The Wild West Extravaganza

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**The Wild West Extravaganza**

The Wild West Extravaganza is a weekly history podcast that explores the real-life people and events from the Old West. Each episode brings to life the legendary outlaws, gunfighters, lawmen, cowboys, and Native Americans who shaped the frontier. From iconic figures like Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and Doc Holliday to overlooked tales of shootouts, cattle drives, and rowdy towns like Deadwood, there’s no shortage of stories to tell. So saddle up, dust off your boots, and let’s hit the trail!

Latest Episodes:

Jesse James | Bank Robber (Part 2) Jan 29, 2025

Show notes

The outlaw Jesse James got his start during the Civil War as

a young bushwhacker, fighting with William Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson.

He killed his first man at the age of 16 and continued doing so even after the

war was officially over. Today, we’ll discuss Jesse’s rise from a mere

bushwhacker to an outlaw as he and his brother Frank begin robbing banks and

have their first brush with the infamous Pinkerton Detective Agency. Also

discussed are Cole Younger, Clell Miller, and Little Archie Clement.

This episode is sponsored by ExpressVPN - http://expressvpn.com/wildwest

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

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Jesse James | Bushwhacker (Part 1) Jan 22, 2025

Show notes

According to many, Jesse James was a hero, a freedom fighter

who continued resisting Northern aggression long after the Civil War came to an

end. But to his victims, Jesse was nothing more than a cold-blooded killer, one

who used the war as a convenient excuse to lead a life of violence and

destruction. But where does the truth lie? What occurred during Jesse’s

childhood that turned him to a life of crime? How old was he when he first went

to war? How’d he survive two separate gunshot wounds to the chest before his 18th

birthday? And is it true he married his own cousin? Join me today as we explore

the life and times of Jesse James! Also discussed are Bloody Bill Anderson,

William Quantrill, the Lawrence Massacre, & the Missouri Bushwhackers.

Sponsored by Mint Mobile - https://mintmobile.com/wildwest

Sponsored by DraftKings – Download the DraftKings Sportsbook

app and use code: WILDWEST

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/

Join Into History for ad-free and bonus content! https://intohistory.supercast.com/

Join Patreon for ad-free and bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra

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Buckshot Roberts Jan 15, 2025

Show notes

On April 4, 1878, Andrew L. “Buckshot” Roberts took on the

Lincoln County Regulators in what’s now known as the Gunfight at Blazer’s Mill.

Today, we’ll dive into Roberts’ background and discuss who really killed him –

Billy the Kid or Charlie Bowdre. Also mentioned are Dick Brewer, John Tunstall,

and one of the greatest westerns ever made, Young Guns. Let’s dance, Mary Ann!

This episode is sponsored by ExpressVPN! https://www.expressvpn.com/wildwest

This episode is sponsored by DraftKings! Download DraftKings

Sportsbook App and use code WILDWEST

Billy the Kid series | https://www.wildwestextra.com/billy-the-kid-compilation/

Check out the Wild West Extravaganza website for more true

tales from the Old West https://www.wildwestextra.com/

Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/

Free Newsletter! https://wildwestjosh.substack.com/

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Black Jack Ketchum Jan 08, 2025

Show notes

Thomas “Black Jack” Ketchum was an Old West cowboy turned outlaw. He and his gang robbed trains and stole livestock all throughout the American Southwest before coming to a disastrous end. And that’s when things went from bad to worse. Before it was all said and done, Ketchum would go down in history as the only person ever executed for ATTEMPTING to rob a train. Also discussed are Black Jack Christian, the Wild Bunch, Will Carver, Ben Kilpatrick, and Elzy Lay.

This episode is brought to you by Quince! https://www.quince.com/wildwest

This episode is also sponsored by DraftKings! https://sportsbook.draftkings.com Code: WILDWEST

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

Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/

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Dynamite and Six Shooter by Jeff Burton - https://a.co/d/802o5Z9

Thomas “Black Jack” Ketchum essay by Jeff Burton - https://www.seibelfamily.net/ketchum-black-jack.html

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Doc Scurlock & the Lincoln County Regulators Jan 01, 2025

Show notes

Josiah "Doc" Scurlock was a poet, philosopher, intellectual, and hardened killer long before he met Billy the Kid. His mysterious past in Mexico, rumors of dead men from New Orleans to Texas, penchant for vigilantism, and several close calls with hostile Natives all made Doc a man to be both feared and respected. However, the trials he would face after the Lincoln County War made Scurlock the man his family would remember.

Jose Chavez y Chavez was a constable in San Patricio and an ally of the Tunstall McSween faction during the Lincoln County War. Jose was a full participant in the troubles and was present during the Battle of Lincoln, making a getaway from the burning McSween home alongside Billy the Kid. But who was Jose Chavez y Chavez, really? Was he a Navajo, as popularly believed? And how did he become a hired assassin? Also discussed in this episode is Chavez’s encounter with Bob Ford and the other Regulators and friends of Billy the Kid, guys like Henry Newton Brown, George and Frank Coe, Ab Saunders, John Middleton, Billy Wilson, Tom Pickett, and more! I also give my opinion on what really happened there at Fort Sumner on the night of Billy’s alleged death and discuss The Kid’s “body count”. This is a mashup of two previously released episodes on the pals of Billy the Kid.

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

Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/

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ENCORE: An Old West Christmas Miracle Dec 24, 2024

Show notes

On Christmas Day 1851, Lieutenant Amiel Whipple and his men find themselves outnumbered and facing certain death at the hands of the Quechan people. What happens next is what many would consider a Blood Meridian Christmas miracle.

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

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The Escape of Chief Satanta Dec 18, 2024

Show notes

Chief Satanta, the great orator, was an extremely influential Kiowa leader. A participant in both battles of Adobe Walls, Satanta was eventually tried for murder and sentenced to life in prison. This is the story of his escape.

Check out today’s sponsor, Mint Mobile! – https://www.mintmobile.com/wildwest

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

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Join Patreon for ad-free and bonus content! https://www.patreon.com/wildwestextra

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Silas Soule | Bleeding Kansas to Sand Creek Dec 11, 2024

Show notes

Silas Soule moved to Kansas as a teenager. He and his family joined the Underground Railroad, and when it came time to arm up against the border ruffians, Silas didn’t hesitate. Later, during the Civil War, he was commissioned as an officer in the Union Army and served with distinction during the battle of Glorietta Pass. Afterward, he did all he could to protect the Colorado frontier from hostiles. At least, he did until Colonel Chivington ordered him to attack the peaceful village of Black Kettle at Sand Creek. Silas Soule may not be a household name or the subject of movies, but I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised and inspired by his story. So please, join me today as we recognize a true American Hero, one who wasn’t afraid to spill a little blood but at the same time was willing to sacrifice it all for what was right. And in the end, this integrity cost him his life. Also discussed are Bleeding Kansas, John Brown and the raid on Harpers Ferry, the Colorado gold rush, Tom Tobin and the murderous Espinosa brothers, the Cheyenne and Arapaho, and finally, the Sand Creek massacre.

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

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Silas Soule: A Short, Eventful Life of Moral Courage by Tom Bensing - https://a.co/d/6K9IyRh

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Harry Tracy | The Last Outlaw Nov 27, 2024

Show notes

Considered by some to be the last of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch, Harry Tracy blasted his way out of prison in the summer of 1902. What followed was one of the most desperate man hunts in all of U.S. history. Over the course of the next two months, Tracy would lead hundreds of lawmen, including the National Guard, on a deadly game of chase that would see at least 7 men gunned down. According to the papers of his time, “In all of the criminal lore of the country, there is no record equal to that of Harry Tracy for cold-blooded nerve, desperation, and a thirst for crime. Jesse James, compared with Tracy, is a Sunday School teacher.” But who was the real Harry Tracy? Where’d he come from? What started him on a life of crime? And did he really ride with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? This is a compilation of previously released material.

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

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The Saga of the Outlaw Harry Tracy by James Nystrom - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1456373501?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzjoshta02-20&creativeASIN=1456373501&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.YEHGNY7KFAU7&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin

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Billy the Kid's Brother? Nov 13, 2024

Show notes

Billy the Kid had a brother, Joseph Antrim. This is his story, including a brand-new revelation. Stick around to the end for a special announcement.

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

Email me! https://www.wildwestextra.com/contact/

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Finding Joe Antrim | Culz Paranormal - https://youtu.be/tLyPrdPh-rc?si=RhtlnHo-xH-CqbHh

Finding Joe Antrim and his Final Resting Place by Keegan Cool - https://btkcoalition.com/billy-the-kid-blog/f/finding-joe-antrim-and-his-final-resting-place

Billy the Kid | Stig Ostgaard - https://stigostgaard.com/billy-the-kid/

The Last Gunfighter Ballad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnfRcUdblJ0

The Antrim Family - http://www.aboutbillythekid.com/antrim_family.htm

Billy the Kid’s Brother | TrueWest - https://truewestmagazine.com/what-can-you-tell-me-about-billy-the-kids-brother/

The Birth of an Outlaw | TrueWest - https://truewestmagazine.com/the-birth-of-an-outlaw/

Miss Catherine’s Boys - https://thoughtsfromafar.blog/2021/03/08/miss-catherines-boys/

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