This Week in the West

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

At the center of the story is Andy Payne, a 20-year-old Cherokee runner from Foyil, Oklahoma. Payne entered the race hoping to save his family’s farm from financial trouble. Unlike many competitors who pushed too hard early, Payne relied on patience, discipline and endurance. He survived brutal weather, illness, dangerous traffic and exhaustion while steadily climbing through the ranks as other runners dropped out. Along the way, he became a folk hero across Oklahoma, greeted by cheering crowds, politicians and even humorist Will Rogers.

The episode concludes with Payne’s dramatic finish at Madison Square Garden on May 26, 1928. After 84 grueling days on the road, Payne won the race by more than 15 hours, earning enough money to pay off his family’s mortgage and invest in land back home. The podcast reflects on how Payne’s victory transformed his life and secured his place in Oklahoma and Route 66 history. Today, a statue in Foyil honors the humble runner who crossed America on foot.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

The podcast highlights Borein’s insistence on authenticity in his art, a quality that distinguished him from many artists who romanticized the West from afar. Listeners learn how Borein’s firsthand experiences shaped his illustrations for major publications like Harper’s, Collier’s Weekly and The Saturday Evening Post. The episode also covers his friendships with influential Western figures, including Will Rogers, Buffalo Bill Cody and fellow artist Charles Marion Russell, who encouraged Borein’s development as a painter.

The final portion of the episode follows Borein’s return to California in the 1920s, where he refined the etching style that would make him famous. His studio in Santa Barbara became a gathering place for artists and storytellers, while his work documented cowboy life, stagecoaches, missions and Indigenous communities with remarkable detail. The episode concludes by examining Borein’s lasting legacy, including his inclusion in the permanent collection of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and his posthumous induction into the Hall of Great Westerners in 1971.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

Listeners will hear how Shoulders transformed professional rodeo through toughness, consistency and unmatched competitive success. Over his career, he earned 16 world championships, including titles in bull riding, bareback bronc riding and all-around competition. The podcast also examines the dangerous nature of rodeo in the mid-20th century, when competitors endured serious injuries with little medical support or safety equipment. Through quotes from friends, family and Shoulders himself, the episode paints a vivid picture of a cowboy whose grit helped define an entire era of the sport.

The episode also highlights Shoulders’ lasting influence beyond competition. After retiring from riding, he became a respected stock contractor and helped develop legendary bucking bulls like Tornado. His fame also carried into Western fashion and advertising, including work with Wrangler and helping design the iconic Cowboy Cut jeans. The podcast closes by reflecting on Shoulders’ enduring legacy through honors at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the National Rodeo Hall of Fame and the PBR Ring of Honor.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

The episode explores the immense challenges behind the railroad’s construction. From the granite walls of the Sierra Nevada to the vast and unforgiving Great Plains, thousands of laborers—many of them Chinese immigrants, Irish workers, Civil War veterans and formerly enslaved men—endured brutal conditions to complete the line. The project was driven forward by the Pacific Railway Act signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, but it came at a cost, including the disruption of Native American lands and the near destruction of the American bison.

Finally, the episode examines the profound impact of the railroad on the nation. Travel time across the country shrank from months to about a week, transforming commerce, communication and daily life. The railroad helped establish time zones, fueled economic growth and shaped settlement patterns across the West. Its influence reached into industries like cattle ranching and inspired artists such as Albert Bierstadt, whose work captured a landscape in transition. The legacy of the transcontinental railroad remains deeply woven into the story of the American West and the themes explored at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

After his military service, Wieghorst lived and worked as a cowboy in the Southwest, sketching scenes of everyday Western life before eventually settling in New York City. There, he joined the NYPD Mounted Division, continuing his work with horses while quietly building a side career as an artist. Despite restrictions on outside work, his drawings began gaining recognition through magazines and exhibitions, reflecting an authenticity that came from lived experience rather than imagination.

In 1944, Wieghorst retired from the police force and moved permanently to California, dedicating himself fully to painting. His work—often centered on horses and quiet, reflective moments of Western life—earned him national acclaim and comparisons to legends like Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. Honored during his lifetime and beyond, including induction into the Hall of Great Westerners, Wieghorst left behind a legacy rooted in authenticity. As he once said, he painted what he knew—knowledge earned through hardship, experience, and a life fully lived in the West.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

In the mountains, Muir immersed himself in observation and study, blending poetic writing with careful scientific inquiry. He challenged prevailing ideas about how Yosemite Valley was formed, arguing that glaciers shaped its landscape—an idea later proven correct. Through his essays and books, Muir invited Americans to see the wilderness not just as scenery, but as something sacred and worthy of understanding and protection.

As the West changed rapidly in the late nineteenth century, Muir became a leading voice for conservation. He helped establish Yosemite National Park, founded the Sierra Club, and influenced President Theodore Roosevelt during a famous 1903 camping trip. Though he suffered a major defeat in the fight to save Hetch Hetchy Valley, his legacy endured through the national parks movement. Today, Muir is remembered not only as a naturalist, but as a force who helped define how Americans value and preserve their wild places.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

Born in Lubbock, Texas, in 1939, Goodacre developed her artistic voice through formal training and a lifelong connection to Western landscapes and culture. After settling in Santa Fe, she built a prolific career spanning more than 50 years and more than 600 sculptures. Her work ranged from intimate portraits to monumental public memorials, including the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Irish Memorial in Philadelphia—both of which showcase her commitment to honoring resilience, compassion and shared history.

Even in her smallest works, Goodacre’s impact reached millions. Her design for the Sacagawea dollar coin brought her artistry into everyday life, blending historical reverence with accessibility. Recognized with numerous awards and honors, she retired in 2016, leaving behind not only a remarkable body of work but also a legacy of mentorship and inspiration. Goodacre passed away on April 13, 2020, but her sculptures continue to invite viewers into moments of connection, reflection and enduring Western identity. 

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

Garner rose to fame in 1957 as Bret Maverick on the hit Western series Maverick, redefining the genre’s typical hero. Instead of a stoic gunslinger, Maverick was witty, reluctant to fight and disarmingly human. Garner successfully transitioned to film at a time when few television actors could, starring in projects like The Great Escape and a string of comedies and Westerns, including Support Your Local Sheriff! His versatility and charm made him one of the most recognizable and respected actors of his era.

He returned to television in 1974 with The Rockford Files, earning an Emmy Award and cementing his legacy as a relatable, everyman hero. Over a career spanning decades, Garner earned major industry honors while remaining grounded in his Oklahoma roots. Remembered as much for his humility as his talent, Garner’s life reflects a journey shaped by resilience, quiet skill and an enduring connection to the West.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

While her accomplishments in the arena were significant, Decker’s lasting legacy came from her work behind the scenes. At a time when women’s rodeo lacked structure and consistency, she played a key role in supporting and promoting what would become the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. As a rodeo secretary for 25 years, she became one of the most respected administrators in the sport, managing entries, payouts and logistics for major events. Her work with leading stock contractors and even entertainer Gene Autry demonstrated her wide influence, while her role in organizing the first National Finals Rodeo in 1959 helped shape rodeo’s premier championship event.

Decker’s impact extended beyond rodeo operations into Western culture itself. In the 1950s, she launched a successful Western fashion line worn by celebrities like Rex Allen and even Princess Grace of Monaco, helping bring Western style to a broader audience. She later settled in Oklahoma, where she remained connected to the rodeo community until her death in 2010. Remembered as both a champion competitor and a pioneering organizer, Jo Decker’s career reflects the vital, often unseen work that helped professionalize rodeo and elevate its national profile.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West

📢 Episode Summary:

The impact of Arbuckle’s coffee was especially profound in the American West, where cowboys relied on it as a daily necessity rather than a luxury. On cattle drives, coffee fueled long days, harsh conditions, and sleepless nights, becoming as essential as food itself. Arbuckle’s brand, Ariosa, became so dominant that many cowboys simply referred to coffee as “Arbuckle,” and its packaging and coupon system even took on economic value in frontier communities.

Ultimately, the episode highlights how a single innovation helped sustain the physical and cultural life of the West. Coffee was more than a drink—it was a symbol of endurance, comfort, and routine on the frontier. Even as competition and industry changes led to Arbuckle’s decline, his influence remains embedded in the imagery and stories of the American West, from chuck wagons to campfires.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

👥 Behind the Scenes

🔗 Further research:

📬 Connect With Us:

🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!