Credits & Resources – Legends of America: A Behind-the-Scenes Peek

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Credits & Resources – Legends of America: A Behind-the-Scenes Peek

Credits & Resources – Legends of America: A Behind-the-Scenes Peek

Hey there, fellow history buffs and legend lovers! Ever wondered where all the stories on Legends of America come from? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This is where we give a shout-out to all the books, websites, and folks who helped us bring these tales to life.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

So, back when we first started this website – way back, like over 20 years ago! – some of our sections were so massive they were practically books themselves. In those days, we created separate pages to thank all the contributors and list our resources. As a result, some of our earliest pages might not have those resources listed as clearly as we’d like.

But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. For those older pages, you can find the credits and resources linked below. Over the years, we’ve gotten better at including these details at the bottom of each article. So, newer stuff should be a breeze to navigate.

Why Credits Matter

Before we dive into the lists, let’s talk about why we think it’s important to give credit where it’s due. It’s not just about being polite (though that’s definitely part of it!). It’s also about:

  • Transparency: We want you to know where our information comes from so you can judge its reliability.
  • Respect: These stories aren’t ours alone. They belong to history, to the people who lived them, and to the historians and researchers who have kept them alive.
  • Further Exploration: We hope you’ll be inspired to dig deeper into these topics. Our resource lists can be a great starting point for your own adventures in history.

Digging into the Archives: State-by-State Resources

If you’re curious about the sources we used for a particular state, here’s a handy list to get you started:

Exploring by Category

Maybe you’re not interested in a particular state, but you’re fascinated by a specific topic. We’ve got you covered there, too:

The Books That Built Legends

Here’s a list of some of the books we’ve used over the years. It’s a real mix of academic works, popular histories, and even some dictionaries of slang (because who doesn’t love a good Old West insult?).

  • Atwater, G.M; Old West Slang and Phrases; A Writer’s Guide; Western Slang and Phrases
  • Barrere, Albert and Leland, Charles; A Dictionary of Slang, Jarcon & Cant; Ballantyne Press; London, England, 1889.
  • Bartlett, John Russell; Dictionary of Americanisms, Bartlett and Welford, New York, NY, 1848.
  • Boessenecker, John; Badge and Buckshot: Lawlessness in Old California; University of Oklahoma Press; 1988; Norman, OK.
  • Chittenden, Hiram; The American fur trade of the Far West, By Hiram Martin, Volume II, Francis P. Harper, New York, 1902.
  • Croy, Homer; Cole Younger: Last of the Great Outlaws; Bison Books; 1999.
  • Davidson-Peters, P., The Missouri Fur Company, Ancestry.com, 2007.
  • Dawson, Charles; Pioneer Tales of the Oregon Trail, Volume 1, Crane & Co., Topeka, Kansas, 1912.
  • Eagan, Jerry; The Captive; Desert Exposure; November 2006.
  • Erdoes, Richard; Saloons of the Old West; 1979, Knopf: New York, NY.
  • Fielder, Mary; Poker Alice; Centennial Distributors, Deadwood, SD, 1978.
  • Flanagan, Mike; The Complete Idiot’s Guide to The Old West; 1999; Alpha Books, Indianapolis,IN.
  • Flexner, Stuart Bert; I Hear America Talking; 1976, Simon and Schuster, New York.
  • Gordy, William F.; American Leaders and Heroes; Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1903.
  • Gragg, Roc, The Old West Quiz & Fact Book; 1986, Harper Collins, New York, NY.
  • Green, Jonathon; Cassell’s Dictionary of Slang; Wellington House; London, England, 2000.
  • Hodge, Frederick Webb; Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico; U.S. Government Printing Office; Washington D.C.; 1906.
  • Howe, Henry; Historical Collections of the Great West; E. Morgan & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, 1855.
  • Hyde, William and Conrad, Howard L.; Encyclopedia of the History of St. Louis, Southern History Co., NY; 1899.
  • Hodgson, Michael; Desert Travel Tips: Staying Safe, Comfy and Happy; 1999, Adventure Network.
  • Hufsmith, George W, The Wyoming Lynching of Cattle Kate, 1889, High Plains Press, Glendo, Wyoming, 1993.
  • Jeffords, Christine; Shady Ladies of the Old West; Poindexter Family Geneology.
  • Jones, Lee; Winning Low Limit Hold’em; Conjelco, Pittsburg, PA, 2000.
  • Kildare, Maurice, Dead Outlaws Loot, True West Magazine, February 1967.
  • Lawless, Chuck; The Old West Sourcebook; 1994; Crown Publishers, New York, NY
  • Knowles, Thomas W.; The West That Was, 1993, Random House, New York, NY
  • McLelland, Dr. Dennis; The Avenging Fury of the Plains, John “Liver-Eating” Johnston, Publish America.
  • Metz, Leon Claire; The Shooters; 1976; Penguin Putnam, Inc.; El Paso, TX.
  • Myers, Roger; John Joshua Webb – Lawman to Outlaw, Old West Magazine, Autumn, 1999.
  • Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, copyright, 1993-2004.
  • Murray, Earl; Ghosts of the West, 1994, Tom Doherty Associates, Inc., New York, NY.
  • Nash, Robert; Encyclopedia of Western Lawmen & Outlaws; De Capo Press; New York, NY, 1994.
  • Phillips, Charles; Heritage of the West; 1992; Crescent Books, New York, NY.
  • Pinkerton, William A.; Highwaymen of the Railroad; The North American Review; Volume 157, Issue 444, November 1893; University of Northern Iowa; Cedar Falls, IA.
  • Rochlin, Fred and Harriet; Pioneer Jews: A New Life in the Far West; 2000; Houghton Mifflin Books; Boston, MA.
  • Roosevelt, Theodore; Ranch Life and the Hunting-Trail; 1888; The Century Co. New York.
  • Rule, Leslie, Coast To Coast Ghosts, 2001, Andrews McMeel Universal Company, Kansas City, MO.
  • Slatta, Richard W.; The Cowboy Encyclopedia; 1994, ABC-CLIO, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA.
  • Speck, Gary B.; Ghost Towner’s Code of Ethics; Ghost Town USA.
  • Thrapp, Dan L.; Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography, Volumes I-III; University of Nebraska Press, 1988.
  • Walker, Herb; Country Store, 1979, Baxter Lane Company, Amarillo, TX.
  • Wilson, Michael; Great Stagecoach Robberies of the Old West; Morris Book Publishing, 2007.

Websites We Love

The internet is a treasure trove of information, and we’ve used plenty of it. Here are some of the websites that have helped us out:

A Never-Ending Quest

We’re always learning and growing, and we’re committed to making Legends of America the best it can be. That means constantly updating our resources, correcting any errors we find, and giving credit where it’s due.

Thanks for joining us on this journey through history! We hope you’ll continue to explore the legends and stories that make America so unique.

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