The Real Wild West

Young historians, guides, and descendants tell the untold stories of the Wild West. From the rich history of the Native Americans who were there long before the “west was won” to the trickle of frontiersmen that becomes a flood of settlers seeking furs, gold, a free homestead, and a new start.

Manifest Destiny. The U.S. provokes a war with Mexico, taking California and much of the Southwest. The United States is forged in wars and now stretches coast to coast.

The new West is a land of unprecedented opportunity. In less than a century, millions of prospectors rush to gold fields, boomtowns appear overnight, and a transcontinental railroad allows travelers to cross the country in only seven days. It is a century of ambition, greed, fame, and fortune.

The Wild West is born out of the desperation following the Civil War. Outlaws rampage and rob while lawmen become legends. It’s a time drenched in boozin’, gamblin’ and womanizing. However, the famed Wild West looked a lot different than what we see in movies.