Dr. History's Tales of the Old West

The Great Shoshone Nation ranged from Wyoming to Boise to Salt Lake and included Ute, Gosuit, Piute, Hopi, Comanche, Kiowa and the Aztec.They were hunters and gatherers, expert at basketry. Food included wild game and insects. Rabbit drives were for the skins which were used for clothing, blankets and saddle blankets. Tattooing and earrings were common. Horses were traded to the Shoshone by the Comanche and Kiowa and were considered the best horses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

William W. Mayo immigrated in 1846, married and moved to Minnesota Territory. He was a surgeon in the Union Army in Rochester, Minnesota. In 1864 he opened his first medical practice. He was joined by both sons. They cared for survivors of a tornado, and with the help of Mother Alfred Moes and two hospitals formed the Mayo Clinic. Now, over 7,300 physicians and scientist, they saw 1.3 million patients in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While picking berries, she was captured by Assiniboine raiders, dreaded enemy of the Shoshone. She was taken to Northeastern Montana. Given to a warrior as a second wife, she found the first wife intended to kill her, so she planned her escape. She hid in a hole in a riverbank for three days, then made her way over 1200 miles back to her family on the Raft River. She was the mother of Chief Pocatello. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not all drivers were honorable. Some had partners rob their own stage, others died defending their passengers. They were cramped, bored, lacked sleep, some even went crazy. Plenty of good food at times to poor quality if any. Buffalo hunters, scouts and adventurers could provide exciting stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Passengers first sight of the Rocky Mountains was awe inspiring and scary. Drivers were king of the road, respected and admired. Through blinding snow storms, fog, flooded rivers and narrow mountain roads and robbers. Drivers had lots of stories if you were lucky enough to ride next to them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some miners found the work too hard. They found other ways to riches. Alexander Todd began the first mail service. Daniel Dancer used 150 mules to haul all the goods needed in the mining camps. James Burch started with an old ranch wagon to haul passengers over roads that were nothing more than trails, eventually buying fine coaches and horses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Easterners were desperate to get to the California gold fields. Questionable ships were put into service. The Drake Passage and the Strait of Magellan could be treacherous. Boredom, crowded quarters, storms and the poor food and water were tolerated as they passengers had visions of striking it rich. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Disaster struck in 1871 as ships ventured farther North in search of whales. Ship's Captains ignored warnings from the Eskimos. The ice closed in and trapped 32 ships, three of them were crushed. Captains of the remaining 29 ships sent whaleboats sixty miles south to ask for help from ships that were safe. Leaving their ships, two hundred whaling boats made the dangerous journey and were rescued by the whaling ships waiting for them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whalers left New England for three to five years, sailed around South America, stopped in Honolulu on their way to the Bering Sea. Here they found whales, walruses and salmon. A whale could smash a whaling boat, but real danger came from the ice that could trap and crush a ship. Eskimos warned the whalers about getting trapped, but did they listen? Listen to part two next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1519 a Spanish galleon brought ten stallions and six mares ashore, this would forever change the lives of the Native Americans. The tribes had distinct communities and customs with different languages, but they knew the universal sign language. The land was possessed in common as opposed to the European concept of land ownership. Over 350 treaties were made and broken. Thus began the saga of conflict with such famous Chiefs as Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Geronimo, Chief Joseph and many others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ranchers opposed, but then accepted barbed wire. Cattle and horses could be injured, but it was cheap. Two hundred mile "drift" fences would keep cattle from drifting North or South. In 1880 40,000 tons of wire was sold. Eventually there were 400 different types of barbed wire. The XIT ranch had 1500 miles of fence. Problems arose with armed "fence cutters" who usually went out at night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before fences, line riders were to keep cattle from wandering. Some ranchers spent thousands to build board fences to preserve their breeding stock. Joseph Glidden invented barbed wire. Ranchers were skeptical, but eventually accepted it as a less expensive way to control cattle. Trouble was coming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cattlemen discovered that the Northern Plains could support raising cattle. Most winters cattle could survive on the nutritious grass. Immigrants on the Oregon Trail traded two worn out cattle for one healthy animal. Cattlemen wintered the worn-out animals in Montana, then returned with healthy cattle to trade with the immigrants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe Justin started repairing boots, then making his own. His wife Annie developed a self-measuring kit for mail orders. John Stetson mass produced hats, “Boss of the Plains” was a favorite. Immigrant Levi Strauss imported clothing, he joined with Jacob Davis to use copper rivets to reinforce their pants, which became the “501.” Early trousers were made of wool or canvas. Frontier dress with fringes was a part of western design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of acres of prairie was ideal for raising cattle. Richard King and John Chisum had the largest ranches with thousands of cattle and horses. New homesteaders lived in one room shacks or dugouts until they could build a proper ranch house. A ranch with a good water supply was essential. The rancher had to design his own brand and how to mark his cattle with a "wattle" and an earmark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The best known Kansas cattle towns were Abilene, Dodge City and Wichita. The towns boomed with the arrival of the herds. Cowboys were ready for new clothes, a hot bath and entertainment. Some lost their wages and headed back to Texas, most were wiser, moral and honest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sir Earnest Shackelton made three expeditions to the Antarctic. His ship, the Endurance, was crushed in the sea ice on his third voyage. He sailed to Elephant Island and left 22 of his men to shelter until he could make his way back. He sailed 800 miles in a small whaling boat to South Georgia Island to a whaling station. After four and a half months he was able to rescue his men left on Elephant Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We had an amazing trip to Chile and on to King George Island in the Antarctic. Whales, seals, penguins and beautiful icebergs. We were in the area where Sir Earnest Shackleton's crew spent time on Elephant Island before being rescued. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After striking it rich in Virginia City, Montana, Story financed the first cattle drive from Texas to Montana in 1866. He faced all the dangers and struggles of moving cattle through Indian territory to bring Texas longhorns and Texas cowboys to the miners in Montana. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Obsidian Cliff in Yellowstone Park is the largest deposit of obsidian in North America. Native Americans have used this for thousands of years for scrapers, spears and arrow heads. More than two dozen tribes would peacefully gather obsidian in this war free zone. Pieces of this obsidian has been found as far as the East coast and central America. Knapping, the process of making arrow heads is still used today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Easterners wanted stories and pictures of the old west, but cameras were heavy and difficult to use. William Jackson took thousands of pictures, most important, of Yellowstone. Soloman Butcher took pictures of the pioneers. Albert Bierstadt's paintings were in museums. Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell became the most famous painters and sculptors of the west, because of detail and they focused on the people and their way of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His parents were freed slaves so George could travel anywhere. He worked for the Hudson's Bay Company in the Rocky Mountains. He tried farming but was drawn to Oregon, sold his farm and joined a wagon train. Upon arriving, he found that blacks were not allowed to settle in Oregon. He moved to the Puget Sound where he helped other settlers. He played a big role in securing the territory for the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fifty-five-year-old Anna DeGraf climbed the rugged Chilkoot Pass. She was looking for her son. With her sewing machine, she made clothes and tents. She spent 20 years on the Last Frontier. Harriet Pullen was a cook in Skagway. She made apple pies for the miners. She used her horses to start a freighting company hauling miners supplies. She established a luxury hotel and died in Skagway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Belinda Mulrooney created an empire in the Yukon. Her supplies required 30 trips over the Chilkoot Pass. She built a hotel with great food, as good as any in the states. Her hotel was the first property with electricity, she brought in telegraph and telephones, formed a water supply company and provided goods and services for the miners. She partnered with miners and became wealthy, until she got married. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chasing Yukon gold, one in ten were women. Some with husbands or on their own. They climbed the Chilkoot or White Pass Trails enduring cold, wet conditions and meager rations. They staked or leased claims. Some found riches but also started schools or businesses while raising children. They helped establish more than a community, they created civilization in the wilderness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the journey, the Spauldings established their mission in Lapwai, in what is now North Idaho. Eliza was well liked and respected by the Nez Perce. Henry, however, was not well liked, even resorting to whipping those who didn't obey. The Whitmans established their mission near present day Walla Walla. Narcissa did not like the always present Cayuse in her home. The influx of immigrants brought disease that nearly wiped out the Cayuse tribe. They ambushed the Whitmans killing them and eleven others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The future missionaries made it to a rendezvous on the Green River. The Native Americans were amazed at seeing their first white women. They now faced the most difficult part of the journey. Across southern Idaho, to Fort Boise, then Blue Mountains and on to Fort Walla Walla. Now they were ready to establish their missions. Next week, part three, the tragedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Narcissa wanted to be a missionary, as did Marcus, so they got married more as a business agreement. The same with Henry and Eliza Spaulding. They joined forces to travel to the Oregon territory to preach to the Nez Perce and Flathead Indians. The first white women to make the trek on what would be the Oregon Trail.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Idaho lumberjacks sent logs down the rivers, but one log could cause huge jams. Dynamite worked, but was dangerous. Ephraim Shay invented a small railroad engine that effectively pulled log laden rail cars. John Dolbeer invented the steam driven "donkey engine" for extracting logs. Simon Benson invented the first successful method for floating log rafts to San Diego. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Skidroads, log chutes and flumes were used to transport lumber to the mills and to market. Skidroads used oxen to pull tons of huge logs. Chutes were long troughs made of wood. John Cook's chute sent logs at 90 miles an hour, sizzling when they hit the water. Flumes with water were as long as 54 miles. Brave souls occasionally rode in special boats down the flume, not all of them made it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lumber was in huge demand in California and came from Maine until they realized there were thousands of acres on the west coast. Lumbermen used different methods to fell trees, all involved heavy dangerous work. By 1859 millions of board feet were produced on the west coast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He had it all, 50,000 acres in California, cattle, sheep, horses, acres of wheat. He needed lumber, so joined with James Marshall to build a sawmill. When Marshall found some shiny stones, it was the end for Sutter. With the gold rush he lost all his employees, his land was overrun with gold seekers, his cattle scattered and crops trampled. He died a poor man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Virginia City Montana was the site of the first glove prize fight and lasted 26 rounds. In 1867 Con Orem fought Jimmy Dwyer in a bare knuckles fight. They fought into the night and was to resume the next morning, but Orem was unconscious. When G. Ward and John Gallagher fought a 105-round bout, it ended in tragedy. Gallagher's left arm was broken, but he continued to fight. In the 105th round, Ward went down for good and died the next day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every home had a variety of remedies. Some were herbs, others were store-bought. Whiskey was taken straight or mixed with herbs, used internally or externally. Snake, skunk, goose, wolf or bear oil were claimed to cure rheumatism. In the Civil War, maggots probably saved lives by digesting infected wounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Col. James Bowie was too sick to command the troops at the Alamo, so Col. Travis took over. Historians have debated how he died. Some say he died by suicide, others that he died fighting a Mexican officer, or that he was captured and killed. Some say he was shot while on the rampart. Joe, the only survivor, said Travis fired his double-barreled shotgun and immediately fell to enemy fire.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tired of beans, new restaurants opened in Tombstone Arizona. Nellie Cashman opened the Russ House with 600 diners on opening day. Quong Kee was considered the best cook in Arizona, opened the Can Can Restaurant and Hindquarter Cafe. Menus would rival some of the best restaurants of today. Oregon Trail food included bacon, bread, rice, coffee, pies, soup, hard tack dried meat and fresh game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To become a widow along the trail could mean being left behind or worse. Help and compassion would only go so far. Widows driving the wagon might lose an unattended child to accidents. Disease also took its toll on the children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stephen Meek convinced a wagon train to let him guide them on a short cut across Oregon to the Dalles. Within days it went bad. Feed and water were scarce. Hard sharp rocks cut the animals feet. The immigrants soon realized Meek was lost. A typhus outbreak began to take lives. Abandoned and starving, it fell to Mose Harris to lead a rescue party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Marcus Whitman and some friendly New Perce Indians helped prevent the hostile Walla Wallas from attacking their wagon train. On reaching the Columbia River, she joined her husband in taking the cattle over the Cascade Mountains. Their food was stolen, a blinding snowstorm nearly froze them, cold and starving they finally made it to Oregon City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mildred Douglas was a champion bronc rider and appeared in films. Kitty Canutt, nicknamed "Diamond Girl" because she had a diamond set in a tooth, would sometimes pawn to pay her entry fee. Pearl Biron was a master of the Australian bullwhip. Bonnie Gray could perform the "under the belly crawl" stunt. Mamie Francis and her horse jumped from thirty feet into a tank filled with water. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cowboys have been killed bulldogging, but that didn't stop 138 pound Eloise "Fox" Hastings from competing against men. She traveled with Wild West shows throughout the country riding and roping. She suffered concussions, broken legs, crushed ribs and fractured arms, but said, "I like the thrill when I match my 135 pounds against a half ton of brute force." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America's first cowgirl. There wasn't a horse she couldn't ride. She performed at age 13 in her father's wild west show, but she wanted to compete in steer roping. She competed against men, including Will Rogers. She drew large crowds wherever she performed her riding and roping skills, including steer roping which she often won. She was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mackenzie abandoned the river and began the trek westward. Some Carrier Indians agreed to guide the group. They meet the friendly industrious Bella Coola tribe, who agreed to guide them the rest of the way. Trouble began when they met the Bella Bella tribe who attacked and tried to kill them. They reached the Pacific, and after 74 days and 1,200 hundred miles returned to the fort where they began. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Washington Irving caused a lot of excitement about the Northwest with his book. The North West and Hudson's Bay Companies established the fur trade in Canada. Pond was a celebrity with a violent temper, but a frontier genius who blazed trails across half the continent and set up as a fur trader. He also led an expedition discovering an enormous region full of fur bearing animals.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1789 he set out to reach the Pacific by way of the great "River of the West" but failed. In 1793 he made a second attempt with ten men and a dog in a single canoe. Some of the rivers were impassable, but they portaged around the rapids. They crossed the continental divide, low on rations, they set out on foot to reach the Pacific. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His book, "The White Indian Boy," relates his experience of running away to live with Shoshone Chief Washakie. He witnessed a battle between the Shoshone and Crow tribes with many killed. He nearly had his leg amputated by the medicine man. He was a pony express rider, blacksmith, carpenter, rancher, prison guard, prison inmate, trader, trapper and "frontier doctor." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sometimes it was luck, others a knowledge of geology and some it was buying the right stock. Eilley Orum, the Queen of the Washoe made millions but died poor. Four Irishmen became the Kings of the Washoe, earning $138 million form two mines and millions more investing in the right stock. All four died wealthy leaving millions to family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"High grading" was the practice of workers stealing a few pounds of high-grade ore to sell to crooked assayers. Professional gamblers rushed to each new strike to relieve the workers of the hard-earned money. Women were scarce on the mining frontier, but when they showed up, they were treated with extreme respect.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There was always a way to cheat potential buyers of a non-productive mine. From dishonest assayers, to salting a mine with gold or silver from another mine, to selling worthless stock. Some owners assessed the stockholders on played out mines that never produced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With more steamers on the rivers, it was the perfect place for professional gamblers. Unwary passengers with rolls of money were the perfect victims for the crooked gamblers. Cheaters were sometimes caught and kicked off by the captain. James Bowie caught a cheater, and with the use of the knife he was famous for, taught the crooks a lesson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The games always involved gambling. How many arrows could be in the air at one time. Throwing a pole through a moving hoop. "Double ball" was played by the women as well as foot races. Husbands and wives could wager all their spouses belongings, sometimes losing it all, which could cause some serious discussions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices