Real People from the American Wild West
This week's Senior Squids' Challenge is to write about the legendary real life people of the American Old West.
As a child and teenager living in England, I was entranced by movies showing the Wild West - ones like High Noon, Gunfight at the OK Corrall and Cheyenne Autumn.
While many of the characters in movies and television westerns were fictional, some were based on and used the name of real people. Gunfight at the OK Corrall is a case in point. Wyatt Earp and his brothers really existed and they really did take part in that gunfight. Without a doubt, Wyatt Earp is a legend of the American Wild West. You can see him sitting second from the left in this picture of the Dodge City Peace Commission June 1883 (from Wikipedia).
Featured Senior Squids
Bill Miner - Outlaw
Drifter is one of Squidoo's most gifted writers. Read his account of lifelong outlaw Bill Miner who just couldn't stop himself robbing stagecoaches, trains and anything else, even though he kept going back to prison.
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Old West Legends ~ Bill Miner
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Old West Legends are rarely seen as anything but rough and tumble types and Bill Miner was no exception. He just had more manners than most. The Gentleman Bandit, or the Gray Fox, is widely believed to be the first criminal to use the now cliche, "Ha...
Sitting Bull - One the most famous Native Americans
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
The Tragedy of Native Americans
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
I read this book many years ago and it broke my heart.
It's the true story of how Native Americans were forced from their tribal homelands. It begins with the Long Walk of the Navajos in 1860 and ends with the massacre of the Sioux at Wounded Knee 30 years later.
I found the book indescribably sad. It made me angry too but values and outlooks were different 150 years ago. I recommend this book most highly.
Red Cloud - Sioux Chief
Bev is fascinated by the history of the First Nation People so this is an ideal challenge for her. She writes about Red Cloud, an honourable man who tried to save his people and their land by negotiation.
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Red Cloud - Sioux Chief
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Red Cloud was one of the last of the mighty Sioux Chiefs from the Indian Wars of the 1800's to survive. He was a powerful leader of the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) and spent his final years at the Pine Ridge Reservation continuing to lead his people i...
Chief Seattle - A Great Orator
Kim Ort is a photographer who believes we are closely connected to the natural world so Chief Seattle was an appropriate choice for her. He made a speech which has since been used by environmentalists to promote their beliefs.
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Chief Seattle?
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Chief Seattle is a legend due to what he did not say! Chief Seattle was a real person (1786-1866), chief of the Suquamish and Duwamish Indian tribes. His real name was "Seeathl" and he is the namesake for the city of Seattle, Washington. In 1854, th...
Cheyenne Autumn
Amazon Price: $5.79 (as of 11/29/2009)
Although this movie isn't perfect in many ways, for example, it gives a one sided view of events, it does highlight the plight of the Cheyenne, blighted by disease, 1500 miles from their Yellowstone homeland and their desperate journey to return.
As well as telling a moving story, it is beautifully filmed and features breathtaking scenery
Pioneer Women are Legends of the Old West
Canadian GramaBarb is a hugely experienced lensmaster with 187 lenses to her credit. In this one she looks at some of the people who are often forgotten in the movies - the pioneer women who helped to settle and civilise the Wild West.
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Pioneer Women are Legends of the Old West
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These women have remained almost anonymous in history, yet they were an essential element in developing the North American West of both Canada and the USA, This lens is a striking testimonial to the too often overlooked feminine half of the pioneer e...
American Old West in Pictures
Here's more from Drifter, this time about a variety of people who made their mark in history for good or ill. Not all of them had their names recorded while others have been forgotten. Learn about the photographers who recorded the Wild West; General George Crook, the Indian fighter; the soldiers involved in the Wounded Knee Massacre, among others. You can also see photographs of them.
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American Old West In Pictures
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The words Old West of America most often refer to a period in American history that has become synonymous with legends of gunfights, Indian raids, homesteaders, and saloons. America, west of the Mississippi River, during the era between the late 1860...
Cowboy - The Illustrated History
Cowboy: The Illustrated History
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/29/2009)
The cowboy lassos the imagination and just won't let go. Watch the cowboy life and legend unfold in the pictures of this beautiful book. Read quotations from Western poems, songs, and novels offering contemporary perspectives, as do the old-time posters and advertising. An astounding variety of photos show it all. There's also absorbing background on black cowboys, vaqueros, women who rode the range, and rodeos.
Annie Oakley - Little Sure Shot
Usually Naturegirl writes about animals, birds, reptiles and insects as well as sustainable gardening. She also has given us some lovely recipes and written about other unexpected topics. This great lens on Annie Oakley brought back many childhood memories of the TV series for me.
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Annie Oakley - Little Sure Shot
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How many of you remember the beautiful, blond heroine of the Old West, Annie Oakley? She shot and rode her way across our television screens and became an instant hit with little girls all over America. She was one of the few female heroes of the old...
Boot Hill, Tombstone, Arizona
Copyright © Grombo - Creative Commons License
Belle Starr - Bandit Queen
Paperfacets has written many lenses about crafts and art so this one is a bit of a change. I'd heard of Belle Starr but knew nothing about her so I found this particularly fascinating.
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Belle Starr Famous Woman of the West
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There is myth that has to be sorted out if you explore the story of Belle Starr. Think about the path a young lady may go down if guys like the Jesse James brothers and also another set of brothers called the Youngers rode in on horses with fancy sad...
What Happened to the Apache Kid
Flipflopnana, aka Terry, writes on a variety of topics and in this one she tells us the true story of the Apache Kid. Once a valued army scout, it sounds like he left the straight and narrow because of a clash of cultures and a the lack of understanding by the army of Native American customs and obligations.
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What Ever Happened to the Apache Kid?
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The Apache Kid has come to be known as a notorious outlaw and fierce Apache. We may never how much of this statement is truth and how much is legend. He was born around 1860 with the given name of Haskay-bay-nay-natyl, which means, "the tall man des...
If you are a Squidoo lensmaster aged 50 or over,
come join us at Senior Squids.
Western Movies
Legendary Westerns: Ultimate Collection
Amazon Price: $15.49 (as of 11/29/2009)
Tombstone
Amazon Price: $12.49 (as of 11/29/2009)
Sam Peckinpah's Legendary Westerns Collection (The Wild Bunch / Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid / Ride the High Country / The Ballad of Cable Hogue)
Amazon Price: $23.99 (as of 11/29/2009)
Please Give to First Nation Outreach
The First Nations Outreach project is a 501 (c) 3 Organization which is dedicated to developing programs to assist First nations Communities, deals with First Nations Civil Rights Issues as well as wildlife and environmental issues.
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- JoyfulPamela JoyfulPamela Oct 25, 2009 @ 11:19 am
- This is just what I was searching for! Thank you for all of the lenses!
Pamela :)
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- Sylvestermouse Sylvestermouse Sep 18, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
- What a wonderful collection of lenses! I will be back! I want to read every one of them!
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- ulla_hennig ulla_hennig Aug 8, 2009 @ 1:54 am
- I just discovered this lens and the other ones - and I loved to read them! Thanks for putting this all together!
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- aj2008 aj2008 Jul 9, 2009 @ 5:04 am
- What a brilliant group of lenses
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- nightbear nightbear Jul 7, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
- I love this lens, Native Americans are fascinating to me, Wonderful information.
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About Me
Lensmaster Stazjia has been a member since September 26 2006, has rated 1,341 lenses, favorited 791, and has created 130 lenses from scratch. Carol Fisher donates their royalties to Dolphin Communication Project. This member's top-ranked page is "Classic Funny Poems for Kids". See all my lenses
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