history podcast that takes you inside the minds of some of our most notorious felons and outlaws, exploring the dark side to the American dream. The debut season tackles one of the country’s most sensational cases: The Menendez Murders. In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez brutally shot their parents. Prosecutors said it was a million dollar inheritance that led two greedy kids to murder. But the picture-perfect facade this family built hid troubling abuse; could these teenagers have been driven to kill, or was it even in self-defense?

Episode one is out now! Go to americancriminal.com, or search for and follow American Criminal wherever you get your podcasts.

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Claude Dallas | Killer Cowboy Feb 15, 2024

Show notes

They say Claude Dallas was the last of the Mountain Men; A modern-day cowboy and fur trapper just living life on his terms. A throwback to the Mountain Men like Jim Bridger, Jed Smith, and Kit Carson. The only thing was the authorities just wouldn’t let Dallas be. First, it was the FBI, then the Bureau of Land Management, and finally, a pair of Game Wardens out of Idaho. Dallas had sworn he’d never be arrested again, and sure enough when the smoke cleared, both Game Wardens lay dead on the ground. For over the next year, Claude Dallas was the subject of a nationwide manhunt. He would be captured and sentenced to prison, but he escaped, causing yet another manhunt – this time making it on the FBI’s top 10 most wanted. Believe it or not, Claude Dallas is still alive and free. Considered a hero to many – a living, walking, talking embodiment of the old motto, live free or die. But just how accurate are these sentiments? Is Claude Dallas truly a hero, a good man who refused to be victimized by an oppressive government, or just a criminal turned cold-blooded killer? And where is Claude Dallas now? This episode is dedicated to the memories of William Harlan Pogue, Wilson Conley Elms, and their families.

Check out the website for more true tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/

Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/ Give A Boy A Gun by Jack Olsen - https://www.amazon.com/Give-Boy-Gun-Disorder-American-ebook/dp/B014085Q2E

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Black Cowboys Feb 07, 2024

Show notes

In this collection of true stories from the Old West, we’ll discuss Bass Reeves, one of the first black deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi. We’ll also take a look at the opposite end of the spectrum with Cherokee Bill – the son of a buffalo hunter who became one of the deadliest outlaws of Indian Territory. Finally we’ll celebrate the life and death of Brit Johnson, a former slave who’s quest to retrieve his wife and children from the clutches of captivity would inspire John Wayne’s The Searchers.

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Legends and Outlaws | An Old West Marathon Jan 31, 2024

Show notes

In this collection of true stories from the Old West, we’ll discuss George Parrot, aka Big Nose George – a lesser-known outlaw who had a noose around his neck more times than you'd believe. And that’s just half the story! You’ll never guess how this one ends! Afterward, we’ll hop over to El Paso for a legendary showdown between madams Big Alice Abbot and Etta “The Grasshopper” Clark before discussing the legendary gunfight in Newton, Kansas. And don’t forget about legendary Joaquin Murrieta – the supposed inspiration for the likes of Zorro and Batman. Was Murrieta a righteous freedom fighter or simply a charismatic bandit? Then we’ve got Ed Scarborough, a fearless lawman whose biggest enemies turned out to be himself and a rabid skunk. With cross-dressing, shootouts with bicycles, and daring prison escapes, Ed’s story is about as wild as the West gets. Following Scarborough, we’ll delve into the Colorado cannibal Alfred Packer and his eyebrow-raising story of survival. Finally, we’ll pay a visit to Winslow, Arizona, where an armed robbery by down-and-out cowboys resulted in a literal trip to hell, a bloody gunfight, and an Old West Lazarus rising from the dead for one last sip of whiskey!

(0:00) Big Nose George

(23:10) Alice Abbott & the Battle of the Bordellos

(45:04) The Newton Massacre

(73:15) Billy the Kid's Brother

(88:12) The Bandit Joaquin Murrieta

(144:48) Arizona Ranger Ed Scarborough

(157:25) Colorado Cannibal Alfred Packer

(212:04) The Devil's Canyon

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John Wesley Hardin's Final Stand (Part 4) Jan 24, 2024

Show notes

John Wesley Hardin killed his first man at the age of 15, and for the next decade, he would continue to kill. The exact number of victims is unknown, but it’s estimated that anywhere from twenty to forty men fell before Hardin’s guns, making him one of the deadliest shootists of the Old West. Then, at the age of 25, Hardin went to prison. After numerous attempts at escape and several lashings, Wes finally settled down and became a model inmate. And, upon his eventual release, Hardin truly seemed to be a changed man. Believe it or not, he would even receive a license to practice law and begin working as an attorney. But how long would this last? Would Hardin continue to walk the straight and narrow in the rowdy border town of El Paso, or would he return to his old vices? And what about those rumors of indiscretions in prison? Also discussed are John Selman Sr., Jeff Milton, Deputy George Scarborough, Deacon Jim Miller, and Reconstruction Texas.

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John Wesley Hardin | First Blood (Part 1) - https://www.wildwestextra.com/john-wesley-hardin-first-blood/

John Wesley Hardin vs Wild Bill Hickok (Part 2) - https://www.wildwestextra.com/john-wesley-hardin-vs-wild-bill-hickok-part-2/

John Wesley Hardin | Sutton-Taylor Feud - https://www.wildwestextra.com/the-sutton-taylor-feud-john-wesley-hardin-part-3/

John Selman Sr | Killer With A Badge - https://www.wildwestextra.com/john-selman-sr-killer-with-a-badge/

John Wesley Hardin by John Wesley Hardin - https://www.amazon.com/Life-John-Wesley-Hardin/dp/1545102228/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1NBYY662EX0R1&keywords=john+wesley+hardin+books&qid=1706053895&sprefix=%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-2

John Wesley Hardin: Dark Angel of Texas by Leon Metz - https://www.amazon.com/John-Wesley-Hardin-Angel-Texas/dp/0806129956/ref=pd_bxgy_img_d_sccl_1/146-3827527-8314802?pd_rd_w=4V28q&content-id=amzn1.sym.839d7715-b862-4989-8f65-c6f9502d15f9&pf_rd_p=839d7715-b862-4989-8f65-c6f9502d15f9&pf_rd_r=J9AVPF1V2SFTSHHQW493&pd_rd_wg=cmshz&pd_rd_r=b5b6e080-3cb8-4021-8b7a-8d055614deaa&pd_rd_i=0806129956&psc=1

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The Sutton-Taylor Feud | John Wesley Hardin (Part 3) Jan 17, 2024

Show notes

The Sutton-Taylor feud was one of the deadliest of the Old West. On one side you had the Taylor clan – descendants of Virginian Josiah Taylor, who settled near Cuero in DeWitt County. Tough-as-nails patriarchs Pitkin and Creed, along with their many sons and nephews, formed the backbone of their faction. Their adversaries, initially tied to the nefarious Texas State Police, rally under the name of William E. Sutton and Sheriff Jack Helm. Ambushes, assassinations, and betrayals became the norm, with each party vying for dominance. But who’s side would gunman John Wesley Hardin fight on? Also discussed is John Wesley Hardin’s time on the run, his arrest at the hands of Texas Rangers, and his murder trial.

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John Wesley Hardin Part 1 - https://www.wildwestextra.com/john-wesley-hardin-first-blood/

John Wesley Hardin Part 2 - https://www.wildwestextra.com/john-wesley-hardin-vs-wild-bill-hickok-part-2/

Bill Longley | Deadliest Gun in Texas - https://www.wildwestextra.com/bill-longley-the-deadliest-gun-in-texas/

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John Wesley Hardin vs Wild Bill Hickok (Part 2) Jan 10, 2024