This Week in the West

This Week in the West: Jim Shoulders, The Babe Ruth of Rodeo

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 80: Jim Shoulders, the Babe Ruth of Rodeo
📢 Episode Summary:This episode of This Week in The West explores the life and legacy of rodeo legend Jim Shoulders, often called the “Babe Ruth of Rodeo.” Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 13, 1928, Shoulders grew from a city kid with dreams of cowboy life into one of the most dominant athletes in rodeo history. The episode follows his humble beginnings, including his first rodeo win at age 14 in Oilton, Oklahoma, and the determination that launched a championship career.
Listeners will hear how Shoulders transformed professional rodeo through toughness, consistency and unmatched competitive success. Over his career, he earned 16 world championships, including titles in bull riding, bareback bronc riding and all-around competition. The podcast also examines the dangerous nature of rodeo in the mid-20th century, when competitors endured serious injuries with little medical support or safety equipment. Through quotes from friends, family and Shoulders himself, the episode paints a vivid picture of a cowboy whose grit helped define an entire era of the sport.
The episode also highlights Shoulders’ lasting influence beyond competition. After retiring from riding, he became a respected stock contractor and helped develop legendary bucking bulls like Tornado. His fame also carried into Western fashion and advertising, including work with Wrangler and helping design the iconic Cowboy Cut jeans. The podcast closes by reflecting on Shoulders’ enduring legacy through honors at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the National Rodeo Hall of Fame and the PBR Ring of Honor.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How Jim Shoulders rose from a teenage rodeo competitor in Oklahoma to become one of the greatest champions in rodeo history
What professional rodeo was like during the rough-and-tumble 1940s and 1950s, before modern safety standards and training methods
How Shoulders influenced Western culture beyond rodeo through livestock breeding, advertising partnerships and the development of Wrangler Cowboy Cut jeans
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
Oklahoma Historical Society Interview with Jim Shoulders, 1970: https://youtu.be/WRRPRuMqRZ4?si=o7pvP6MDhweBKCXG
Oklahoma Hall of Fame entry on Jim Shoulders: https://www.oklahomahof.com/hof/inductees/shoulders-jim-1976
New York Times Obituary of Jim Shoulders: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/22/sports/22shoulders.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: The Monumental Effort to Create the Transcontinental Railroad

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 79: The Monumental Effort to Create the Transcontinental Railroad 
📢 Episode Summary:This episode of This Week in The West commemorates the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The story opens at Promontory Summit in Utah Territory, where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in a historic moment symbolized by the driving of the golden spike. What had once seemed impossible—a rail connection spanning the continent—became a reality, marking a turning point in American history.
The episode explores the immense challenges behind the railroad’s construction. From the granite walls of the Sierra Nevada to the vast and unforgiving Great Plains, thousands of laborers—many of them Chinese immigrants, Irish workers, Civil War veterans and formerly enslaved men—endured brutal conditions to complete the line. The project was driven forward by the Pacific Railway Act signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, but it came at a cost, including the disruption of Native American lands and the near destruction of the American bison.
Finally, the episode examines the profound impact of the railroad on the nation. Travel time across the country shrank from months to about a week, transforming commerce, communication and daily life. The railroad helped establish time zones, fueled economic growth and shaped settlement patterns across the West. Its influence reached into industries like cattle ranching and inspired artists such as Albert Bierstadt, whose work captured a landscape in transition. The legacy of the transcontinental railroad remains deeply woven into the story of the American West and the themes explored at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How the transcontinental railroad was planned, funded and ultimately completed at Promontory Summit in 1869
The human story behind the railroad, including the diverse workforce and the कठिन and dangerous conditions they endured
The lasting impact of the railroad on American life, from economic growth and time zones to Western expansion and cultural change
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
PBS’ American Experience documentary on the Transcontinental Railroad: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/tcrr/
The Transcontinental Railroad and the Asian-American Experience: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/the-transcontinental-railroad-and-the-asian-american-story
How the Transcontinental Railroad changed America forever: https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0n4kjvh/watch
📬 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: The Wild Western Life of Artist Olaf Wieghorst

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 78: The Wild Western Life of Artist Olaf Wieghorst
📢 Episode Summary:This episode of This Week in the West explores the remarkable life of Western artist Olaf Wieghorst, a man whose story reads like the very scenes he would later paint. Born in Denmark in 1899, Wieghorst developed an early fascination with horses while performing as a child acrobat and circus rider. Drawn by stories of the American West, he immigrated to the United States in 1918, famously jumping ship in New York with little more than a dollar and a dream. His journey west began through enlistment in the U.S. Cavalry, where he gained firsthand experience with the landscapes, people, and horses that would define his artistic legacy.
After his military service, Wieghorst lived and worked as a cowboy in the Southwest, sketching scenes of everyday Western life before eventually settling in New York City. There, he joined the NYPD Mounted Division, continuing his work with horses while quietly building a side career as an artist. Despite restrictions on outside work, his drawings began gaining recognition through magazines and exhibitions, reflecting an authenticity that came from lived experience rather than imagination.
In 1944, Wieghorst retired from the police force and moved permanently to California, dedicating himself fully to painting. His work—often centered on horses and quiet, reflective moments of Western life—earned him national acclaim and comparisons to legends like Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. Honored during his lifetime and beyond, including induction into the Hall of Great Westerners, Wieghorst left behind a legacy rooted in authenticity. As he once said, he painted what he knew—knowledge earned through hardship, experience, and a life fully lived in the West.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How Olaf Wieghorst’s real-life experiences as a cavalryman, cowboy, and horseman shaped the authenticity of his Western art
The unlikely path from Danish circus performer and immigrant to one of America’s most respected Western painters
Why firsthand experience—not formal training—became the foundation of Wieghorst’s artistic philosophy and lasting legacy 
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
The Olaf Wieghorst Museum: https://wieghorstmuseum.org/
Audio of Olaf Wieghorst on the Merv Griffin Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idFc80uuQu8
Wieghorst at The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum for an art show: https://images.nationalcowboymuseum.org/Documents/Detail/olaf-wieghorst/103336
📬 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 77: Naturalist John Muir's Vision of Preserving the West

🤠This Week in the West🎙️Episode 77: Naturalist John Muir's Vision of Preserving the West
📢 Episode Summary:This episode tells the remarkable story of John Muir, whose life changed forever after a factory accident in 1867 temporarily blinded him. When his vision returned, Muir saw it as a second chance and chose to leave behind industrial life to pursue a deeper connection with the natural world. That decision led him on a thousand-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico and eventually west to California, where he discovered the awe-inspiring beauty of Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada.
In the mountains, Muir immersed himself in observation and study, blending poetic writing with careful scientific inquiry. He challenged prevailing ideas about how Yosemite Valley was formed, arguing that glaciers shaped its landscape—an idea later proven correct. Through his essays and books, Muir invited Americans to see the wilderness not just as scenery, but as something sacred and worthy of understanding and protection.
As the West changed rapidly in the late nineteenth century, Muir became a leading voice for conservation. He helped establish Yosemite National Park, founded the Sierra Club, and influenced President Theodore Roosevelt during a famous 1903 camping trip. Though he suffered a major defeat in the fight to save Hetch Hetchy Valley, his legacy endured through the national parks movement. Today, Muir is remembered not only as a naturalist, but as a force who helped define how Americans value and preserve their wild places.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How a life-altering injury led John Muir to abandon industry and become a pioneer of wilderness exploration
Why Muir’s scientific observations helped reshape our understanding of Yosemite and the natural world
How his advocacy influenced the creation of national parks and helped launch the American conservation movement
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
The Sierra Club’s Biography Page of John Muir: https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/life/muir_biography.aspx
PBS’ American Masters Documentary of Muir: https://www.pbs.org/video/american-masters-john-muir-in-the-new-world-1/
John Muir National Historical Site: https://www.nps.gov/jomu/learn/index.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: Glenna Goodacre, Reagan's Scupltor and More

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 76: Glenna Goodacre, Reagan’s Sculptor and More 
📢 Episode Summary:Glenna Goodacre’s life and work reveal the power of sculpture to tell deeply human stories rooted in history, emotion and place. Best known for her bronze statue After the Ride of President Ronald Reagan at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Goodacre had a gift for capturing personality in quiet, reflective moments. Her portrayal of Reagan as a relaxed Western figure—rather than a formal political icon—demonstrates her ability to connect national figures to the broader story of the American West.
Born in Lubbock, Texas, in 1939, Goodacre developed her artistic voice through formal training and a lifelong connection to Western landscapes and culture. After settling in Santa Fe, she built a prolific career spanning more than 50 years and more than 600 sculptures. Her work ranged from intimate portraits to monumental public memorials, including the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Irish Memorial in Philadelphia—both of which showcase her commitment to honoring resilience, compassion and shared history.
Even in her smallest works, Goodacre’s impact reached millions. Her design for the Sacagawea dollar coin brought her artistry into everyday life, blending historical reverence with accessibility. Recognized with numerous awards and honors, she retired in 2016, leaving behind not only a remarkable body of work but also a legacy of mentorship and inspiration. Goodacre passed away on April 13, 2020, but her sculptures continue to invite viewers into moments of connection, reflection and enduring Western identity. 
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How Glenna Goodacre used sculpture to capture personality, emotion and Western identity in figures like Ronald Reagan
The stories behind her most significant works, including the Vietnam Women’s Memorial and the Sacagawea dollar coin
Why her approach to public art continues to shape how history is experienced and remembered today 
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
Official Glenna Goodacre site: https://glennagoodacre.com/
Interview from The Cowboy’s Brodkin Contemporary Western Artists Project: https://youtu.be/WHKzl7imqfU?si=yCpfwUrVhMWQooF9
The Briscoe Art Museum remembers Glenna Goodacre: https://briscoemuseum.org/remembering-glenna-goodacre/
📬 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: How James Garner Re-Defined the Western Hero

🤠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 ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: 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: Jo Decker and the Importance of Rodeo Secretaries

🤠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 ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: 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: John Arbuckle and Coffee's Importance in the West

🤠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 ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: 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: Charles Russell: Artist & Original Great Westerner

🤠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 ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: 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: The Miller Brothers and the Rise of the 101 Ranch

🤠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 ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: 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!