Hidden History: The Real Lone Ranger

 

The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked Texas Ranger who first appeared on radio in 1933. His origin story describes him as the sole survivor of an ambushed Ranger posse, rescued and aided by his companion Tonto. A posse of six members of the Texas Rangers, led by Captain Dan Reid, pursue a band of outlaws. Tonto discovers one of the rangers, Captain Reid's younger brother John, barely alive, and nurses the man to health.

Though entirely fictional, historians have proposed real-life inspirations. Texas Ranger John R. Hughes is often cited due to his long career and legendary tracking skills. Another proposed inspiration is Bass Reeves, a U.S. Marshal whose exploits closely resemble the Ranger’s, though this connection remains debated.

Legends of the Superstition Mountains

Old West Law: Bass Reeves

 

Bass Reeves wasn’t just a lawman — he was a legend. Born into slavery in Arkansas in 1838, he escaped during the Civil War and mastered Native languages and tracking skills in Indian Territory.

From 1875 to 1907, Reeves served as a deputy U.S. marshal under Judge Isaac Parker, making over 3,000 arrests and killing 14 outlaws in self‑defense.

His integrity was absolute — he even arrested his own son when duty demanded it.

Bass Reeves wasn’t officially documented as the inspiration for the Lone Ranger — but his life matches the legend so closely that the connection remains compelling and widely believed.

Explore the Old West: Dive deeper into Bass Reeves, frontier justice, and the legends of the American West with these hand‑picked books and collectibles. Affiliate links help support the blog at no extra cost.

The Legend of Bass Reeves

Old West U.S. Marshal Replica Badge (Metal)

Old West Replica Tombstone U.S. Marshall's Badge

Mysterious Treasure Legends of Arizona

 

The Old West's Greatest Conman

 

Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith (1860 to 1898) stands out as the greatest and most infamous con artist of the Old West.

Born in Georgia, he rose to become known as the "King of the Frontier Con Men." He operated across Texas, Colorado and Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. His signature scam was the "prize soap racket": he'd wrap bars of soap, claim some contained $100 bills, and auction them off. Shills in the crowd would "win" big prizes to hype it up, while most buyers got plain soap. This simple sleight-of-hand built his reputation and fortune.

Smith didn't just run small street hustles. He organized large gangs (the "Soap Gang") that ran shell games, three-card monte, crooked gambling, and other cons. He bribed officials, controlled parts of towns, and posed as a civic leader donating to causes while ruling the underworld. His reign ended on July 8, 1898, when he was shot dead in a gunfight.

Gold, Murder and Monsters in the Superstition Mountains

Arizona Legends and Lore

Laugh Kills Lonesome by Charles M. Russell (1925)

 

Charles Marion Russell lived the life he painted. He arrived in Montana at age 16 in 1880, worked as a cowboy, sheepherder, and wrangler, and immersed himself in the open-range ranching culture, Native American life, and rugged landscapes of the northern plains. Self-taught and deeply authentic, Russell produced over 4,000 works, including:

Laugh Kills Lonesome by Charles M. Russell (1925). Cowboys around a campfire sharing stories and laughter under the stars, one of Russell’s late, reflective works.

A poignant meditation on camaraderie and the end of an era, it reveals Russell’s storytelling heart and philosophical outlook on frontier life.

Arizona Legends and Lore

Custer’s Last Stand: Portraits in Time

Bronc to Breakfast by Charles Russell (1908).

 

Charles Marion Russell lived the life he painted. He arrived in Montana at age 16 in 1880, worked as a cowboy, sheepherder, and wrangler, and immersed himself in the open-range ranching culture, Native American life, and rugged landscapes of the northern plains. Self-taught and deeply authentic, Russell produced over 4,000 works, including:

Bronc to Breakfast by Charles Russell (1908).  A bucking bronco disrupts a cowboy camp at mealtime, sending the cook and utensils flying amid laughter and chaos.

This energetic scene exemplifies Russell’s ability to blend action, humor, and daily ranch life, highlighting the unpredictable dangers and camaraderie of cowboy existence.

Arizona Legends and Lore

Gold, Murder and Monsters in the Superstition Mountains

In Without Knocking by Charles M. Russell (1909).

 

Charles Marion Russell lived the life he painted. He arrived in Montana at age 16 in 1880, worked as a cowboy, sheepherder, and wrangler, and immersed himself in the open-range ranching culture, Native American life, and rugged landscapes of the northern plains. Self-taught and deeply authentic, Russell produced over 4,000 works, including:

In Without Knocking by Charles M. Russell (1909).  Cowboys on horseback burst through the doors of a saloon, guns blazing and cards flying, in chaotic celebration or confrontation. Housed at the Amon Carter Museum.

One of Russell’s most famous “cowboy” paintings, it captures the rowdy, untamed spirit of frontier towns. Its dynamic composition and humor made it a cultural icon of Western saloons and revelry.

Arizona Legends and Lore

Gold, Murder and Monsters in the Superstition Mountains

The Tenderfoot by Charles M. Russell (1900).

 

Charles Marion Russell lived the life he painted. He arrived in Montana at age 16 in 1880, worked as a cowboy, sheepherder, and wrangler, and immersed himself in the open-range ranching culture, Native American life, and rugged landscapes of the northern plains. Self-taught and deeply authentic, Russell produced over 4,000 works, including:

The Tenderfoot  by Charles M. Russell (1900).A well-dressed Eastern newcomer awkwardly attempts to mount or handle a horse, surrounded by amused cowboys in a ranch setting.

It humorously contrasts greenhorns with seasoned cowhands, showcasing Russell’s storytelling wit and keen observation of frontier social dynamics.

Legends of the Superstition Mountains

Gold, Murder and Monsters in the Superstition Mountains

The Old West: Frederick Remington

 

Frederic Remington (1861–1909) was one of America’s most influential artists, illustrators, and sculptors. Though he spent relatively little time in the West himself, his vivid depictions of cowboys, cavalry soldiers, Native Americans, and frontier life profoundly shaped how generations viewed the American West. Working primarily as an illustrator for magazines like Harper’s Weekly and Collier’s, Remington produced thousands of works that blended documentary detail with romantic drama. His early paintings emphasized action and narrative; later ones shifted toward impressionistic techniques, nocturnes, and atmospheric light effects, reflecting his evolution from illustrator to fine artist.

Here are six of his most famous paintings, in roughly chronological order, with their significance:

A Dash for the Timber (1889). This oil on canvas shows eight cowboys galloping desperately toward a line of trees, pursued by Native American warriors. One rider is wounded and slumping in the saddle amid clouds of dust and gunfire. Housed in the Amon Carter Museum, it was one of Remington’s early critical successes.

Its importance lies in establishing Remington as a master of dynamic Western action scenes. Inspired by his travels documenting U.S. Army campaigns against Geronimo, it dramatized frontier conflict and courage, helping popularize the image of the cowboy as a heroic figure while reflecting the era’s often simplified (and stereotypical) views of settler–Native relations.

The Military Sacrifice (1890). A cavalry scout is shot and falls from his horse in a narrow rocky pass as his comrades rush forward. Vivid colors and precise details highlight the chaos of ambush. Now in the Art Institute of Chicago.

This painting underscores Remington’s focus on the U.S. Cavalry’s role in the West. It illustrates the constant dangers faced by soldiers and became iconic for its dramatic composition and emotional intensity, reinforcing public fascination with military exploits on the frontier.

Dismounted:The Fourth Troopers Moving the Led Horses (1890). Cavalry troops dismount to lead horses forward in a tense advance. The painting captures motion, camaraderie, and the practical realities of mounted warfare. Located at the Clark Art Institute.

It exemplifies Remington’s skill at depicting horses and military maneuvers from multiple viewpoints. Important for humanizing soldiers and showing the gritty logistics behind heroic tales, it contributed to his reputation for authenticity drawn from firsthand sketches.

The Old Stage-Coach of the Plains (1901). A dramatic scene of a stagecoach racing across the plains, often with implied danger or pursuit, rendered with sweeping movement and Western landscape.

It romanticized transportation and travel in the untamed West, capturing the isolation and adventure of frontier journeys. Important for its sense of scale and peril, it reinforced the West as a place of constant drama.

An Arizona Cowboy (1901). A stern, detailed portrait of a cowboy on horseback in full regalia—hat, chaps, pistol, and lariat—against a rugged landscape.

This embodies the archetypal rugged individualist. Its precision in costume and posture made it a visual blueprint for the “classic cowboy,” influencing popular culture’s enduring image of Western manhood.

Fight forthe Water Hole (1903).  Three cowboys take cover in a desert waterhole basin, rifles ready, as distant figures approach under a vast sky. Horses stand nearby; shadows hint at impending threat. In the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

A masterpiece of tension and survival, it popularized the idea of the arid West as a battlefield for scarce resources. Published in Collier’s, it blends action with psychological depth and bold composition, reflecting Remington’s maturing style.

Exemplifying Remington’s late nocturne series, it emphasizes atmosphere over narrative detail. Its purchase by the U.S. government highlighted his status as a major American artist and conveyed the vulnerability of even seasoned frontiersmen.

Arizona Legends and Lore

Custer’s Last Stand: Portraits in Time

Ten Most Important Old West Paintings

 

A Dash for the Timber (1889) by Frederic Remington. Cowboys race desperately across an open plain, pursued by Native American warriors in a cloud of dust and gunfire. This large-scale oil captures Remington's signature dynamic motion, tension, and realism. It epitomizes the perilous, action-packed myth of the frontier that shaped Hollywood Westerns and remains one of his most celebrated narrative works.

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone by Thomas Moran.  Dramatic, glowing vistas of the Yellowstone canyon with its waterfall, colorful cliffs, and steam vents, viewed from a high overlook with tiny figures for scale. Moran's intense colors and romantic scale (one version hangs in the U.S. Capitol) helped convince Congress to create Yellowstone as the first national park. It defines the sublime, untamed beauty of the West.

The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak (1863) by Albert Bierstadt. A panoramic valley scene with a Native encampment, lake, waterfall, and towering snow-capped peaks under luminous skies. Bierstadt's monumental, idealized landscapes promoted the West as a land of opportunity and grandeur, rivaling European masterpieces and influencing public imagination

The Last of the Buffalo (1888) by Albert Bierstadt. Native hunters on horseback pursue a dwindling herd of bison across a vast plain, with skulls and carcasses in the foreground. This late-career work laments the near-extinction of the buffalo and the changing fate of Indigenous peoples, blending Bierstadt's epic scale with a poignant historical message.

Fight for the Water Hole (1903) by Frederic Remington. Cowboys defend a scarce desert water source against attackers in harsh, sun-baked light. Remington's nocturnes and dramatic lighting shine here, highlighting survival struggles in an unforgiving environment and reinforcing his role as the premier chronicler of frontier conflict.

Emigrants Crossing the Plains by Albert Bierstadt.  Pioneers in covered wagons traverse vast, luminous Western terrain. Bierstadt romanticized Manifest Destiny and the hardships/joys of westward migration, making the landscape feel both welcoming and overwhelming.

When the Land Belonged to God by Charles M. Russell.  Vast herds of bison and Native hunters in open country before settlement. Russell's works often contrast pre-contact abundance with later changes, showcasing his skill with animals, movement, and authentic Western ecology.

Custer’s Last Stand: Portraits in Time

Arizona Legends and Lore

Tombstone Arizona’s Grisliest Murder

 

In the early 1880s, Tombstone, Arizona was a violent, chaotic, roaring, mining town.  Sudden death was commonplace, and the population of the Boot Hill graveyard soared. 

Tombstone’s grisliest murder occurred at the Bird Cage Theatre (which also served as a saloon and brothel) and involved two “Painted Ladies”, Margarita, the belle of the Bird Cage, and Little Gertie called “the Gold Dollar” who worked at a rival brothel.

Tombstone Arizona

The women fell out over a man, one Billy Milgreen, a two bit gambler.  In 1882, Gold Dollar had had enough of Margarita’s poaching customers.  Little Gertie, a petite thing, grabbed a handful of Margarita’s hair and stabbed her in the chest with a double edged stiletto.  Gold Dollar did a thorough job, hacking at the other woman’s heart with her blade until her rival was well and truly dead.

Billy Milgreen

Little Gertie, the Gold Dollar

Gold Dollar fled the scene but was soon arrested by the town Marshal.  No charges stuck.  The murder weapon had disappeared, so the peace keepers reasoned there was no evidence, despite the presence of eyewitnesses.  Gold Dollar continued a favorite in the town.

The Grave of Margarita

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The Strange Case of Geronimo's Picture

In 1873, General George Crook fought the Apaches before being posted north to fight the Sioux (including participation in the 1876 campaign in which George Armstrong Custer was massacred at the Little Big Horn). In 1882, Crook returned to Arizona to lead a column in pursuit of Geronimo, Chato and other Apache warriors raiding Arizona and New Mexico, whom he eventually subdued.

Geronimo

I remember looking at the iconic picture of Geronimo, the fierce and gruesome Apache leader, and thinking that some intrepid newspaper photographer had journeyed into Geronimo’s lair to take a true action shot of the great warrior.  This old time photo certainly looks like it was taken in the desert wastelands.  Unfortunately, the photo is a fake.  It was taken by A.F. Randall who did photographic studies of Apache Indians in the comfort of his studio.  Individuals, including the great warriors Geronimo and Chato were posed against a neutral backdrop, surrounded by desert plants.

Geronimo in the studio

Chato in the studio

The real action photographer was Camillus "Buck" Sydney Fly of Tombstone Arizona, who accompanied General Crook’s expedition, and got this picture of Geronimo in his camp during surrender negotiations with General Crook. 

Geronimo in camp

C.S. Fly captured the only known images of Native Americans while still at war with the United States. 

Geronimo with his warriors

Custer’s Last Stand: Portraits in Time

For almost one hundred and fifty years, Custer has been a Rorschach test of American social and personal values. Whatever else George Armstrong Custer may or may not have been, even in the twenty-first century, he remains the great lightning rod of American history.

Legends of the Superstition Mountains


Arizona’s Superstition Mountains are mysterious, forbidding, and dangerous.  The Superstitions are said to have claimed over five hundred lives.  What were these people looking for?  Is it possible that these mountains hide a vast treasure?  Is it possible that UFOs land here?  Is it possible that in these mountains there is a door leading to the great underground city of the Lizard Men?  Join us as we explore the history of the:  Legends of the Superstition Mountains.

Western Art!

A Trans-Gender Person in Custer’s Old West

Custer's Last Stand

     Custer's Seventh Cavalry had its secrets.  The thrice married Mrs. Nash joined Custer’s Seventh Cavalry as a laundress.  She always wore a veil, and is described as “rather peculiar looking.”  In 1872 she married a private named Noonan.  The couple lived together on “Suds Row”, east of the Fort Lincoln Parade grounds.  While Noonan was away on a scouting expedition, his wife died.  When her friends came to prepare the body for burial, they discovered that the much married laundress and popular mid-wife was not a female.  The news was reported to Custer’s wife Elizabeth (“Libbie”) Custer, who was much amazed.

     The Bismarck Tribune subsequently reported: “Corporal Noonan, of the 7^th Cavalry, whose “wife” died some weeks ago, committed suicide in one of the stables of the lower garrison.  It was reported some days ago that he deserted, but no one this side of the river had seen him.  It now appears that the man had kept himself out of the way as well as he could for several days.  His comrades had given him a sort of cold shake since the return of the regiment from the chase after the Sioux, and this, and the shame that fell on him in the discovery of his wife’s sex, undermined his desire for existence, and he crawled away lonely and forsaken and blew out the life that promised nothing but infamy and disgrace.  The suicide was committed with a pistol, and Noonan shot himself through the heart.”

Custer’s Last Stand: Portraits in Time

For almost one hundred and fifty years, Custer has been a Rorschach test of American social and personal values. Whatever else George Armstrong Custer may or may not have been, even in the twenty-first century, he remains the great lightning rod of American history. This book presents portraits of Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn as they have appeared in print over successive decades and in the process demonstrates the evolution of American values and priorities.

Gifts for Dogs and Dog Lovers