The Wild West 9: Doomtowns

Let’s go on a brand new adventure together. EXHUMED officially arrives on August 4th, but you can pre-order it right now.  Visit aaronmahnke.com/exhumed to pre-order your copy today! And, if you buy the hardcover, you can submit your receipt and get a free EXHUMED tote bag.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We didn’t become fascinated with the Wild West until Hollywood gave us gunfights at high noon and heroic outlaws.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 When we think of the Wild West, we conjure up certain characters in our imaginations. But none are more iconic than the outlaw. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hollywood portrays the Wild West as a tough man’s world. Yet, there were some who refused to be labeled.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The post office has a saying about mail delivery in all kinds of weather. Meet Mary, a mail carrier in the West whose story is nothing short of a Western novel.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gold. New lives. Second chances. The West provided many opportunities. But conquering the land often came at a high cost. Here’s the story of one of the most well-known families on the frontier: the Ingalls. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Getting from East to West was difficult, especially for those who chose the Oregon Trail. Survival meant timing their passage and path just right. Those who didn’t served as a dire warning to others.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With westward expansion came the Homestead Act. What followed was nothing short of horrific for the people already occupying the land. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Stetson hats to barbed wire, this episode sheds some light on little-known Wild West icons and how they came to be.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The French, Spanish, and the Americans believed that heading west was a divine calling. This is the story of when beliefs cross the line into territory more dangerous than the land itself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.