Dr. History's Tales of the Old West

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