This Week in the West

This Week in the West: Willa Cather

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 25: Willa Cather
📢 Episode Summary:In this episode of This Week in The West, we journey to the sweeping prairies of Nebraska to explore the life and legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather. Born in Virginia in 1873 and later raised in Red Cloud, Nebraska, Cather was profoundly shaped by the open landscapes and resilient immigrant communities of the Great Plains. Her formative years inspired novels like O Pioneers! and My Ántonia, which captured the beauty, hardship, and hope of pioneer life with poetic realism.
This episode recounts how Cather’s early aspirations of becoming a doctor gave way to her irresistible urge to write. From her teenage essays in the local newspaper to her rise as one of America's foremost regional authors, Cather’s literary voice resonated with authenticity and emotional depth. Though her star dimmed in the mid-century literary shift toward modernism, her works have since been rediscovered and celebrated anew for their enduring insight into human experience on the frontier.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How Willa Cather’s Nebraska upbringing influenced her most celebrated novels
Why her literary reputation faded—and how it has since been revived
How a youthful newspaper career put the brakes on aspirations to be a doctor
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
The Willa Cather Archive: https://cather.unl.edu/
The Willa Cather Foundation: https://www.willacather.org/
The Willa Cather Homestead: https://www.nps.gov/home/learn/historyculture/willa-cather.htm
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 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/ 
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This Week in the West: The Virginian, Owen Wister & Joel McCrea

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 24: The Virginian, Owen Wister & Joel McCrea
📢 Episode Summary:On this week’s episode of This Week in the West, we tell the story of The Virginian, the groundbreaking Western novel that became a cultural touchstone, a movie classic, and a symbol of frontier justice. Seth Spillman takes us back to the turn of the 20th century, when Owen Wister—plagued by illness—traveled West for healing and inspiration. His resulting novel, The Virginian, published in 1902, not only launched the Western literary genre but introduced archetypes that still define cowboy tales today.
We follow The Virginian as it gallops from page to stage and screen, with film adaptations spanning from 1914 to the Technicolor 1946 version starring Joel McCrea. The episode highlights how McCrea’s calm, grounded performance captured the quiet strength of Wister’s cowboy hero, bringing depth to the story’s exploration of morality, violence, and loyalty on the Western frontier. Reviews of the day praised McCrea for his authenticity and restraint—qualities that made his portrayal stand out in the crowded field of Western heroes.
The episode also celebrates Joel McCrea’s legacy beyond the screen, detailing his commitment to preserving Western heritage through his service to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, where he was honored in 1969. Wister and McCrea’s shared contributions to Western culture live on through their stories.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
The origins of The Virginian and how Owen Wister’s personal journey West shaped a new genre of American storytelling
Why Joel McCrea’s 1946 performance is considered a defining moment in Western film history
How The Virginian helped establish enduring Western tropes—and how its legacy continues at The Cowboy today. 
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
More about the friendship between Owen Wister and Teddy Roosevelt: https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/Learn-About-TR/TR-Encyclopedia/Family%20and%20Friends/Owen%20Wister
The original trailer of The Virginian (1946): https://www.tcm.com/video/476075/virginian-the-1946-original-trailer/
The story of the Joel McCrea Ranch: https://camarilloranchfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/McCrea-Ranch.pdf
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 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: Frank "Pistol Pete" Eaton

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 23: Frank “Pistol Pete” Eaton
📢 Episode Summary:This week on This Week in the West, we saddle up with the unforgettable tale of Frank “Pistol Pete” Eaton, the real-life cowboy behind one of college sports’ most iconic mascots. Known today for his likeness on the sidelines of Oklahoma State games, Eaton’s life was anything but a cartoon. Born into tragedy and raised with a mission of vengeance, Eaton’s early years were marked by loss, grit, and an unshakable sense of justice.
At just eight years old, Eaton witnessed the murder of his father by a gang of former Confederate vigilantes known as the Regulators. Vowing revenge, he trained for years to become one of the sharpest shooters in Indian Territory, earning the nickname “Pistol Pete” from a U.S. Army colonel after outshooting the fort’s best marksmen at age fifteen.
Eaton's pursuit of justice led him across the West, where he hunted down his father’s killers one by one, even engaging in a legendary shootout in Albuquerque with the help of famed lawman Pat Garrett. Once his mission was fulfilled, Eaton chose a new path as a U.S. Deputy Marshal and later a blacksmith and storyteller in Perkins, Oklahoma.
From feared gunman to beloved folk hero, Eaton's legacy continued to grow, eventually inspiring Oklahoma A&M’s transformation into the Cowboys and cementing his place in Western lore. Through books, parades, and the stories passed down, Pistol Pete lives on—not just as a mascot but as a symbol of grit, honor, and frontier justice.
 
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
The tragic event that set Frank Eaton on a path of revenge—and ultimately legend
How Eaton earned the nickname “Pistol Pete” and became a sharpshooting icon
Why Oklahoma A&M students adopted Eaton’s likeness as their school’s mascot
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
The Frank Eaton Collection at Oklahoma State University: https://info.library.okstate.edu/frankeaton
True West Magazine article on Frank Eaton: https://web.archive.org/web/20190417183225/https://truewestmagazine.com/frank-eaton-pistol-pete/
“A Tribute to Pistol Pete:”https://news.okstate.edu/articles/communications/2008/a_tribute_to_pistol_pete.html
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 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: J.K. Ralston

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 22: J.K. Ralston
📢 Episode Summary: On this week's episode of This Week in the West, we spotlight the life and legacy of J.K. Ralston, a celebrated Western artist born March 31, 1896, in Montana. Raised on the frontier by a family that chased gold across the West before settling near Choteau, Ralston lived the cowboy life before ever picking up a paintbrush. Though he spent his early years riding the Montana range, his passion for art led him to enroll in the Chicago Art Institute—by way of a cattle train, no less—in one of the most "cowboy-artist" career turns in American history.
Ralston's life took many twists, including a near-deployment in World War I that was canceled mid-Atlantic after peace was declared. After returning to the U.S., he resumed his art education and began a commercial art career out West. But Montana’s pull was strong. He and his wife returned home in 1930 to take over the family ranch, but the Great Depression made ranching unviable. Ralston moved to Billings, Montana, and threw himself into full-time painting, eventually gaining recognition for his work on post office murals and historical Western scenes.
A stickler for accuracy and authenticity, Ralston traveled extensively to research the settings and stories he portrayed. His work helped shape how Americans envision the West, particularly through his murals and historical paintings like Custer’s Last Hope. In a powerful photograph taken in 1981 by Jay Dusard, Ralston stands in front of his log cabin studio—saddle and spurs at his feet—embodying the very fusion of cowboy and artist that defines his legacy.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How J.K. Ralston balanced life as both a working cowboy and a classically trained artist
The unusual story of how Ralston’s World War I deployment was interrupted mid-journey
Why Ralston’s paintings are still considered some of the most historically accurate depictions of the American West
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame’s information on Ralston: https://montanacowboyfame.org/inductees/2012/7/j-k-ralston
Western Horseman Magazine profile: https://westernhorseman.com/blogs/out-west/artist-j-k-ralston/
The Western Heritage Center in Billings, Montana, where Ralston’s cabin is on exhibit: https://www.ywhc.org/
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 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: Sandra Day O'Connor

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 21: SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR
📢 Episode Summary:This week on This Week in The West, we honor the life and legacy of Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Raised on a cattle ranch in Arizona, O’Connor’s Western upbringing instilled in her the resilience and determination that would define her groundbreaking legal career. From her early struggles finding work as a lawyer to becoming a key swing vote on the nation’s highest court, O’Connor’s story is one of perseverance, leadership, and trailblazing success.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How Sandra Day O’Connor’s ranching roots shaped her career and leadership style
The challenges she faced as a woman in law and her journey to the Supreme Court
Her lasting impact on the legal system, civic education, and women in the judiciary
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
The Supreme Court’s exhibition on her life and career: https://www.supremecourt.gov/visiting/exhibitions/SOCExhibit/Default.aspx
The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy: https://oconnorinstitute.org/
iCivics, the Civics Education program she founded: https://vision.icivics.org/about/our-founder/
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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💡 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: Alice Greenough Orr

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 20: Alice Greenough Orr
📢 Episode Summary:On this week’s episode of This Week in the West, we meet Alice Greenough Orr, a Montana ranch girl who became the First Lady of Rodeo. While performing in Spain, Alice found herself in a bullfighting arena where the matador had failed to finish the job. The restless crowd grew impatient—until Alice stepped forward, jumped onto the still-angry bull, and rode it, holding onto its ears until it threw her off. The matador was booed out of the ring, but Alice left the arena as a legend.
Born on March 17, 1902, Alice grew up breaking horses on her family’s ranch before taking a job as a teenage mail carrier, covering 37 miles a day on horseback. When a group of cowboys dared her to ride a bucking bronco at a local rodeo, she took the challenge—and discovered her calling. 
Alice’s rodeo career spanned decades, earning her four world championships and a leading role in shaping the sport. She helped establish the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How Alice Greenough Orr became one of the most celebrated women in rodeo history
The story of how she upstaged a Spanish matador by riding a furious bull
Her role in shaping modern rodeo, from fair pay for cowboys to the introduction of women’s barrel racing
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
Alice’s obituary in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/24/obituaries/alice-orr-93-top-bronc-rider-and-rodeo-star.html
A short video from Montana PBS: https://youtu.be/RYg8QM2gcVo?si=bYfHSOUdR6-tULJD
Alice’s bio from the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame: https://montanacowboyfame.org/inductees/2010/7/alice-greenough
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 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: Mari Sandoz

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 19: Mari Sandoz
📢 Episode Summary:This week’s episode of This Week in the West tells the story of Mari Sandoz, who was no stranger to hardship. Growing up on the harsh Nebraska prairie, she endured physical and emotional struggles that shaped her perspective and writing. Despite her father’s lifelong discouragement, a dying request from him set her on a path to become one of the most important chroniclers of the American West. Her 1935 book Old Jules, a stark portrayal of frontier life, established her as a significant literary voice, though its road to publication was long and arduous.
Sandoz’s work went beyond biography—she fearlessly tackled political corruption, social injustice, and the realities of life on the Great Plains. Her novel Slogum House was banned for its unvarnished depiction of greed and cruelty, and Capital City stirred controversy for exposing government corruption. She later became known for her groundbreaking biography Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas, written from within the Lakota perspective, a pioneering approach for its time.
Mari Sandoz remained devoted to her craft despite setbacks, rejection, and even threats. Her deep commitment to truth and historical accuracy led to a body of work that continues to shape our understanding of the West. Inducted posthumously into the Hall of Great Westerners in 1998, her legacy lives on as an uncompromising voice of the frontier.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How Mari Sandoz defied the odds to become one of the most important writers of the American West
The struggles she faced in getting Old Jules published—and how it became a bestseller
Her groundbreaking approach to writing Crazy Horse, told from a Lakota perspective
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
A 1961 interview with Mari Sandoz from Nebraska Public Television: https://youtu.be/msNHusaDuAE?si=l1ewTc1tH-YEGxkh
Mari Sandoz Historical Society: https://www.marisandozsociety.org/
Mari Sandoz Heritage Center: https://sandozcenter.com/
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 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: Charles Goodnight

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 18: Charles Goodnight
📢 Episode Summary:This episode of “This Week in the West” explores the life and legacy of Charles Goodnight, a legendary cattleman and trailblazer born on March 5, 1836. From his early years in Texas to his role in the Texas Rangers and the Goodnight-Loving Trail, Goodnight made a lasting impact on the American West. He was instrumental in the development of cattle drives, the invention of the Chuck Wagon, and the establishment of vast ranching operations. His story intertwines with major historical events, including Cynthia Ann Parker's recapture and cattle trade expansion into New Mexico and Colorado.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
The Goodnight-Loving Trail & Cattle Drives – How Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving created a historic cattle route to supply reservations and military forts.
Goodnight’s Innovations – The invention of the Chuck Wagon, a key tool for cattle drives, and his role in crossbreeding bison with cattle.
His Role in Western History – His time as a Texas Ranger, involvement in the recapture of Cynthia Ann Parker, and contributions to ranching in the American West.
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight Ranch State Historic Site: https://thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/goodnight-ranch
“Goodnight: Panhandle Trailblazer” Documentary: https://www.pbs.org/video/kacv-presents-goodnight-panhandle-trailblazer/
“The Goodnight-Loving Trail”, 1960 educational film: https://texasarchive.org/2009_00963
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 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: Salvatore "Sam" Lucchese

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 17: Salvatore “Sam” Lucchese
📢 Episode Summary: When Salvatore Lucchese and his family arrived in America in 1883, they had the knowledge of shoemaking, and not much else. 
More than a century later, “Sam” has a legacy - Lucchese Bootmaker, one of the most well-known and respected brands for cowboy boots. 
In our podcast this week, we tell the story of Sam’s journey to Texas from Italy and how being in the right place at the right time allowed Lucchese Bootmaker to become a bootmaker for the army before moving on to some of the most well-known customers in the world.
And then there was the time their shop door opened and in walked Teddy Roosevelt...
You can see some great examples of Lucchese boots at "Cowboy Boots: From Roundups to Runways," a new exhibition at the National Cowboy & National Heritage Museum. 
 
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
The Origins of Lucchese Bootmaker: How Italian immigrant brothers, including Salvatore "Sam" Lucchese, built a world-renowned cowboy boot company after arriving in Texas in 1882.
Lucchese's High-Profile Customers: From working cowboys to Hollywood stars like John Wayne and U.S. presidents like Lyndon B. Johnson, Lucchese boots became a status symbol of craftsmanship and style.
Sam Lucchese’s Impact Beyond Boots: Besides his bootmaking success, Sam invested in San Antonio's entertainment scene, creating a hub for Spanish-language theater in the 1920s.
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
A timeline of the Lucchese Bootmaker company: https://www.lucchese.com/pages/timeline
Cowboy Boots: From Roundups to Runways, Presented by Lucchese Bootmaker, a new exhibition at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/exhibitions/cowboy-boots/
The Handbook of Texas History: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/lucchese-sam
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/
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This Week in the West: Edward Curtis

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 16: Edward Curtis
📢 Episode Summary:This episode of This Week in the West explores the life and legacy of Edward Curtis, a photographer whose work documented Native American cultures in the early 20th century. Curtis’ career took a defining turn when he photographed Princess Angeline, the daughter of Chief Seattle. This led to his lifelong mission of capturing images of Indigenous people before their traditions disappeared. 
Funded by J.P. Morgan, Curtis embarked on an ambitious project, The North American Indian, producing 40,000 photographs and 10,000 audio recordings. However, his dedication came at a significant personal and financial cost, leaving him in obscurity until his work was rediscovered decades later.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
Preserving Indigenous Culture: Curtis’ work, though controversial, remains an invaluable record of Native American traditions, languages, and ways of life from the early 20th century.
The Cost of Passion: Despite securing funding, Curtis’ unwavering dedication to his project led to financial struggles, personal loss, and professional hardships.
Rediscovery and Legacy: Although largely forgotten at the time of his death, Curtis’ work gained recognition in the mid-20th century and is now considered a significant contribution to photography and cultural history.
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
The Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/collections/edward-s-curtis/articles-and-essays/edward-curtis-and-the-background-of-the-collection
The Smithsonian: https://www.si.edu/spotlight/edward-sheriff-curtis
The International Center of Photography: https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/edward-sheriff-curtis
📬 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: www.nationalcowboymuseum.org📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/📩 Email: podcast@nationalcowboymuseum.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
💡 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!