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Ghost Cowboy is about real tales from the 19th-century American frontier, when the Old West was young. Most of the posts here are actual news items from the 1800s and early 1900s. We'll be adding "new" content every week. Travel with us and sign up for an account, and you'll be able to leave comments and post in our forums. Your trailmasters, Ken in Alabama and Dave in Virginia, don't get to saddle up and vacation out west as often as they'd like, so they started this site. Drop us a note.

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The Assassination Conspirators Hanged


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Bodies of the four condemned prisoners at Fort McNair, Washington, following their execution on July 7, 1865. From left, Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, David Herold and George Atzerodt. Photo by Alexander Gardner. View full size.

Open Graves Next to Gallows


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Coffins and open graves next to gallows, waiting to receive bodies of the four conspirators at Fort McNair, Washington. George A. Atzerodt can be seen hanging from rope at left. July 7, 1865. Photo by Alexander Gardner. View full size.

The Gabilan Canon Fight.


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Account published in the Rio Grande Republican / August 27, 1881

Mr. Elias Blun, of Hillsboro, who arrived here last sunday furnishes the REPUBLICAN the particulars of the fight at Gabilan canon, between Lake Valley and Georgetown, a brief account of which was given in last Saturday's REPUBLICAN.

It appears the Indians rode right into Hillsboro and from a hill overlooking the town fired into the houses. Lt. G.W. Smith, with twenty troops and thirty-five merchants and miners of Hillsboro and Lake Valley started in pursuit of the Indians and when passing through Gabilan canon, nine miles from Lake Valley, they were fired upon by the Indians concealed in the rocks. They were completely surprised and Lt. Smith and Mr. Daly and three soldiers were killed and four soldiers wounded.

Beautiful Man


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Beautiful Man: Ai'-at-tau-a, (beautiful man,) Chief of the Mo-a-pa'-ri-ats. Photographed by John K. Hillers, c1874.Ai'-at-tau-a, (beautiful man,) Chief of the Mo-a-pa'-ri-ats. Photographed by John K. Hillers, c1874. View full image.

 

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Turnpike Cruiser  Photos of the present-day West, with an emphasis on Arizona and Bisbee, and the Canadian Rockies.

PatentRoom  Patent illustrations from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Buy as prints.

Plan59  Retro 1950s illustrations. Cars! Happy wives! Demonic Tots!

Box of Apples  Fruit-crate art from the turn of the century, available as fine-art prints.

AdventureLounge  Aircraft patent drawings and early aviation history. Will it fly?