OLD WEST

Annie Oakley ("Little Miss Sure Shot") was world-famous when traveling with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, but audiences only saw the attractive, athletic sharpshooter who performed astonishing feats of marksmanship. Annie’s own niece wrote this biography, showing how a difficult childhood motivated Annie to work hard and use her skills to entertain thousands of people while helping those she could (particularly orphans). She had strong connections to her family and hometown, but never felt able to settle down after living so many years on the road. This is a very personal account of a remarkable woman who amazed crowds wherever she went.

“In fashioning this life story of Elfego Baca we have made no attempt to set down in chronological order his deeds from birth to old age, but have been more concerned with those incidents which best bring out the interest and humor and strangeness of the Old West he lived in.” This light biography of Elfego Baca was built on interviews (and published) while Baca was still living. Any biography of such a colorful person skirts the edge of folklore, but it also provides plenty of insight into Baca’s character, along with a broader perspective of Western culture and the personalities inhabiting it. This is a fascinating look at a controversial man who defied death, dealt lead, and sought to bring law and order to his piece of the Old West. This biography of Elfego Baca was first published in 1928.

This is an account of the guns which, in the hands of Indians, trappers, and soldiers, helped shape the history of the American West. Much more than a descriptive record of gun types, the volume also relates the guns to the people who made, sold, and used them, and to the momentous events of westward expansion that were often strongly influenced by the gun trade.

Here also is the story of how different arms competed; why the musket never was displaced by the rifle in the esteem of the early nineteenth-century Indians; how the flint persisted on the frontier long after the percussion method of firing was perfected; why the light, short carbine displaced long-barreled arms in the West; how the first users of early repeating arms struggled to win acceptance for the improved guns in the U.S. Ordnance Bureau; and how the breechloader and the formidably effective revolving arms were eventually the means of the white man’s domination over the Plains.

Parsons' stated intent was "to detail the life story of only one model of revolver, the single action Colt," describing each type and noting its context in the history of the gun, and opinions relating to it during its period of production. This should be an interesting resource for the gun collector or enthusiasts of the Old West and late 1800s military history. This is a facsimile reprint of the 1948 edition.

Dr. Martin Rywell’s (1905-1972) studious research into the history of American firearms, and those who wielded them, led to the publication of numerous titles exploring the subject. Colt Guns includes a biographical sketch of Samuel Colt, some of Colt’s own discussions, and essays by other authors contemporaneous with Colt. The Colt collector and American weaponry historian will appreciate this look into the development of an important firearms manufacturer.

Colt Guns was published in 1953; this reprints the 1957 edition.

"A sizeable round-up of biographical sketches of famous sheriffs, United States marshals and town marshals who made their marks in western history comes from an enthusiastic student who has covered his subject with a good sense of the drama involved. Included among the 21 entries are the ones who need no introduction—Wyatt Earp, Hickok, Pat Garret who slew Billy the Kid—as well as lesser knowns like Tom Smith who went in to tame Abilene where all others had failed and the notorious Henry Plummer who roused Nevadans to oust him from an office he used for personal gain. Good introductions orient readers as to Western history and life and the duties of the men who had to keep the peace." (Kirkus Reviews) Western Sheriffs and Marshals was first published in 1955.

Western artist Lea McCarty’s art shines in The Gunfighters, as he illustrates biographical sketches of twenty gun-slinging characters from the Old West with full-color portraits that capture each one perfectly. Readers will be familiar with Wild Bill Hickock, Wyatt Earp, and Jesse James, but will also find lesser-known gunfighters like John Ringo and King Fisher. Marshals, deputies, and outlaws, they are a part of American history that still resonates today. The Gunfighters was first published in 1959.

Black Powder Snapshots is an illustrated history of the use of black powder firearms in American history. Herbert Arment Sherlock (1899-1983) illustrates the use of black powder rifles and pistols with exciting vignettes of colonial, western, and military scenes. Sherlock was a modern user of black powder firearms and an authority on their use in the early days of America. As an artist, he highlights the subject in such a delightful manner as to inform and inspire anyone with an interest in this historical period. Black Powder Snapshots was first published in 1946.

William Berg's enthusiasm for horses and natural curiosity led him to investigate the origin of the distinctive Pinto and Appaloosa horses of the northern plains tribes. His research brought him to the conclusion that the Nez Percé had a significant role in the careful breeding and distribution of these horses. A natural story-teller, Berg illustrates the points in his theory with tales of early explorers and adventurers. This is a terrific book for equine enthusiasts interested in the history of horse breeds.

Fun and recreation from the pioneer and primitive days: including boomerangs, lariat-tossing, whip-cracking, tomahawk throwing, blowguns, and log rolling. Plenty of instructions (including how to make a wide range of boomerangs, boomabirds, and tumblesticks). Parental supervision is strongly advised!

Lost gold mines are part and parcel of Old West folklore. Howard D. Clark regales readers with stories of adventure and mystery from California, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. This is a great little collection for Wild West enthusiasts and treasure hunters. This is a facsimile reprint of the original 1946 guide.

Lost mines, pirate gold, buried treasure, outlaw hoards and more are discussed in this fascinating book. There is a long history of treasure hidden on American soil (or sunk off the coasts), and Penfield gives an entertaining look at these mythical treasure fields in this classic reprint. There's even a state-by-state list of treasure waiting to be discovered. This is a facsimile reprint of the 1954 edition.

"Herein an attempt has been made to correlate and condense more than two hundred historical tales and legends of lost mines. . . . In some instances little more than a place is noted, in others, a short condensed version of the tale so that it is only necessary for the adventurous nomad to furnish a little imagination as to the action which took place. Much of the buried treasure remains hidden and the mountains will continue to reward the seeker of gold. There is romance and adventure in the quest. Many of the best mines will be found." This is a reprint of the 1953 edition. It includes a section on uranium mines, and full color map sections.