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The Wild West Extravaganza

The Wild West Extravaganza

The Wild West Extravaganza 225 episodes Latest May 28, 2026

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!

Episodes

Billy the Kid, Brushy Bill, & the NYPD Jun 4, 2026 1382 Did the NYPD prove that Brushy Bill Roberts was Billy the Kid using forensic technology? Short answer: no. Not the NYPD, not the FBI, not the CIA, and not Interpol. No official agency has ever conducted a forensic photo comparison or any kind of investigation into whether Brushy Bill Roberts was Billy the Kid. So where does the claim come from? Most of the time, it traces back to the documentary "
We Hang Horse Thieves: The Truth About Frontier Justice May 28, 2026 1086 How many people were legally hanged for stealing horses in the Old West? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Join me today as we bust one of the most enduring myths of the American frontier. Despite what Hollywood and dime novels would have you believe, there was never a time in the Old West when stealing horses was legally punishable by death. Not in Texas, not in Arizona, not anywhere west of the Missi
Print Olive: Man Burner May 21, 2026 1591 Imagine being wrapped alive in a freshly butchered cowhide, tied to a tree, and left to bake in the Texas sun. The old timers called it the death of skins, and according to legend, it's exactly what Texas cattleman Print Olive did to a pair of rustlers in 1876. But that's nothing compared to his actions a few years later, which earned him the nickname Man Burner. Print Olive was a man of many hats
Richard "Two Gun" Hart (ENCORE) May 14, 2026 3174 Enjoy this encore presentation of Richard "Two Gun" Hart. New episodes continue next week! By the mid-1920s, Al Capone was the undisputed kingpin of Chicago and was feverishly working to expand his empire. The only thing standing in the way of his ambitions was an overzealous Nebraska lawman known as Richard “Two Gun” Hart. The mysterious Hart claimed to be half Native American and appeared like s
The Outlaw Burt Alvord: From Arizona to the Amazon Apr 30, 2026 1359 In September of 1899, Constable Burt Alvord deputized a group of his closest friends and rode out in pursuit of a gang of train robbers. The only problem is that the men he deputized were the same ones who pulled off the robbery. Not only that, but the mastermind behind the entire affair was none other than Constable Alvord himself. But that's just the beginning. Once apprehended, Alvord escaped j
Henry Newton Brown: The Lawman Who Robbed a Bank Apr 23, 2026 1761 Henry Newton Brown was an orphan from Missouri who rode with Billy the Kid during one of the bloodiest range wars in American history. He helped ambush Sheriff William Brady, fought Buckshot Roberts at Blazers Mill, survived the Battle of Lincoln, and fled New Mexico as a wanted fugitive. And then, against all odds, he became one of the most respected lawmen in all of Kansas. As city marshal of Ca
Outlaws, Lawmen, & Forgotten Killers of the Old West (ENCORE) Apr 16, 2026 6695 Join me as we examine five of the most dangerous and overlooked figures in Old West history. First up is Jesse Evans, the New Mexico outlaw who rode with Billy the Kid, helped spark the Lincoln County War, and then vanished without a trace. Next is Nate Champion, the cowboy who stood alone against fifty hired killers during Wyoming's Johnson County War. After that, we cover Billy Brooks, the buffa
Climax Jim: Arizona's Slipperiest Outlaw Apr 9, 2026 1015 Rufus Nephew, better known as Climax Jim, was a cattle rustler, serial jail breaker, and possibly one of the most entertaining characters you'll ever come across in Old West history. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1876, he somehow ended up in Arizona as a teenager, riding for the infamous Hash Knife Cattle Company, where he earned his nickname after chewing through 12 pounds of Climax tobacco in und
Champ Ferguson | Rebel Butcher Apr 2, 2026 1237 Kentucky-born Confederate guerrilla Champ Ferguson used the chaos of the Civil War to settle personal grudges along the Tennessee border, racking up a body count that included his own neighbors and dozens of wounded soldiers. As one of only three people executed for war crimes, Ferguson went to the gallows unrepentant, calling himself a rebel to the last and asking to be buried in "good rebel soil
Scott Cooley & the Mason County War Mar 26, 2026 973 The Mason County War, also known as the Hoodoo War, was one of the bloodiest feuds in Texas history. In 1875, a conflict over cattle rustling in the Texas Hill Country escalated into a full-blown war between hill country ranchers and their German immigrant neighbors. Former Texas Ranger Scott Cooley launched a brutal campaign of revenge after the murder of his friend Tim Williamson, scalping a dep
Billy Brooks CORRECTION Mar 19, 2026 68 Hey, Josh here, with the Wild West Extravaganza. I just wanted to touch base and issue a very quick correction. On the most recent episode – The Insane Life of Billy Brooks – I misattributed many of the quotes. My main source for research was not Leon Metz; it was historian Robert K. DeArment and his excellent book, Deadly Dozen, Volume 3. In other words, every time you heard me say Leon Metz, it
The Insane Life of Billy Brooks Mar 19, 2026 1515 In 1872, the violent cattle town of Newton, Kansas, appointed a twenty-two-year-old buffalo hunter named Billy Brooks as its town marshal. It would prove to be one of the most eventful and short-lived law enforcement careers in the history of the Old West. Join me today as we trace the largely forgotten story of “Bully” Billy Brooks, from his short stint as marshal, to his arrival in Dodge City, a

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