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

Sir Earnest Shackelton made three expeditions to the Antarctic. His ship, the Endurance, was crushed in the sea ice on his third voyage. He sailed to Elephant Island and left 22 of his men to shelter until he could make his way back. He sailed 800 miles in a small whaling boat to South Georgia Island to a whaling station. After four and a half months he was able to rescue his men left on Elephant Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We had an amazing trip to Chile and on to King George Island in the Antarctic. Whales, seals, penguins and beautiful icebergs. We were in the area where Sir Earnest Shackleton’s crew spent time on Elephant Island before being rescued. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After striking it rich in Virginia City, Montana, Story financed the first cattle drive from Texas to Montana in 1866. He faced all the dangers and struggles of moving cattle through Indian territory to bring Texas longhorns and Texas cowboys to the miners in Montana. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Obsidian Cliff in Yellowstone Park is the largest deposit of obsidian in North America. Native Americans have used this for thousands of years for scrapers, spears and arrow heads. More than two dozen tribes would peacefully gather obsidian in this war free zone. Pieces of this obsidian has been found as far as the East coast and central America. Knapping, the process of making arrow heads is still used today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Easterners wanted stories and pictures of the old west, but cameras were heavy and difficult to use. William Jackson took thousands of pictures, most important, of Yellowstone. Soloman Butcher took pictures of the pioneers. Albert Bierstadt’s paintings were in museums. Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell became the most famous painters and sculptors of the west, because of detail and they focused on the people and their way of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His parents were freed slaves so George could travel anywhere. He worked for the Hudson's Bay Company in the Rocky Mountains. He tried farming but was drawn to Oregon, sold his farm and joined a wagon train. Upon arriving, he found that blacks were not allowed to settle in Oregon. He moved to the Puget Sound where he helped other settlers. He played a big role in securing the territory for the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fifty-five-year-old Anna DeGraf climbed the rugged Chilkoot Pass. She was looking for her son. With her sewing machine, she made clothes and tents. She spent 20 years on the Last Frontier. Harriet Pullen was a cook in Skagway. She made apple pies for the miners. She used her horses to start a freighting company hauling miners supplies. She established a luxury hotel and died in Skagway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Belinda Mulrooney created an empire in the Yukon. Her supplies required 30 trips over the Chilkoot Pass. She built a hotel with great food, as good as any in the states. Her hotel was the first property with electricity, she brought in telegraph and telephones, formed a water supply company and provided goods and services for the miners. She partnered with miners and became wealthy, until she got married. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chasing Yukon gold, one in ten were women. Some with husbands or on their own. They climbed the Chilkoot or White Pass Trails enduring cold, wet conditions and meager rations. They staked or leased claims. Some found riches but also started schools or businesses while raising children. They helped establish more than a community, they created civilization in the wilderness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the journey, the Spauldings established their mission in Lapwai, in what is now North Idaho. Eliza was well liked and respected by the Nez Perce. Henry, however, was not well liked, even resorting to whipping those who didn't obey. The Whitmans established their mission near present day Walla Walla. Narcissa did not like the always present Cayuse in her home. The influx of immigrants brought disease that nearly wiped out the Cayuse tribe. They ambushed the Whitmans killing them and eleven others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices