This Week in the West

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/
🎧 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: 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!

This Week in the West: Pawnee Bill

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 15: Pawnee Bill
📢 Episode Summary:This episode of This Week in The West explores the life of Gordon William Lillie, better known as Pawnee Bill, a showman and entrepreneur who helped shape the mythology of the American West. Born in 1860, Lillie worked with the Pawnee tribe before joining Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show as an interpreter. He later created his own show, blending entertainment with historical reenactments, and became a key figure in the 1889 Oklahoma Land Run. 
His partnership with Buffalo Bill led to a hugely successful touring show, and he later settled in Pawnee, Oklahoma, where he built a ranch, experimented with Western films, and preserved his legacy. Despite personal tragedies, his impact on Western history remains, with his ranch now a museum honoring his contributions.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
A Showman of the West: Pawnee Bill used his experiences with Native Americans and the frontier to create popular Wild West shows that shaped public perceptions of the West.
Oklahoma Land Run Leadership: He played a significant role in the 1889 Oklahoma Land Run, leading thousands of settlers into what became Kingfisher County.
Enduring Legacy: Though his Wild West shows faded, Pawnee Bill’s ranch remains a historical site, preserving his contributions to Western culture and entertainment.
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
The Pawnee Bill Ranch & Museum: https://www.okhistory.org/sites/pawneebill
The Oklahoma Hall of Fame: https://www.oklahomahof.com/hof/inductees/lillie-gordon-w-1934
Our Dickinson Research Center: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/drc/
📬 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: Edward Fitzgerald Beale

🤠This Week in the West🎙️ Episode 14: Edward Fitzgerald Beale
📢 Episode Summary:On this week’s episode of This Week in the West, we learn about Edward Fitzgerald Beale, a 19th-century adventurer, war hero and trailblazer whose exploits helped shape the American West. 
From serving as a spy for President James K. Polk during the Oregon boundary dispute to rallying reinforcements in the Mexican-American War alongside Kit Carson, Beale built a reputation for bravery and resourcefulness. He later played a key role in confirming the California Gold Rush to the U.S. government, further cementing his place in history as an agent of westward expansion.
One of Beale’s most notable contributions was his 1857 expedition to survey a route from Fort Defiance, Arizona, to the Colorado River, during which he experimented with using camels as pack animals in the harsh desert environment. Though the U.S. Army ultimately abandoned the camel experiment, the route he mapped—known as Beale’s Wagon Road—became a vital artery for westward migration, influencing the path of the Santa Fe Railroad, Route 66, and today’s Interstate 40. His contributions placed him among the key explorers who left a lasting impact on the American frontier.
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
How Edward Fitzgerald Beale’s daring missions as a spy and war hero shaped American expansion.
The story behind the U.S. Army’s failed experiment with camels in the Southwest.
How Beale’s Wagon Road influenced the development of Route 66 and modern highways.
👥 Behind the ScenesHost: Seth SpillmanProducer: Chase SpiveyWriter: Mike Koehler
🔗 Further research:
History of the Army Camel Corps: https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/Directors-Select-Articles/The-United-States-Army-Camel-Corps-1856-66/
U.S. Navy History: https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/us-people/b/beale-edward-f.html
The Tejon Ranch company: https://tejonranch.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: Zane Grey

It’s lost to history when this dentist precisely decided his practice was too dull and that writing should be his life's pursuit.
He may have been pulling a tooth or drilling a cavity, but as the 19th Century ended, Dr. Zane Grey knew he was bored and depressed with his current life.
In the years that followed, despite publishers’ rejections and struggles with his mental health, Zane Grey became one of the most popular Western novelists in history. He was born this week, January 31, 1872.