Wild West Podcast

A Promise Across The Plains

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailA man rides east through New Mexico with a coffin in his wagon, charcoal packed tight to fight decay, because his dying friend asked f...

Fanning The Hammer Is A Great Way To Lose

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailThe Wild West didn’t run on courage alone. It ran on nerve, repetition, and a cold understanding that “the law” often arrived as...

A Punitive March Turns Into A Saber Charge On The Kansas Frontier

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailA river can look calm and still be a trap. We drop into the Solomon River valley in 1857, where the U.S. Army launches what many consi...

"Jeb" Stuart's Letter Reveals About The Battle of Solomon’s Fork

12 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailA 17-day march ends with a shock of movement on the open Plains: roughly 300 Cheyenne warriors in line of battle and the US cavalry sc...

A Handful Of Men Mark The Gateway West

10 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailMud, rain, and a riverbank so soft every step sinks, that’s where Fort Dodge begins. We rewind to April 10, 1865, and follow Captain...

The Killing Of Ed: April 9, 1878

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailDodge City doesn’t just welcome the cattle drives; it feeds on them. When the herds arrive, so do the wages, the whiskey, the gambli...

What Does It Take To Turn Chaos Into Law

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailA county doesn’t feel “real” until paperwork can beat chaos, and Ford County’s origin story proves it. We head back to April 5...

Ford’s Founding Day

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailA town doesn’t start with a skyline. Sometimes it starts with frost-stiff grass, a quiet riverbank, and a man deciding the future sh...

We’ve got some big news from the frontier!

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailWe are absolutely thrilled to announce that Wild West Podcast has been ranked #3 on PodRanker’s list of the Top 15 Best Western Podc...

When Progress Arrives, Who Pays The Price?

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailA railroad can feel inevitable when you see it on a map. Up close, it’s a gamble with a hard deadline, exhausted men, and miles of e...

April 1, 1939 Turns Dodge City Into Hollywood;

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send us Fan MailApril 1 in the Great Plains isn’t just a punchline. We start with the kind of frontier humor that could make or break you: trail-bos...

Boot Hill Unmasked: The Real People Behind Dodge City’s Deadliest Year

15 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textBoot Hill gets talked about like a legend, but legends get lazy. We wanted the names, the dates, and the ugly little details that show how ...

Iron Trail Across Kansas

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textA railroad with no rails, no spikes, and barely any money somehow convinces a frontier to bet on its future. We tell the origin story of th...

The Day Dodge City Declared War

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textA town can look calm on a map and still be one bad decision away from open conflict. We step onto Front Street in Dodge City on March 19, 1...

August Heat, Newton’s Bloody Night Part 3

07 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textHeat pressed down on Newton in August 1871 like a hand over a mouth, and by midnight the town was a fuse. We open on a drought-stricken rai...

Blood, Whiskey, And The Split Town of Newton Part 2

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textHeat shimmers above the Santa Fe tracks as Newton, Kansas splits in two: polished mahogany and temperance to the north, canvas alleys and a...

How A Kansas Post Office Sparked A Town’s Rise And Quiet Fall

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textA town can rise on paper before it stands in wood and stone. We follow Wilburne, a near-forgotten settlement in south central Ford County, ...

Railroads, Longhorns, And The Making Of Bloody Newton

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textSmoke curls over the Kansas plains as a newborn railhead meets a river of longhorns and the town of Newton explodes into life. We follow th...

Birth Of Ford County

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textA county can be born without a single shot fired. We travel back to February 26, 1867, when lawmakers in Topeka drew the first boundaries o...

James H. Ford: The Soldier Behind Ford County

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Send a textA county’s name hides a better story than any barroom legend. We pull back the curtain on Colonel James Hobart Ford—the Union officer w...

Fireside Truths In The Midnight Sun

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textCold bites, a promise binds, and a furnace roars—this is the Yukon at human scale. We start with a candid look at why facing reality b...

John Brown’s Gallows, A Nation’s Reckoning

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA cold morning, a fortified town, and a scaffold placed just out of earshot—Charleston, Virginia tried to choreograph John Brown’s e...

Night The Prairie Burned

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA single word—fire—ripped through a quiet winter night and changed Dodge City forever. We travel back to late 1885 as flames burst f...

A Frontier Christmas, A Stranger’s Song, And The Night The Miners Remembered Home

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA coffin rattles into a mining camp and turns out to be a piano—an unlikely miracle for a saloon that runs on cards, noise, and stubbo...

How The Old West Shaped American Christmas Traditions

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textSnow that bites, winds that snap, and a cabin lit by a single candle—yet the room still fills with carols and the smell of plum puddin...

The Great Western Wasn’t Named For The Cattle Trail

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textForget the postcard version of Dodge City. We open the door to the Great Western Hotel and step into a town intent on trading dust for d...

How One Train Chose Ford, Kansas Over Ryansville

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA single whistle split the prairie air—and with it, the future of two rival towns. We revisit November 25, 1887, when the Arkansas, Ka...

Trail Of Fact And Fable

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA quiet click in a digital archive set off a bigger question: how did a tidy tale about the  “Western Trail” in 1873 outrun the dus...

Setting The Record Straight On The Western Trail

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA trail’s name shouldn’t be a marketing plan, yet that’s exactly how the West’s most traveled cattle route got mislabeled. We fo...

Experience The Night John Brown Sparked America’s Reckoning

08 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA cold wind skims the Potomac, the town sleeps, and nineteen men step toward a federal armory believing they can change the course of a ...

Halloween in Dodge City 1877

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textHalloween in Dodge City is posted once a year during the month of October. The podcast tells the story of some of the characters who liv...

Phantom On The Prairie Ditch

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe prairie doesn’t forget—and it won’t let us forget either. We follow a chilling thread from a 96-mile irrigation scheme called ...

The Forgotten Grave Of Ed Masterson

18 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe wind on the Kansas plains doesn’t just rattle old storefronts; it carries the names we’ve let disappear. We retrace the final pa...

Night Ride to Fort Sumner

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA contract to feed a frontier post shouldn’t have ended at a river cave, but the Pecos has a way of bending plans. We head out with Ol...

Secrets Beneath the Limestone: The Haunted Legacy of Dodge City’s Home of Stone

04 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA limestone mansion built to defy the prairie became a vessel for sorrow—and then a sanctuary. We take you inside Dodge City’s Home ...

The Sand Creek Betrayal: America's Darkest Hour on the Frontier

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textNovember 29, 1864 dawned cold on the Colorado plains as Cheyenne and Arapaho families slept peacefully under an American flag—a gift p...

Beyond the Narrative: Jeff Broome Challenges What We Know About Sand Creek

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textGold rushes change landscapes—both physical and human. When 100,000 settlers poured into Colorado Territory following the 1858 discove...

Bassett of the Badlands: The Fearless First Marshal of Dodge City!

06 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textCharlie Bassett may be the most important Wild West lawman you've never heard of. Before Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson became househ...

The Mysterious Life of Dutch Henry Borne

09 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe tangled web of myth and reality surrounding Dutch Henry Borne reveals a captivating window into the American frontier experience. Ou...

Whiskey pours as the true story of the man who inspired Lonesome Dove unfolds

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textSome monsters aren't fiction – they're buried in Dodge City Cemetery beneath stones that read "beloved husband and fath...

How a Dog Survived a Drunken Gunslinger's Bullets

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep back in time to the dusty, lawless streets of Dodge City, Kansas as we unravel the enigmatic legend of "Mysterious" Dave ...

The Forgotten Heroes of the Santa Fe Trail: Valor at Little Coon Creek

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textGunfire echoes across the Kansas plains, where desperate men take cover behind a hasty barricade of battered wagons and lifeless horses....

Between Two Worlds: How Broken Treaties Sparked the Southern Plains Conflict

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe violent clashes that erupted across the Kansas frontier in 1868 have often been shrouded in overly simplistic narratives. Historian ...

Prairie Dog Chronicles

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep back in time to the American frontier of 1872, where massive buffalo herds still thundered across the plains in their ancient migra...

Bullets for Whiskey: The Truth Behind Old West Drinking

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textPour yourself a shot and settle in for an entertaining journey through Dodge City lore and fine spirits! Our debut episode of "Whis...

The Gem That Sparkles Yet: Belle Starr's Tragic End

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe enduring legend of Belle Starr, America's notorious "Bandit Queen," culminates in this riveting final episode that tr...

Wild West: Where Fact Meets Legend

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textSaddle up for a journey into the heart of podcast storytelling excellence as we explore the remarkable success of the Wild West Podcast....

The Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame Committee is Seeking Nominations

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textGet ready to celebrate the spirit of the West! The Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame Committee is thrilled to invite you to honor remarkable in...

Belle Starr: From Tragedy to Outlaw Sanctuary at Younger's Bend

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe rugged terrain of Indian Territory in the 1880s offered both peril and possibility—a perfect backdrop for one woman's remarka...

Bulls, Bravado, and Bourbon: Dodge City's Independence Day

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep back in time to July 4, 1884, when Dodge City, Kansas staged one of the most audacious spectacles ever seen on American frontier so...

Myra Maybel Shirley: What makes a woman ride with outlaws?

28 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe remarkable transformation of Myra Maybel Shirley from educated piano player to notorious outlaw woman unfolds against the chaotic ba...

Part 1 Introduction Black Sunday's Wrath

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe afternoon of April 14, 1935, began with an unsettling calm across the southern Great Plains. After weeks of relentless dust storms, ...

Guns, Greek, and Guerrillas: Belle Starr's Untold Beginning

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe infamous Belle Starr—a pistol-packing outlaw queen of the Wild West or a misunderstood historical figure whose legend overshadows ...

Echoes of the Kiowa: Sacred Stories, Spiritual Power, and the Legacy of Satanta

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe sprawling plains of North America once thundered with the hoofbeats of countless bison and horses belonging to the Kiowa Nation – ...

Pistols and Petticoats: How Five Women Rewrote Western History

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep back in time to the American frontier where five extraordinary women defied expectations and carved their names into history. The ...

Death Misfire: How a Jammed Gun Saved Wild Bill Hickok in Hays City

24 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA single mechanical failure changed the course of Western history on a hot July night in 1870. When Medal of Honor recipient Private Joh...

Death Comes for Texas Dick: A Frontier Tale of Justice and Revenge

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep back in time to autumn 1877, where the whispers of history echo beneath the branches of an oak tree at Sawlog Creek. Frank Buskirk ...

When Indians Attacked: The True Story That Inspired Lonesome Dove

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe forgotten heroes who shaped the American West emerge through the harrowing tale of the 1867 cattle drive that would later inspire th...

Hays City 1869: Wild Bill's Deadly Justice

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAt the razor's edge where civilization meets chaos stood a man whose name struck both fear and awe - Wild Bill Hickok. The swelteri...

Wild Bill was more than his guns—he was a man of striking contradictions.

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep into the captivating world of one of the American frontier's most enigmatic figures as we unravel the complex tapestry of Jame...

When Lawlessness Decides Who Lives and Who Dies: A Frontier Murder Story

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textBefore Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson became synonymous with Dodge City, a more sinister form of "justice" ruled the streets. &q...

When Jokes Backfire: The Cautionary Tale of Dodge City's Indian Act

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textBat Masterson wasn't just a legendary gunfighter—he may have been the greatest practical joker the American West ever produced. H...

When Bullets Flew in Dodge: The Plaza Shootout of April 16, 1881

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe crack of gunfire shatters the morning air over Dodge City's dusty plaza. A black derby hat bobs above a railroad embankment as ...

The Dead Men Who Made Dodge City Infamous Walk Again Through Their Stories

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhile most Western history fans know the famous lawmen and outlaws who made Dodge City legendary, the actual souls buried on Boot Hill C...

Was Dutch Henry Really at Adobe Walls? A Deep Dive into Western Mythology

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep into the contested territory of frontier legend as we continue our deep dive into the life of Dutch Henry Borne, one of the America...

Gunfight at the Oriental: Audio Book

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe dusty streets of Tombstone, Arizona became the stage for one of the Wild West's most dramatic confrontations when two seasoned ...

This Week in the West

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textGet ready, Western enthusiasts! At Wild West Podcast, we are thrilled to unveil an incredible new partnership with the National Cowboy &...

The Gathering Storm: Tensions Rise in Dodge City

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textThe saloon doors swing open on a sweltering evening in Dodge City as Cimarron George seeks refuge from the oppressive prairie heat. What...

Dime Novel Promotional

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAt the Wild West podcast, we are on an inspiring mission to revive the spirit of the classic dime novel, reimagining it for a modern aud...

Deadly Moonlight: The Tragic Tale of Dora Hand

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textA single gunshot in the darkness of a Dodge City night forever altered the course of Western history, claiming the life of beloved perfo...

From Pamphlets to Cultural Phenomenon: The Evolution of 19th Century Dime Novels

16 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAffordable literature changed America forever. In 1860, a publishing revolution began when Beadle's Dime Novels introduced inexpens...

Wild West Lawman: Wyatt Earp's Dodge City Years

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWyatt Earp's transformation from faro dealer to legendary lawman unfolds through his pivotal years in Dodge City, Kansas. Fresh fro...

Wyatt Earp's Early Challenges: Law, Order, and Rivalries in Wichita

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat challenges did Wyatt Earp face in his early law enforcement days, and how did he manage to navigate the rough-and-tumble world of t...

Unraveling Cheyenne Culture in the 19th Century

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep into the wilderness of the 19th-century Southern Plains, where the Cheyenne people navigated a complex world shaped by their cultur...

High-Stakes Showdown in Tombstone

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep into the heart of the Wild West where saloons serve as arenas of both camaraderie and conflict. Join us for an immersive journey in...

How George Hoover Founded Dodge City: Vision, Innovation, and Legacy of a Wild West Pioneer

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat if one man's entrepreneurial spirit could transform a fledgling frontier outpost into an iconic Wild West town? Join us as we ...

Desperate Paths and Dangerous Choices in the Old West

08 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat if the thin line between law and chaos was a daily path you had to walk? We take you back to the wild streets of 1873 Ellsworth, Ka...

Wyatt Earp's Wild Ride: Horse Thefts, Gunmen Encounters, and Legal Dramas

08 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat do a controversial horse theft, a prized mowing machine, and encounters with notorious gunmen have in common? They're all pivo...

Tales of Treachery and Trust on the Trail

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat happens when the past comes alive around a crackling campfire, and tales of the Wild West blur the lines between legend and reality...

The Making of a Frontier Icon: Wyatt Earp's Early Years

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textUncover the extraordinary life of Wyatt Earp, a man whose journey from troubled youth to iconic lawman is nothing short of legendary. Ev...

The Timeless Allure of Dodge City: History Preserved, Future Inspired

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat if preserving our past could ignite a deeper sense of belonging and continuity within our communities? Uncover the profound impact ...

Gunslingers and Legends: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and the Untamed Spirit of 1878 Dodge City

18 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textAs we explore the captivating story of Doc Holliday and the vibrant community of Dodge City in the late 1800s, we uncover a world filled...

Unraveling Dodge City's Dark Side: Heroes, Villains, and Vibrant Chaos

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat happens when the isolation of the prairie meets the vibrant atmosphere of Dodge City? Venture into the heart of the Wild West with ...

Unraveling Tombstone: Cowboys, Politics, and Power Struggles

04 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat if the lawlessness of the Wild West was more than just a backdrop—it was the very essence of survival? Step into the dusty street...

Doc Holliday: The Dashing Dentist Turned Gunslinger and His Legendary Life in Dodge City

02 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat was life like for a southern dentist who swapped his tools for a six-shooter? Step into the boots of Doc Holliday as we unravel the...

Frozen Promises: The Haunting Tale of Sam McGee and Friendship in the Arctic Wilds

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat happens when a promise binds you to a chilling task in the heart of the Arctic wilderness? Grab your parka and prepare for an eerie...

Bear Meat for Christmas: Humor and Hilarity on the Kansas Frontier

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat if the wild, rowdy days of Dodge City were not just about saloon brawls and cattle drives, but also about side-splitting pranks and...

Pioneers and the Spirit of Christmas: Heartfelt Traditions and Tales of Hope in the Old West

14 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textImagine celebrating Christmas in the rugged lands of the Old West, where pioneers faced harsh winters and isolation but still crafted wa...

Doc Holliday: Southern Charm, Reckless Abandon, and Legendary Myths in the Wild West

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textDiscover the untamed spirit of the Wild West as Mike King takes us on an exhilarating ride through the life of the infamous Doc Holliday...

A Wild West Christmas Miracle: Miners, Mystery, and the Unforgettable Unveiling of the "Lovely Pianer

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textEver wondered how a Wild West mining camp turned a potentially grim Christmas Eve into a legendary celebration? Join us as we unravel th...

Promotional: The Antic Tales of Luke McGlue: The Dodge City Prankster

07 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textDive into the uproarious world of "The Antic Tales of Luke McGlue: The Dodge City Prankster" by Michael King! This electrifyin...

Faith and Redemption: Reverend Ormond W. Wright's Impact on Chaotic Dodge City

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textCan a man of faith truly make a difference in a town where gunfights and saloons rule the day? Join us on a journey to uncover the extra...

Frontier Innovation and the Remarkable Story of Dr. Simpson "The Cowboy Dentist"

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textHave you ever wondered how a refined gentleman could thrive in the wild, rugged landscape of the Old West? Join us as we uncover the ext...

Charting the Etymology of the Frontier: Legends and Linguistics of Dodge City

23 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textStep into the Wild West with us as we unravel the colorful linguistic tapestry of Dodge City! Here, words like "stinker," &quo...

The Unwritten Code of Dutch Henry Born and the Lawmen Who Pursued Him

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat if one promise could define an outlaw's entire legacy? Discover the audacious life of Dutch Henry Born, a Wild West figure who...

Uncovering the Western Cattle Trail: Legendary Drives, Military Forts, and the Rise of Dodge City with Brad Smalley

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textJoin us on a historical journey through the American West with Brad Smalley, a vibrant storyteller and fourth-generation Dodge Citian, a...

Chasing Dutch Henry Born: Rebellion, Infamy, and the High-Stakes Pursuit in the American West

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textWhat if one man's rebellion against the military set him on a path to infamy in the untamed territories of the American West? Join ...

Unveiling Kansas Forts: Strategic Mastery, Pioneer Struggles, and the Central Plains Indian Wars with Historian Brad Smalley

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textEver wondered how military forts without traditional defenses managed to secure the American West during the 1860s? Discover the strateg...

Celebrating 150 Years of the Western Cattle Trail: Fireside Stories, Musical Heritage, and Frontier Legends with Historian Brad Smalley and Filmmaker Ken Spurgeon

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textUnearth the history of the American West as we celebrate the momentous 150th anniversary of the Western Cattle Trail. Join us for an unp...

Halloween Mischief in 1877 Dodge City: Ghostly Legends, Frontier Pranks, and Luke McGlue's Infamy with Historian Brad Smalley

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Send us a textPrepare to be transported to the wild and mischievous streets of 1877 Dodge City, where history and legend collide in a Halloween tale l...