Perhaps it’s the nature of some men who work in physically difficult jobs to believe that problems can be solved only through strong-armed means.  Miners, in the 1880s for instance, spent their working days at the ends of dusty mine drifts and stopes hammering away at rock surfaces; attempting to crack them into smaller bits … Continue reading THOMAS FORREST’S STABBING OF MIKE CARBIS →

Most tales of the old west are best told in the words of those directly involved in the story.  Here is a shortened story of the 1900s killing of Shorty Dallas near Clifton, Arizona taken from the notes of a settler of the area.             “The cause of Shorty’s death was the plan of two … Continue reading KILLING SHORTY DALLAS →

Most western movies that attempt to depict an old west saloon have a rinky-tink piano playing in the background.  These old “upright” instruments provided the atmosphere needed to set the mood for gamblers, and saloon girls.  In actuality, there weren’t many saloons that could afford such an instrument, nor were the rooms large enough for … Continue reading CLARA’S UPRIGHT PIANO →

Everybody in Frisco, Utah knew Bill Thomas.  He had arrived in town in 1879 to help Sly Smith the dairyman with his small herd.  Of course, nobody really knew much about Bill’s past, but that was common for most of the people in town.  He worked hard and quietly to take care of his wife … Continue reading A KILLING ON CHRISTMAS DAY →

After facing a near deadly early winter storm near present day Milford, Utah, the Dominquez/Escalante party of explorers faced a decision whether if they should continue on to find a trail to Monterey, California or return to Santa Fe.  The 1776 calendar was approaching November and the Franciscan Fathers decided to leave it up to … Continue reading Father Escalante: Crossing of the Fathers →

Of all the suspected outlaws that roamed southern Utah in the 1880s, one of the most colorful and notorious was Ben Tasker.             Ben had been a resident of a number of mining towns, drifting from Nevada to Silver reef, to Frisco, to Eureka and then making the rounds again, he didn’t stay long in … Continue reading BEN TASKER →

The mining town of Frisco, in Beaver County, Utah was proud of the fact that the main buildings along its Main Street were made of stone and concrete.  The Hotel Southern, built in 1879 was hailed as “fireproof” by its builder and owner, J.J. Ferrin.             At the mine, southwest of town, all the structures … Continue reading WATT WATKINS: LOYAL TO THE LIFT →

Bat Masterson, as most westerners know, was the famed lawman in Dodge City, Kansas for many years.  He kept that wild town under wraps for the terms he served there, and survived many gun battles with various rowdies who came through the town.  He ended up in New York state and was a warm friend … Continue reading LUKE SHORT →

Much has been written and portrayed about the great Apache leader Cochise.  Whatever the stories and legend, it should be remembered that he was a man of honor and an unyielding fighter when aroused by a sense of injustice.             One afternoon in 1860, Cochise and four of his braves visited their friend, the American … Continue reading COCHISE →

                       Luke was a small man – about five feet, six inches tall.  He was of slight of build too – about one hundred and forty pounds.  That’s small for a westerner in those days, but then again, dynamite is rather small too.              In his early days, after he left his father’s ranch … Continue reading LUKE SHORT AND PINE TOP →