Early photos often carry an eerie quality, a sensation heightened when depicting the lawless American Old West with its diverse inhabitants. This unsettled atmosphere is accentuated through the grainy lens of late 19th- and early 20th-century photography, adding a layer of fascination. The most unsettling images are those without an easy explanation or context.
Bison Skulls, 1892
The pile of bison skulls in 1892, like many similar piles of bison skulls during the late 19th century, was a result of the mass slaughter of bison that occurred in North America.
This period is often referred to as the “Great Bison Slaughter.”
The bison population in North America was once vast, with estimates ranging from 30 to 60 million animals.
However, in the late 19th century, a combination of factors, including overhunting, habitat loss due to westward expansion, and the construction of railways, led to a catastrophic decline in the bison population.
Bison were hunted for their hides, which were in high demand, and also as a means of controlling indigenous populations who depended on the bison for their sustenance.
Woman In A Mask And Bonnet, Date Unknown
Mardi Gras is a widely recognized event today, but back in 1903, its popularity was not as widespread. Consequently, the masks and costumes used during the celebration added an intriguing aura of mystery.
The photographic technology of that era indeed contributed to an eerie quality in the images of participants.
Post-Mortem Photograph, Late 1800s
In the late 1800s, post-mortem photography was a common practice where photographs of deceased individuals were taken shortly after their death. These photos served as mementos and allowed families to remember their loved ones.
Techniques included posing the deceased to appear at peace, and mourners often wore dark attire.
Post-mortem photography was particularly common for deceased children and infants due to high mortality rates.
Deceased Outlaw William “Brazen Bill” Brazelton Wearing A Mask, 1878
William “Brazen Bill” Brazelton was a 19th-century American outlaw known for his audacious and fearless approach to criminal activities. He engaged in cattle rustling, horse theft, and other illegal actions common in the American West during his time.
Brazelton’s criminal career led to numerous run-ins with the law, and he became a wanted outlaw known for his elusiveness.
In 1887, he was shot and killed by a posse in New Mexico, marking the end of his notorious criminal activities and reflecting the lawlessness of the American frontier during that era.
Mask And Skin Shoes Of Cattle Rustler “Big Nose” George Parrot
“Big Nose” George Parrot, an outlaw in the late 19th century, had his skin removed to create a death mask and a pair of shoes after his execution.
Dr. John Eugene Osborne, a local physician, undertook this unusual preservation.
These macabre artifacts served as grisly relics of the Old West, reflecting the harsh realities of the frontier era.
Over time, the mask and skin shoes gained notoriety, were displayed in various settings, and eventually, in the late 20th century, were reburied in a traditional grave in Wyoming.
Outlaw Rube Burrow, 1890
Rube Burrow, also known as Reuben Houston Burrow, was a notorious outlaw in the late 19th century American South. He led a criminal gang involved in train robberies and bank heists in Alabama and Mississippi during the 1880s and early 1890s.
Known for his audacious tactics, he gained notoriety for robbing trains operated by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Although he was captured at one point, he managed to escape from jail.
Ultimately, his criminal career ended when he was shot and killed during a shootout with law enforcement officers near Linden, Alabama, in 1890.
Sandstorm Over Midland, Texas, 1894
Sandstorms in 1800s Texas, primarily in the arid and semi-arid western regions, were a common occurrence. They were caused by strong winds lifting loose sand and dust from dry landscapes.
These sandstorms often reduced visibility significantly, damaged crops and property, and had adverse effects on livestock and daily life.
People took precautions to protect themselves and their property, and during severe droughts and dust storms, some individuals and families temporarily migrated to escape the harsh conditions.
Sandstorms were a natural challenge faced by settlers and communities in arid Texas, and they adapted to these environmental challenges as best as possible with the resources available at the time.
Memento Mori Of The Dalton Gang, 1892
The Dalton Gang was a notorious outlaw group in the late 19th century American West, composed mainly of the Dalton brothers: Bob, Grat, and Emmett.
Originally serving as lawmen, they turned to a life of crime and became infamous for their train and bank robberies in states like Oklahoma, Kansas, and California.
Their most infamous event was the Coffeyville raid in 1892, where they attempted to rob two banks but were met with resistance from townspeople and law enforcement, resulting in several gang members’ deaths.
Emmett Dalton was the sole survivor and was imprisoned but later paroled.
The McLaury Bros & Billy Clanton After The OK Corral Gunfight, 1881
The McLaury Brothers, Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Clanton were individuals associated with the “Cowboys,” a group of cattle rustlers and outlaws in Tombstone, Arizona.
They had ongoing disputes and conflicts with the Earp family, particularly Wyatt Earp, a lawman, and his brothers.
The most famous incident involving them was the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881, where they confronted the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday in a deadly shootout that resulted in the deaths of Tom and Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton.
Settlers Fleeing The Dakota War Of 1862
The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, was a conflict in Minnesota triggered by broken treaties, land disputes, and mistreatment of Dakota Sioux by the U.S. government and settlers.
It began in August 1862 when Dakota Sioux warriors attacked white settlers in the Minnesota River Valley.
U.S. military and militias responded, and many Dakota warriors were captured or surrendered.
Over 300 Dakota Sioux were tried, leading to the execution of 38 in the largest mass execution in U.S. history. The conflict resulted in the forced exile and relocation of Dakota Sioux to other states.
The Body Of Outlaw Jesse James, 1882
Jesse James was a notorious 19th-century American outlaw who, along with his brother Frank James, led a gang known for bank, train, and stagecoach robberies.
He started as a Confederate guerrilla during the Civil War and continued his outlaw activities after the war’s end. The James-Younger Gang, which included the Younger brothers, became infamous for their criminal exploits.
Jesse James and his gang were romanticized in popular culture as folk heroes, often depicted as fighting against oppressive institutions.
He was shot and killed by Robert Ford, a member of his gang, in 1882.
William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, 1871
William “Buffalo Bill” Cody was a prominent figure in the American West during the late 19th century. He gained fame as a buffalo hunter, Army scout, and showman.
His nickname, “Buffalo Bill,” came from his prolific buffalo hunting. Cody served as a scout during the Civil War and later started Wild West shows that reenacted frontier scenes, featuring cowboys, Native Americans, and sharpshooters.
These shows toured the U.S. and Europe, making him a celebrity. Cody also wrote an autobiography and became an advocate for wildlife conservation, particularly for the preservation of buffalo herds.
He passed away in 1917, leaving a lasting legacy as an icon of the American West.
O.K. Corral After A Fire, 1882
The O.K. Corral, also known as the Old Kindersley Corral, operated as a livery and horse corral in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, from 1879 to about 1888.
Despite its association with the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the famous gunfight did not occur at or near the corral but in a nearby location.
The corral was owned by “Honest John” Montgomery and Edward Monroe Benson and provided horses, carriages, wagons, and care for transient livestock to the town’s residents.
It was unfortunately destroyed in a fire that engulfed the western business district on May 25, 1882.
Billy The Kid, C. 1880
Billy the Kid, also known as Henry McCarty or William H. Bonney, was a famous American outlaw of the Old West. Born in New York City in 1859, he gained notoriety during the violent Lincoln County War in New Mexico in the late 1870s.
He became an outlaw known for cattle rustling, robberies, and killings.
After a famous jailbreak in 1881, he was pursued and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
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