Wild West Podcast
Welcome to the Wild West podcast, where fact and legend merge. We present the true accounts of individuals who settled in towns built out of hunger for money, regulated by fast guns, who walked on both sides of the law, patrolling, investing in, and regulating the brothels, saloons, and gambling houses. These are stories of the men who made the history of the Old West come alive - bringing with them the birth of legends, brought to order by a six-gun and laid to rest with their boots on. Join us as we take you back in history to the legends of the Wild West. You can support our show by subscribing to Exclusive access to premium content at Wild West Podcast + https://www.buzzsprout.com/64094/subscribe or just buy us a cup of coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/wildwestpodcast
Wild West Podcast
Guns, Greek, and Guerrillas: Belle Starr's Untold Beginning
The infamous Belle Starr—a pistol-packing outlaw queen of the Wild West or a misunderstood historical figure whose legend overshadows reality? This fascinating exploration of Myra Maybel Shirley Starr reveals the stark contrast between the woman herself and the sensationalized "Bandit Queen" who captured America's imagination.
Born in 1848 Missouri to a prosperous family, young May Shirley straddled two worlds—receiving a refined classical education at Carthage Female Academy while simultaneously developing remarkable riding and shooting skills under her beloved brother Bud's guidance. This duality would define her life, creating a woman comfortable in multiple spheres and unwilling to conform to 19th-century expectations of femininity.
The Civil War shattered the Shirleys' comfortable existence. Missouri's brutal guerrilla conflict exposed May to violence, betrayal, and a moral code that existed outside conventional law. When her idolized brother Bud was killed by Union soldiers in 1864 and their hometown of Carthage burned, the family fled to Texas, joining countless displaced Southerners seeking new beginnings. This dramatic downward mobility—from affluence to a primitive dugout dwelling in lawless Scyene, Texas—became the crucible that transformed an educated young woman into a figure who would associate with notorious outlaws.
Through meticulous historical research, we unravel how the seeds of the Belle Starr legend were planted in this tumultuous period of American history. The podcast examines how personal tragedy, war trauma, and frontier justice shaped not just Belle's trajectory but the wider cultural fascination with outlaws who defied authority in the post-Civil War era. What emerges is a captivating portrait of resilience, reinvention, and the complex dynamics between historical truth and American mythmaking.
Follow our four-part series on Belle Starr and other remarkable women who shaped Western narratives. Subscribe now to journey with us through the untamed territories of fact, fiction, and the compelling gray areas where legends are born.
"Edward Masterson and the Texas Cowboys," penned by Michael King, takes readers on an exhilarating ride through the American West, focusing on the lively and gritty cattle town of Dodge City, Kansas. This thrilling dime novel plunges into the action-packed year of Ed Masterson's life as a lawman, set against the backdrop of the chaotic cattle trade, filled with fierce conflicts, shifting loyalties, and rampant lawlessness. You can order the book on Amazon.
