This Week in the West

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 75: How James Garner re-defined the Western hero  📢 Episode Summary: James Garner’s story begins in Norman, Oklahoma, with a difficult childhood marked by loss, hardship and an uncertain future. After leaving school early, he worked a series of jobs before serving in both World War II and the Korean War, where he was wounded twice and earned two Purple Hearts. Acting came almost by accident, but an early experience watching Henry Fonda on stage shaped Garner’s understated, natural style—one that would define his career. 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: How James Garner redefined the Western hero through humor, subtlety and realism The unlikely path from Oklahoma oil fields and military service to Hollywood stardom Why Garner’s influence helped pave the way for television actors to succeed in film 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: YouTube Playlist of James Garner interviews about his career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwef1pF9da0&list=PLAEA1D1610EE5BAA0 James Garner receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at 11th Screen Actors Guild Awards: https://youtu.be/hzBBDGo-RGA?si=menaTFJnzP_o1pcN Los Angeles Times obituary of James Garner: https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-james-garner-20140721-story.html 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 74: Jo Decker and the Importance of Rodeo Secretaries 📢 Episode Summary: Jo Ramsey Decker stood at the center of rodeo’s evolution, bridging the gap between competitor and organizer at a time when the sport was still finding its footing. From her early days growing up on a Texas ranch to competing in rodeos as a child, Decker developed a deep connection to Western life. By the 1940s, she had earned national visibility as a “Ranch Sponsor Girl” at Madison Square Garden and built a successful competitive career, winning multiple world championships. Her marriage to rodeo cowboy Tater Decker marked the beginning of a lifelong partnership rooted in the rodeo world. 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: How Jo Decker helped organize the first National Finals Rodeo and shape it into a lasting championship event The critical role of a rodeo secretary and why it is essential to the success of rodeo competitions How Decker advanced women’s rodeo and expanded Western culture through both sport and fashion 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Video of Jo Decker entering the arena at the 1959 NFR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvWETf4kQcc Jo Decker, Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame: https://texasrodeocowboy.com/inductees/jo-decker/ MVP of Rodeo: The Secretary - https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1992/08/16/mvp-of-rodeo-the-secretary/62485000007/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 73: John Arbuckle and Coffee's Importance in the West 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West explores the surprising but essential role coffee played in shaping life on the American frontier, focusing on the legacy of John Arbuckle. At a time when coffee was difficult to preserve and inconsistent in quality, Arbuckle revolutionized the industry in 1868 with a glazing process that kept roasted beans fresh and shelf-stable. His innovation made coffee widely accessible, transforming it from a fragile commodity into a dependable staple for Americans across the country. 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: How John Arbuckle’s innovation made coffee portable, reliable, and widely available in America Why coffee became a critical survival tool for cowboys on cattle drives in the American West How Arbuckle coffee shaped frontier culture, commerce, and even everyday language 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: The current Arbuckle Coffee brand: https://arbucklecoffee.com/ The history of coffee on the Brooklyn waterfront: https://www.bkwaterfronthistory.org/story/where-coffee-was-king/ True West Magazine: Cowboy and Coffee: https://www.truewestmagazine.com/article/cowboy-coffee/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 72: Charles Russell: Artist & Original Great Westerner 📢 Episode Summary: This week on This Week in The West, we remember Charles Marion Russell, one of the most important artists to ever capture the spirit of the American frontier. Born March 19, 1864, Russell left his comfortable home in St. Louis at just sixteen years old to pursue his dream of becoming a cowboy in Montana. Instead of following the respectable career paths expected of him, Russell chose the rough life of the open range—an experience that would later define his art. Before he became famous, Russell spent more than a decade working as a cowboy and night wrangler. During that time, he carefully observed the people, animals and cultures of the West. He lived among cowboys, learned from mountain men and spent time with Native communities, experiences that gave his later paintings an authenticity few artists could match. Russell’s artistic career began almost by accident during the devastating winter of 1886–87, when he sketched a starving steer in the snow with the caption Waiting for a Chinook. The small drawing circulated among ranchers and townspeople and brought Russell his first attention as an artist. By the early 1890s, he set aside cowboy life to focus on painting full-time. With the support of his wife Nancy, who became his tireless promoter and business manager, Russell’s work gained national and international recognition. Yet he remained rooted in Montana and committed to telling the stories of the West as he had lived them. Today, Russell’s paintings, drawings and sculptures remain some of the most powerful visual records of frontier life. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Charles Marion Russell’s real-life experience as a working cowboy shaped the authenticity of his Western art. The story behind Russell’s famous sketch Waiting for a Chinook and how it launched his career. How Russell and his wife Nancy helped preserve the stories, people and culture of the Old West through art. 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: The C.M. Russell Museum: https://cmrussell.org/ The Charles M. Russell Center for the Study of Art of the American West at the University of Oklahoma: https://www.ou.edu/finearts/visual-arts/about/charles-m-russell-center PBS Documentary “C.M. Russell and the American West:” https://www.montanapbs.org/programs/CMRussellAmericanWest/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 71: The Miller Brothers and the Rise of the 101 Ranch 📢 Episode Summary: This week on This Week in The West, we remember Joe Miller Sr., one of the driving forces behind Oklahoma’s legendary 101 Ranch. Born March 12, 1868, Miller grew up in a cattle family that helped shape ranching in Indian Territory. After their father, Colonel George Washington Miller, established the 101 brand and built a vast ranching operation, Joe and his brothers inherited the growing enterprise. Under their leadership, the 101 Ranch expanded into a massive 110,000-acre operation near Ponca City, becoming one of the largest and most diversified farms and ranches in the United States. Joe Miller distinguished himself not only as a rancher but as a promoter who understood the public’s fascination with the American West. In 1907 he helped launch the 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show, which brought the spectacle of frontier life to audiences across the United States and around the world. The show featured cowboys, Native American performers from many tribes, and rising Western legends such as Bill Pickett, Will Rogers and Tom Mix. Through daring demonstrations of horsemanship and frontier skills, the show helped shape the public’s image of the cowboy and the West. At the same time, the ranch itself thrived as a hub of innovation, agriculture and oil development, helping launch what became the Marland Oil Company, later known as Conoco. Yet the Wild West show business proved volatile, and mounting costs, competition and economic challenges eventually caught up with the Millers. After Joe Miller’s death in 1927 and the onset of the Great Depression, the great 101 Ranch empire collapsed. Today, the legacy of the ranch survives in preserved historic sites, museum artifacts and the enduring myth of the American cowboy that the Millers helped bring to life. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Joe Miller Sr. helped transform the massive 101 Ranch near Ponca City into one of the largest and most diversified ranching operations in America. How the 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show introduced global audiences to the drama and skills of frontier life, featuring performers such as Bill Pickett, Will Rogers and Tom Mix. How the 101 Ranch helped shape the popular image of the American cowboy while also contributing to early oil development and the cultural mythology of the West. 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History on the 101 Ranch: https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=MI029 101 Ranch episode of PBS’ “Back in Time”: https://www.pbs.org/video/back-time-101-ranch/ Western Horseman Magazine article: https://westernhorseman.com/culture/the-101-ranch-empire-2/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 70: How Jesse Chisholm Talked His Way Into Western History 📢 Episode Summary: This week on This Week in The West, we remember Jesse Chisholm, the man whose name became permanently attached to one of the most famous cattle trails in American history. Yet Chisholm himself was not a cowboy or cattle baron. Born around 1805 to a Scottish father and a Cherokee mother, he grew up between cultures on the expanding American frontier. Fluent in numerous Native languages as well as Spanish and Plains sign language, Chisholm built his reputation as a trader, guide and interpreter who could move between tribal nations, settlers and government officials at a time when communication often meant the difference between peace and conflict. Throughout the 1820s and 1830s, Chisholm worked as a scout and guide across what is now Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. He later established trading posts where commerce and diplomacy could take place peacefully between Native communities and newcomers. His language skills made him a trusted mediator in treaty negotiations and diplomatic missions, even interpreting for tribal delegations meeting with President James K. Polk. Leaders across the Southern Plains came to view Chisholm as a fair dealer and a reliable peacemaker. After the Civil War devastated Indian Territory, Chisholm reopened trade and improved a wagon route he had long traveled across the region. That road, built simply to move goods efficiently through the Plains, later became the famous Chisholm Trail when cattlemen used it to drive millions of Texas longhorns north to Kansas railheads. Though Chisholm never drove cattle and died in 1868 before the great cattle drives reached their peak, the trail bearing his name helped shape the economy, culture and enduring mythology of the American West. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: Why Jesse Chisholm’s ability to speak multiple Native languages made him one of the most important interpreters and mediators on the Southern Plains. How Chisholm’s trading posts and diplomatic work helped maintain peace between tribal nations, settlers and government officials during a turbulent era of frontier expansion. How a practical wagon route Chisholm improved after the Civil War became the famous Chisholm Trail, used by cattlemen to drive more than five million longhorns north to Kansas railheads. 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Jesse Chisholm grave site: https://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.3935 Chisholm Trail Heritage Center: https://onthechisholmtrail.com/who-was-jesse-chisholm/ Wichita Eagle on the 100th Anniversary of the Trail: https://www.kansas.com/news/article1107374.html 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 69: Quanah Parker, Remarkable Native Leader 📢 Episode Summary: This week on This Week in The West, we remember Quanah Parker, the famed Comanche leader, on the anniversary of his death on February 23, 1911. Born the son of Comanche war chief Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Parker—a white woman captured and raised among the Comanche—Quanah grew up fully immersed in Comanche life during a time when the power of the Plains tribes was rapidly being challenged by American expansion. As railroads spread westward and commercial hunters decimated the buffalo herds that sustained Plains cultures, Parker emerged as a war leader among the Kwahadi Comanche. He fought to defend his people’s homeland during the final years of open conflict between Plains tribes and the United States, including the famous 1874 attack at Adobe Walls that helped trigger the Red River War. When the buffalo were gone and survival on the open plains was no longer possible, Parker faced the difficult decision to surrender and lead his people onto the reservation at Fort Sill in 1875. Rather than fade into history, Parker adapted. Appointed principal chief of the Comanche Nation, he became a bridge between cultures—advocating for his people while navigating the new realities of reservation life. A successful rancher, political advocate and protector of Native traditions, Parker helped guide the Comanche through one of the most difficult transitions in their history. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Quanah Parker’s unique heritage shaped his role as a leader during the final years of Comanche resistance. The impact of buffalo destruction and westward expansion on the Plains tribes and the events that led to the Red River War. How Parker reinvented himself as a political advocate, rancher and cultural bridge while helping the Comanche adapt to reservation life. 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Interview with author S.C. Gwynne: https://historynet.com/interview-with-author-s-c-gwynne/ 10 Facts You May Not Know About Quanah Parker, OldWest.org: https://www.oldwest.org/quanah-parker/ Bio from the Oklahoma Historical Society: https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=PA014 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 68: Albert Bierstadt's Larger-Than-Life Artistic Journey 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West explores the life and legacy of artist Albert Bierstadt through one of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s most breathtaking works, Emigrants Crossing the Plains. Known for his massive, dramatic landscapes, Bierstadt didn’t simply document the American West — he transformed it into a vision of hope, grandeur, and destiny that captured the imagination of a nation eager for expansion and opportunity. From his immigrant beginnings in Massachusetts to his groundbreaking journeys west with government surveys, Bierstadt used sketches, photography, and bold artistic license to create scenes that felt larger than life. His famous wagon train paintings, inspired by real emigrants he encountered near Fort Kearny, blended reality with romantic storytelling, shaping how generations would envision the pioneer experience. At the height of his career, his paintings sold for astonishing sums and drew crowds eager to be transported into the West’s sublime beauty. But tastes eventually changed, personal tragedy struck, and Bierstadt’s once-celebrated style fell out of favor before being rediscovered decades later. Today, his work is recognized not just for its technical mastery but for its powerful role in shaping America’s myth and memory of the frontier — a legacy that still stops visitors in their tracks at The Cowboy.   🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Albert Bierstadt used photography, travel, and artistic embellishment to create the iconic Western landscapes Americans fell in love with The real-life wagon train encounter that inspired Emigrants Crossing the Plains and how the painting blends history with imagination Why Bierstadt’s career soared, collapsed, and ultimately experienced a major revival in the 20th century 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Albert Bierstadt and the American Land, a lecture by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: Watch on YouTube 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum   🗺️ 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/   💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/   🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!    

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 67: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House Author’s Version of Pioneer Life 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West explores the life and legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose Little House books shaped how generations of Americans imagine frontier life. Born in 1867, Wilder grew up in a constantly moving pioneer family that faced illegal settlement on Native land, brutal winters, crop failures, disease and near-constant financial instability. Far from a romantic adventure, her childhood was marked by hardship, early labor and survival on the margins of the American frontier.   After marrying Almanzo Wilder and enduring years of personal loss and economic struggle, Laura eventually settled in Missouri, where she began writing seriously in her 60s, encouraged by her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. Although her first autobiographical manuscript was rejected as too bleak, she reworked her memories into books for young readers, beginning with Little House in the Big Woods in 1932. The series became a cultural phenomenon, later adapted into the beloved TV show Little House on the Prairie.   🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Laura Ingalls Wilder’s real childhood hardships differed from the gentler tone of the Little House books. The late-in-life writing journey that turned pioneer memories into one of America’s most influential book series. Why Wilder’s legacy is both beloved and critically reexamined in modern times. 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler   🔗 Further research: Features, timeline and more from PBS, based on their American Masters documentary of Wilder: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/masters/laura-ingalls-wilder/ Laura Ingalls Wilder historic home: https://lauraingallswilderhome.com/ Laura Ingalls Wilder park and museum: https://www.lauraingallswilder.us/ 📬 Connect With Us 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum   🗺️ 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/   💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/   🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 66: Belle Starr, Queen of the Outlaws 📢 Episode Summary: Belle Starr’s life sits at the uneasy intersection of fact and legend, shaped as much by mythmaking as by crime. Born in Missouri in 1848 and educated in refinement, the Civil War upended her world and drew her into outlaw circles that included Confederate guerrillas and future members of the James-Younger Gang. In Indian Territory, Starr reinvented herself not as a gunslinger, but as a savvy organizer who harbored fugitives, moved stolen goods and cultivated a dramatic public image that captured national attention. Her unsolved murder in 1889 and the flood of dime novels that followed transformed Belle Starr into one of the most enduring—and controversial—figures in Wild West lore. 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 65: Casey Tibbs, Rodeo’s Golden Boy 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West explores the extraordinary life and legacy of Casey Tibbs, one of the most influential figures in rodeo history. Born into a hard-scrabble homesteading family in South Dakota, Tibbs ignored his father’s doubts about rodeo and launched a career that would redefine the sport. By age 19, he was already a world champion, and between 1949 and 1955, he dominated rodeo with multiple world titles, all-around championships and a level of charisma that made him a national sensation. Tibbs wasn’t just a champion rider—he was rodeo’s first true superstar. His distinctive style, fearless riding and larger-than-life personality helped elevate rodeo into mainstream American culture, earning him a Life magazine cover and widespread fame. Even as injuries mounted, Tibbs continued to compete and win, famously shrugging off broken bones and hospital stays. His impact was so profound that he was inducted into the inaugural class of the National Rodeo Hall of Fame while still actively competing. After stepping away from full-time competition at just 26, Tibbs carried the spirit of rodeo into Hollywood and beyond. He appeared on television, advised film productions, worked with legends like John Wayne, produced his own movies and took American rodeo worldwide through international tours and Wild West shows. In his later years, Tibbs fulfilled his dream of ranch life in California, remaining connected to the sport he helped shape until his death in 1990. The episode honors Tibbs not just as a champion, but as a cultural ambassador who forever changed how the world saw rodeo. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Casey Tibbs rose from a South Dakota homestead to become one of the most dominant and recognizable figures in rodeo history Why Tibbs’ style, personality and media presence helped transform rodeo into a national and international spectacle How Tibbs extended his influence beyond the arena through film, television and global rodeo exhibitions 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Casey Tibbs on the TV game show “To Tell the Truth”: https://youtu.be/Pr5ABRvw-Yg?si=tk7mh7bySQ_kVqrN The Casey Tibbs South Dakota Rodeo Center: https://www.caseytibbs.com/ South Dakota Public Broadcasting - “The Remarkable Life of Casey Tibbs”: https://www.sdpb.org/rural-life-and-history/the-remarkable-life-of-casey-tibbs 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 64: The Hollywood Drama of Broncho Billy Anderson  📢 Episode Summary: In this episode of This Week in The West, we remember Broncho Billy Anderson, one of the very first cowboy movie stars and a true pioneer of American cinema. Born Maxwell Henry Aronson in 1880 to Jewish immigrant parents, Anderson found his way from stage performances and odd acting jobs into film at a moment when movies themselves were still being invented. His early appearance in The Great Train Robbery helped launch both his career and the Western genre itself. As co-founder of the Essanay studio, Anderson didn’t just act—he helped shape how films were made. When early Westerns struggled to connect with audiences, he created Broncho Billy, a cowboy character with depth, emotion, and humanity. Through innovative techniques like close-ups and structured storytelling, Anderson turned simple short films into powerful narratives, producing nearly 150 Broncho Billy movies and helping establish the visual language of cinema that’s still used today. After stepping away from filmmaking, Anderson faded from public memory until a rediscovery in the 1950s led to a long-overdue Honorary Academy Award. Accepting the Oscar at age 78 with humor and humility, Anderson was finally recognized for the enormous impact he had on motion pictures and Western storytelling. Today, his legacy lives on as one of the foundational figures who defined both the movie Western and the art of filmmaking itself. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Broncho Billy Anderson helped invent the Western movie and the grammar of modern film Why creating a relatable, emotionally complex cowboy changed cinema forever How one of Hollywood’s earliest pioneers was forgotten—and then finally honored late in life 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: A 1958 Interview with Broncho Billy: https://youtu.be/8Y8S9lI1LtQ?si=IaO0Q8U1Z0MXqSdh A playlist of Broncho Billy silent films and clips: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0ep7L_jT6YOaUxqn0YnUG2JIpDgy08vE The Hollywood Walk of Fame’s blog on Broncho Billy: https://walkoffame.com/broncho-billy-anderson/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 63: Bass Reeves, the Legendary Lawman 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West honors the life and legacy of Bass Reeves, one of the most remarkable lawmen of the American frontier, remembered on the anniversary of his death. Born into slavery in Arkansas in 1838, Reeves escaped bondage during the Civil War and found refuge in Indian Territory, where he learned Native languages, survival skills, and the terrain that would later define his career. When freedom came, those skills transformed him from a formerly enslaved man into an indispensable scout and, eventually, a deputy U.S. marshal. At age 37, Reeves became one of the first Black deputy marshals west of the Mississippi, serving under Judge Isaac Parker out of Fort Smith. Illiterate but possessing an extraordinary memory, Reeves memorized every warrant before riding out, often covering more than 75,000 square miles of dangerous territory. Over 32 years, he made more than 3,000 arrests, relied on disguises and strategy more than brute force, and upheld a strict moral code—even when it meant arresting his own son for murder. Reeves’ reputation grew into legend, influencing Western storytelling and possibly inspiring the fictional The Lone Ranger. His legacy experienced a resurgence in recent decades, with honors including induction into the Hall of Great Westerners, a statue in Muskogee, the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, and renewed popular attention through the TV series Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Once nearly erased from history, Bass Reeves is now rightly recognized as a towering figure of justice, resilience, and frontier law. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Bass Reeves went from enslavement to becoming one of the most effective and respected lawmen in Western history Why Indian Territory was so dangerous—and how Reeves’ skills, ethics, and ingenuity helped tame it How Reeves’ real-life exploits shaped Western legend and continue to influence popular culture today 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: CBS Sunday Morning on Bass Reeves: https://youtu.be/w8znkir645o?si=P3__0saeADjl3vZR US Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, Ark.: https://marshalsmuseum.org/ Bass Reeves National Historic Site: https://www.nps.gov/fosm/learn/historyculture/bass_reeves.htm 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!  

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 62: Tom Mix, the Highs and Lows of Hollywood’s First Cowboy Superstar 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West tips its hat to Tom Mix, one of the first true cowboy superstars, remembered on the week of his birth, January 6, 1880. From his towering white Stetson—one example of which lives in the Museum’s collection—to his fearless stunt work and charismatic screen presence, Mix helped define what audiences expected from Western heroes in the early days of Hollywood. Born in rural Pennsylvania and shaped by ranch work, military service and a winding path through Oklahoma, Mix found his calling with the legendary 101 Ranch Wild West Show. His natural horsemanship and showmanship caught the eye of early filmmakers, launching a prolific film career that saw him appear in more than 230 movies for Selig Polyscope and later become a worldwide sensation at Fox Film Corporation. There, Mix helped transform short Western reels into full-length adventure films and established enduring genre tropes—from white-hat heroes to daring horseback rescues—often alongside his famous partner, Tony the Wonder Horse. Despite earning a fortune and building his own studio “frontier town,” Mix’s life mirrored the boom-and-bust arc of early Hollywood. The transition to sound films, financial setbacks, and personal struggles pushed him back to live performance in circuses and serial films like The Miracle Rider. His life ended tragically in a 1940 car accident, but his legacy endured. Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers in 1958, Tom Mix remains a foundational figure whose blend of myth, spectacle and authenticity helped fix the image of the Old West in American popular culture. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Tom Mix helped create the visual language and storytelling conventions of the modern Western film Why his real-life cowboy skills and stunt work set him apart from other early movie stars How fame, fortune and rapid changes in Hollywood shaped both the rise and fall of one of cinema’s first cowboy icons 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: A rare audio interview with Tom Mix: https://youtu.be/YUTIQEuLLMw?si=DB8OJt9K8-bt4sze From the Oklahoma Historical Society Archives, a Tom Mix short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh3XrqHOi1U The Tom Mix Museum: https://www.tommixmuseum.com/about-tom 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 61: Wanda Harper Bush 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West remembers the extraordinary life and legacy of Wanda Harper Bush, one of the most accomplished cowgirls in rodeo history, on the tenth anniversary of her death. The story opens with a rare moment of national attention: Bush’s appearance on the television game show To Tell the Truth, where her quiet confidence and authenticity surprised celebrity panelists and delighted audiences. It was a fleeting brush with fame for a woman who never sought the spotlight, preferring instead to let her skill in the arena define her. Born and raised on a ranch in Mason, Texas, Bush learned horsemanship from her father and developed a work ethic that would shape a historic career. As one of the earliest members of the Girls’ Rodeo Association, she helped define women’s professional rodeo, earning card number 14 and winning her first world championships at just 20 years old. Over nearly two decades, Bush amassed an astonishing 32 world titles across multiple events, including nine All-Around championships, while competing in an era when women’s rodeo fought for recognition and equal prize money. Beyond competition, the podcast highlights Bush’s lasting influence as a teacher, mentor, and leader. Through her barrel racing clinics, board service with what became the WPRA, and advocacy for equal pay, she shaped opportunities for generations of cowgirls. Inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Bush is remembered as “quietly famous”—a humble champion whose impact still echoes throughout the rodeo world. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Wanda Harper Bush helped build and legitimize women’s professional rodeo from its earliest days Why her competitive record—32 world championships across multiple events—remains unmatched How her mentorship, leadership, and advocacy changed opportunities for women in rodeo long after her final ride 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Wanda on “To Tell The Truth”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-72tI1jG0kc WPRA Feature on Wanda: https://wpra.com/wanda-harper-bush-a-true-leader/ BarrelRacing.com feature on Wanda: https://barrelracing.com/athletes/industry-icons/wanda-harper-bushs-unmatched-rodeo-legacy/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 60: George Catlin, the Artist Driven to Capture Native Culture 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West reflects on the life and legacy of George Catlin, who died on December 23, 1872. Driven by an obsessive sense of urgency, Catlin dedicated his life to documenting Native American tribes at a moment when disease, westward expansion, and U.S. government policy were rapidly transforming—and often destroying—Indigenous cultures. His hundreds of paintings form one of the most significant visual records of Native life before forced removal and large-scale cultural disruption. Born in Pennsylvania in 1796, Catlin defied his family’s wishes that he pursue a legal career, abandoning law to follow his passion for art. Drawn west by stories of Native peoples and inspired by the legacy of Lewis and Clark, Catlin traveled to St. Louis in 1830 to meet William Clark and secure support for his ambitious goal: painting members of as many tribes as possible. Over the next several years, he visited more than 50 tribes, journeying across the Plains and into the Rocky Mountains, creating portraits and scenes that emphasized dignity, individuality, and cultural richness. By the late 1830s, Catlin had assembled more than 500 paintings into his famed Indian Gallery, even as he openly worried about the impact of policies like the Indian Removal Act and events such as the Trail of Tears. Although his work was better received in Europe than in the United States, financial hardship forced him to sell the original collection. Undeterred, Catlin spent his final decades recreating much of his work in what became known as the “Cartoon Collection.” Though recognition came too late for him, his original gallery was eventually preserved by the U.S. government and now resides in the Smithsonian, securing his vision for future generations. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How George Catlin raced against time to document Native American cultures before forced removal and westward expansion reshaped the continent Why Catlin’s portraits and writings emphasized the dignity, individuality, and cultural depth of more than 50 Native tribes How Catlin’s work was nearly lost—and ultimately preserved—despite financial failure, criticism, and lack of recognition during his lifetime 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: The Smithsonian’s collection of George Catlin’s works: https://americanart.si.edu/artist/george-catlin-782 The National Parks and George Catlin: https://www.nps.gov/people/george-catlin.htm George Catlin and Native American Art: A Conversation with MONAH: https://crystalbridges.org/blog/george-catlin-and-native-american-art-monah/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 59: Jackson Sundown, an Icon of the West  📢 Episode Summary: The iconic cowboy silhouette in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s logo is more than a symbol—it’s a real person with an extraordinary story. That figure is based on Jackson Sundown, a legendary early-20th-century rodeo competitor and a full-blooded member of the Wallowa Band of the Nez Perce tribe. Remembered on the anniversary of his death, December 18, 1923, Sundown’s life bridges Native history, frontier survival, and the rise of professional rodeo. Sundown didn’t enter the rodeo world until later in life. Already in his late 30s, he was known across the Northwest as a skilled horse trainer and rancher in Idaho, breeding and selling horses with his wife. Rodeo competition began as a way to supplement his income, but it quickly became the stage where his talent—and resilience—shone brightest. By his late 40s and 50s, Sundown was so dominant in bronc riding that competitors sometimes withdrew rather than face him. His most legendary moment came at the Pendleton Round-Up in 1916. At age 53, wearing bright shirts and distinctive orange Angora chaps, Sundown rode the bronc Angel into submission and captured the Broncho Busting title, along with the All-Around Cowboy belt. He became the first Native American to win the championship, a triumph made all the more powerful given his past. “Many years I ride and many times I win money,” Sundown said afterward, “But never did I get first place before.” 🔍 What You’ll Learn: The true identity and remarkable story behind the cowboy silhouette in the Museum’s logo How Jackson Sundown became a rodeo champion later in life, defying age and expectations Why Sundown’s 1916 Pendleton Round-Up victory remains a landmark moment in both rodeo and Native American history 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: More about Jackson Sundown from The Cowboy’s blog archive: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/breaking-trail-the-real-story-of-jackson-sundown-the-cowboy-in-the-museum-logo/ Wild Rides TV: The Legend of Jackson Sundown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqCC7KDsurw More on the legendary 1916 ride at Pendleton: https://www.cowboysindians.com/2016/08/jackson-sundown/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 58: Jesse Harper, the Kansas Rancher Who Built Notre Dame Football 📢 Episode Summary: This episode of This Week in The West explores the remarkable, often overlooked life of Jesse Harper—a rancher, coach, and member of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Hall of Great Westerners. The story opens in 1931 with the tragic Kansas plane crash that killed Knute Rockne. Harper, a close friend and the man who had once coached Rockne at Notre Dame, was called to identify his body and later accompanied him home to Indiana as the nation mourned. That moment becomes the lens through which the podcast reexamines Harper’s legacy, both on the football field and across the plains of Kansas. Listeners learn that long before he returned to ranch life, Harper revolutionized Notre Dame athletics. After playing under legendary coach Amos Alonzo Stagg at the University of Chicago, he brought innovation, discipline, and administrative organization to a struggling Notre Dame program. As head coach and the school’s first full-time athletics director, Harper went 34–5–1 in football, helped popularize the forward pass, and upgraded scheduling with national powers such as Army and Texas. He insisted athletics should be financially self-sufficient and embodied his son’s memory that “his whole religion was geared around the Golden Rule.” Harper walked away from coaching in 1918 at the height of his career, explaining to his son that he rejected the rising pressure “to do nothing but win, win, win, regardless of what you did to the boy, the school or anything else.” He believed that football should “build men,” not break them. Naming Rockne as his successor, Harper returned to Kansas ranch life, where he later led the Kansas Livestock Association, survived the Depression, and built a respected career as a cattleman—all while remaining a trusted adviser to Rockne. After Rockne’s death, Notre Dame again called Harper back to stabilize the athletic department, and by the time he stepped away in 1934, he had restored order during one of the university’s hardest chapters. When Harper died in 1961, Notre Dame officials traveled to his rural Kansas gravesite to honor him with “A Sportsman’s Prayer.” He was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners in 1962 and enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971—belated recognition for a man who, as one journalist wrote, too often “is in the shadows,” despite shaping Notre Dame’s identity for a century.   🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Jesse Harper built the foundation for Notre Dame football’s rise to national prominence, shaping the program long before Rockne became a household name. Why Harper left coaching at the peak of his success, choosing integrity, character-building, and ranch life over the growing win-at-all-costs mentality of college athletics. How Harper’s leadership extended far beyond football—from restoring Notre Dame after tragedy to becoming a major figure in Kansas ranching and Western heritage. 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: From Notre Dame, “Jesse Harper, The Game Changer”: https://fightingirish.com/jesse-harper-the-game-changer/ College Football Hall of Fame bio: https://www.cfbhall.com/inductees/jesse-harper-1971/ The Last Flight of Knute Rockne: https://125.nd.edu/moments/the-last-flight-of-knute-rockne/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 57: Bill Pickett, King of The Bulldoggers 📢 Episode Summary: This week’s episode of This Week in The West celebrates the remarkable life of Bill Pickett, born December 5, 1870—one of the most iconic and innovative cowboys in American history. Known for an almost unbelievable act—bringing down steers with his teeth—Pickett captured national attention in the early rodeo world with a technique inspired by ranch bulldogs. Growing up in post–Civil War Texas as the son of formerly enslaved parents, Pickett learned horsemanship, cattle handling, and grit early in life, shaping him into a legendary figure who would transform rodeo forever. Pickett’s invention of “bulldogging,” the precursor to today’s steer wrestling, launched him into fame on the rodeo circuit and in the great Wild West shows of the early 1900s. Performing with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show alongside icons such as Buffalo Bill Cody and Will Rogers, he astonished crowds across the nation and around the world. Despite racial barriers that forced him at times to pass as Mexican or Native American to perform, Pickett pushed forward and became the first Black cowboy movie star, appearing in early silent films that showcased his extraordinary skills. Even after his days in the spotlight, Pickett continued working as a cowboy until he died in 1932. His legacy lives on through his membership in multiple halls of fame and as a foundational figure in rodeo history. As Zack Miller of the 101 Ranch once said, “Bill Pickett was the greatest sweat-and-dirt cowhand that ever lived—bar none.” The episode honors his incredible life, fearless talent, and enduring influence on the American West. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How Bill Pickett invented the rodeo event of bulldogging (steer wrestling) and where the idea came from What life was like for a Black cowboy performing in the early 1900s, including the challenges of segregation How Pickett became a global star through Wild West shows and went on to become the first Black cowboy movie actor 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Norman Studios’ work with Pickett in silent films, including rare footage: https://normanstudios.org/films-stars/norman-films/the-bull-dogger/ The Infamous Bill Pickett Postage Stamp: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/art-of-the-stamp-the-artwork-stamps-with-a-story/the-bill-pickett-incident More information from The Cowboy: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/breaking-trail-the-life-of-bill-pickett/ 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!

🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 56: Joseph Glidden and the History of Barbed Wire  📢 Episode Summary: This episode explores the surprising origins and sweeping impact of one of the most transformative inventions in Western history: barbed wire. The story begins in 1873 on a farm near DeKalb, Illinois, where Joseph Glidden searched for a way to keep cows out of his wife Lucinda’s yard. A few wire hairpins in a milk-glass dish sparked an idea that led him to experiment with wire, tinker with tools, and ultimately create a breakthrough design. Listeners learn how Glidden’s work emerged amid a flurry of competing barbed-wire prototypes from inventors like Henry Rose, Isaac Ellwood, and Jacob Haish. Between 1868 and 1874, more than 500 patents were filed as the “fencing problem” became a national debate across the growing frontier. Glidden’s 1874 patent — nicknamed “The Winner” — rose above the rest because it was cheap to produce, effective on the open prairie, and easier to manufacture than earlier designs. The episode digs into how barbed wire reshaped the American West. It allowed settlers to fence vast stretches of land quickly, transforming the plains into a patchwork of private property. That shift restricted traditional cattle trails and contributed to the decline of the open-range cowboy era. Though Glidden sold half of his manufacturing rights early on, per-pound royalties made him a wealthy man until his patent expired in 1892. The legacy of barbed wire also carried a darker side. It hindered the movement of the American Bison, played a role in confining Native Americans to reservations, and later became a defining and deadly element of World War I trenches and World War II concentration camps. When Glidden died in 1906, newspapers noted that his invention survived with all its “distressing, clothes-tearing, hide-rendering” impact — a lasting symbol of both progress and consequence in the story of the West.   🔍 What You’ll Learn: How a simple household challenge led Joseph Glidden to develop the world’s most influential barbed-wire design. Why barbed wire reshaped ranching, homesteading, and the end of the open-range cowboy era. How the invention’s legacy extended into global conflicts and contributed to major environmental and cultural changes. 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Joseph Glidden, National Inventors Hall of Fame: https://www.invent.org/inductees/joseph-f-glidden Joseph Glidden Homestead and Historical Center: https://www.gliddenhomestead.org/barbed-wire/ From The Cowboy video archive, “The History of Barbed Wire”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf_URWGR7GU 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: podcast@thecowboy.org 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ 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/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!