Monday, May 2, 2016
How Much Do You Know About The Old West?
By Paisley Kirkpatrick
Q: What famous Western shootist operated a saloon in Nome, Alaska, at the beginning of the twentieth century? 
A: Wyatt Earp operated a Nome barroom during middle-age wanderings that took him to Texas, California, Idaho, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Alaska, before he retired in Los Angeles in 1906.
Q: When was Jesse James murdered, what was he doing at the time of his death and who killed him?
A: On April 3, 1882, Jesse James was killed from behind by a single shot to the head fired by gang member Bob Ford. The notorious outlaw leader was brushing the dust off a wall picture in his home at St. Joseph, Missouri, when he was killed.
Q: In 1871 Deputy Sheriff Charles H. Nichols of Dallas, Texas, was shot to death trying to arrest John Younger, a member of the Jesse James-Cole Younger gang. Why was the sheriff trying to arrest Younger? 
A: Younger, who escaped after gunning down the sheriff, was wanted by Dallas authorities for taking off a cowboy's nose while trying to shoot a pipe out of his mouth.
Q: What was the weight and speed of the bullet fired from the famous Colt .45 of the Old West?
A: The metallic cartridge originally designed for the .45-caliber Colt handgun, loaded with 40 grains of black powder, normally held a lead bullet weighing 233 to 265 grains, which was fired at a speed of 700 to 900 feet per second.
Q: Who killed the notorious gunfighter John Wesley Hardin?
A: On August 19, 1895, Hardin was shot and killed from behind by John Henry Selman, an outlaw-turned-constable who had a grudge against Hardin and surprised him in El Paso's Acme Saloon.
FACT: Billy the Kid was not left-handed. Contrary to Hollywood portrayals, like the 1958 Left-Handed Gun, Billy the Kid was right-handed. Popularizers of the Billy the Kid legend were sometimes misled by old photographs that were carelessly transposed when printed and made the young gunman appear to be wearing his weapon on his left side.
Taken from The Old West Quiz & Fact Book by Rod Gragg
You presented some factoids I certainly didn't know like Wyatt Earp's bar in Nome. Of course, I don't live in the west so I've had to research everything for my stories. But I think that's fun--and so is this post with all these cool, but little known facts. I enjoyed reading it, Paisley. Loved all the pictures, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sarah. I was so excited when I found this book. A friend loaned it to me.
DeleteI first heard about Wyatt Earp's Nome saloon in the Disney movie, Gold Rush. Fun post.
ReplyDeleteI think Wyatt Earp was one of the most interesting persons in the west. Thank you MK for stopping by.
DeleteInteresting post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gini. I love learning about the cowboys in that time period.
DeleteGreat to learn more facts about our western history, thanks, Paisley.
ReplyDeleteHi Cheri, I love learning about the little facts that we don't usually get to hear about. Thanks for stopping by today.
ReplyDeleteI remember how Jesse James died...it was in the made-for-tv movie, I think long ago. Either that, or I read it and pictured it in my head. I do remember he was straightening a framed photo on the wall.
ReplyDeleteThe others..barely recall, so I was curious to read what the actual facts were.
You did a great job, Paisley...easy to read, and I love those photos. Thanks!