The Wild West
The term "wild west" conjures many things in the mind—criminal outlaws like Billy the Kid or Jesse James, the California Gold Rush, or the folklore associated with the American frontier. We welcome you to browse our Wild West newspaper inventory or learn more about American Wild West newspapers at our main Wild West page.The Wild West
The term "wild west" conjures many things in the mind—criminal outlaws like Billy the Kid or Jesse James, the California Gold Rush, or the folklore associated with the American frontier. We welcome you to browse our Wild West newspaper inventory or learn more about American <a href="http://www.rarenewspapers.com/entry/wild_west">Wild West newspapers</a> at our main Wild West page.
Hangings of three murderers, with much detail...
Item #638796
June 19, 1875
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, June 19, 1875 Over half of the front page is taken up with reports on the hanging executions of 3 criminals, headed: "THE GALLOWS" "Yesterday Proves a Black Friday for Three Murderers" "National Burgess Executed at Effingham, Ills." "Bad Case for John Casey at Paris, Ills." "Austin Hill Passes Through the Vall... See More
Hangings of three murderers, with much detail...
Item #638795
June 26, 1875
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, June 26, 1875 Over half of the front page is taken up with incredible detail on the hanging of three murders, with column heads: "THE GIBBET" "Three Murderers Meet an Ignominious Fate" "Wagner and Gordon Hung at Thomaston, Maine' "Henry Costley Executed Near Boston" "Gordon Attempts to Cheat the Gallows by Suicide" &q... See More
Exploring the Black Hills... Much on early baseball...
Item #638794
June 30, 1875
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, June 30, 1875
* Black Hills - South Dakota
* Early baseball
The front page has over 2 1/2 columns taken up with: "THE BLACK HILLS" "The First White Men Who Ever Penetrated Their Center" "Magnificent Scenery of the Rugged & Untrod Peaks" "The Wonders of This Wild & Mysterious Region" "Evidence that th... See More
Life in the Wild West...
Item #638762
November 16, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Nov. 16, 1883 Likely due to its location on the edge of the Western frontier, this newspaper typically contained a wealth sensational crime reports and events from the West, much more than any found in eastern newspapers.
Page 7 begins with: "AT THE STAKE" "A Colorado Ranchman Tortured by a Band of Robbers" "The Victims Burned & Bastina... See More
Vigilance Committee in Texas... The Mollie Maguires...
Item #638761
November 18, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Nov. 18, 1883 Page 3 has: "Lawlessness In Texas" "Vigilance Committees Recommended by the Dallas Grand Jury" and also: "Mollie Maguires" "Mooney, the Convict, Relates His Connection with the Band" "A Society of Assassins--The Murder of Mining Superintendents--Shadowed by Detectives".
Twenty pages, a few minor ... See More
Horse thieves, cattle thieves, a murderous outlaw: life in the Wild West...
Item #638752
December 07, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Dec. 7, 1883 Likely due to its location on the edge of the Western frontier, this newspaper typically contained a wealth sensational crime reports and events from the West, much more than any found in eastern newspapers.
The top of page 2 has: "Calendar of Crime" "Middleton's Gang of Horse-Thieves Exterminated by Vigilantes" "Young Ker ... See More
Train robbers... The Mormon faith...
Item #638729
December 18, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Dec. 18, 1883 Likely due to its location on the edge of the Western frontier, this newspaper typically contained a wealth sensational crime reports and events from the West, much more than any found in eastern newspapers. Page 3 has: "The Arizona Train Robbers Attacked & Defeated" with much detail, taking over one-third of the first column.
Page 4 has... See More
Reports from the Wild West...
Item #638659
November 09, 1884
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Nov. 9, 1884 Likely due to its location on the edge of the Western frontier, this newspaper typically contained a wealth sensational crime reports and events from the West than found in eastern newspapers. Page 2 begins with: "A CARNIVAL OF CRIME" "A Bloody Battle in the Streets of a Texas Town" "Half a Dozen Murders in as Many Different Dan... See More
The hostile Apache Indians...
Item #638648
July 12, 1885
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, July 12, 1885 Likely due to its location on the edge of the Western frontier, this newspaper typically contained a wealth sensational crime reports and events from the West than found in eastern newspapers.
Page 3 has over column headed: "HOSTILE APACHES" "Texans Indignant Over a Proposition Looking to Their Settlement in Greer County" "A K... See More
Shooting Apache scouts...
Item #638643
August 15, 1885
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Aug. 15, 1885
* Apache Wars
Likely due to its location on the edge of the Western frontier, this newspaper typically contained a wealth sensational crime reports and events from the West than found in eastern newspapers.
Page 4 has: "Shooting Apache Scouts - Lieut Davis' Method of Dealing with Treacherous Redskins", a report from New Mexico. Als... See More
Front page article on Lillie Langtry... Notre Dame University...
Item #638641
August 24, 1885
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Aug. 24, 1885
* Lily Langtry
* Notre Dame University
The front page has an interesting article titled: "Lily Langtry - The Lonsdale-Chetwynd Quarrel" which takes close to half a column. A subhead is: "Mrs. Lingtry's New Play" Langtry was a celebrated actress & producer known for her relationships with noblemen.
Page 3 has a nice a... See More
Classic train robbery from the Old West...
Item #638578
September 13, 1893
NEW YORK TRIBUNE, Sept. 13, 1893
* Old west style train robbery
The front page has over two columns (and more inside) headed: "LAKE SHORE TRAIN HELD UP" "Atlantic Express Robbed" "Dynamite Used By The Outlaws, Who Get Nearly $20,000" "The Engineer Shot By the Bandits" and more subheads. A terrific and very detailed account of a "classic"... See More
Sitting Bull and his Indians bands...
Item #638576
May 03, 1878
THE NEW YORK TIMES, May 3, 1878 The front page has about half a column headed: "Sitting Bull And His Bands" with various subheads including: "Reported Disposition of the Wily Savage to Make Peace--Letters Received by Gen. Miles from Fort Keogh..." and more.
Ten pages, a few minor margin tears, evenly toned, good condition but should be handled carefully.
Recurring Sets - at a significant discount...
Item #638562
A set of four era-based newspapers, sent either monthly or quarterly (whichever you select), for as short or as long as you wish - guaranteed to be valued at less than half of the per-issue price...Have you ever had difficulty deciding which issues to add to your collection? Are you seeking to purchase a unique gift for someone, but are unsure of which issues to select? Perhaps one of our 4-is... See More
Report from the Frank James trial...
Item #637767
April 12, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, April 12, 1883
* Outlaw Frank James
* Jesse James gang
* Dick Liddil
The top of pg. 2 has: "MISSOURI'S OUTLAWS" "Dick Liddill's Value as a Witness for the State in the James Trial" "Charley Ford's Opinion of His Testimony--Jail Delivery at Quincy--Burrill in the Penitentiary--Convicted of Libel--Unearthing a Skeleton--The... See More
Rare mention of the death of 'Wild Bill' Hickok...
Item #637672
September 08, 1876
ROCKINGHAM REPUBLICAN, Exeter, New Hampshire, Sept. 8, 1876
* "Wild Bill" Hickok death
* American old West folk hero
The back page has a nice article headed: "Wild Bill" , which begins: "Everybody in this country has heard of 'Wild Bill' a noted scout, buffalo-hunter and plainsman, & who on account of his reckless bravery was made Marshal at differ... See More
The Dalton Gang is "wiped out"...
Item #637198
October 06, 1892
SPRINGFIELD DAILY REPUBLICAN, Massachusetts, Oct. 6, 1892 Page 6 of this issue has a very nice, and uncommonly lengthy report headed: "The Dalton Gang Wiped Out" "A Desperate Battle In Kansas" "Five Bandits and Four Citizens" with subheads: "Killed in an Encounter at Coffeyville--The Gang Attempted to Rob Two Banks--The City Marshal Among the Dead". Th... See More
From Arizona 19 years before statehood...
Item #637147
October 11, 1893
ARIZONA DAILY GAZETTE, Phoenix, Oct. 11, 1893
* Rare old West title
* Maricopa County
This issue is from the Arizona Territory, 19 years before it joined the Union. Varied news reports both local & national with a nice wealth of ads as well, many of which are illustrated.
Eight pages, very nice condition.... See More
Capture of the colorful horse thief Doc Middleton...
Item #637140
July 28, 1879
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, July 28, 1879
* Doc Middleton gang
* Outlaws - horse thieves
Page 3 has a great "gunslinger" type report from the Old West, headed: "A Frontier Fight" "How Doc. Middleton & Other Border Ruffians Were Routed" "A Desperate Encounter as Described by One of the Captured." This report is very detailed and takes 1 12 colu... See More
The trial of Frank James...
Item #636572
June 21, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, June 21, 1883
* Outlaw Frank James
* Jesse James gang
* Gallatin, Missouri trial
Page 7 has two-thirds of a column headed: "FRANK JAMES" "The Prosecution Unmasked by the Unexpected Postponement of the Trial" "Mrs. Hite's Presence a Surprise--Dick Liddill on Parole--Craig and Timberlake Too Energetic to Please the Defense" wi... See More
Dalton Gang & the Red Rock train robbery...
Item #636271
June 02, 1892
DAILY TIMES, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, June 2, 1892
* Red Rock, Oklahoma
* The Dalton Gang
* Train robbery
The back page has an item headed: "A Train Looted By Robbers" "They Don't Hurt the Passengers But Entirely Empty the Safe" with the text noting: "...passenger train was held up last night be masked robbers at Red Rock in the Cherokee strip...The robbe... See More
Great, early content on the California Gold Rush...
Item #636165
December 23, 1848
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, D.C., Dec. 23, 1848
* California Gold Rush
* 49ers - mining - miners
The front page has several items on the California Gold Rush including: "California Adventurers" beginning: "The 'stream of human life' is now setting as irresistibly towards California...The gold attraction is so strong that few are willing to lose the time ... See More
The reward money for the capture of the Younger Brothers...
Item #636058
December 24, 1877
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Dec. 24, 1877
* Younger Brothers gang
The top of pg. 2 has column heads: "The Younger Boys" "How The Reward For Their Capture Was Divided--The Question Decided in the Courts".
Eight pages, nice condition.
Interesting on the Younger Brothers in prison...
Item #636057
January 29, 1877
THE MISSOURI REPUBLICAN, St. Louis, Jan. 29, 1877
* Younger Brothers gang
* Stillwater, Minnesota
Page 5 has a nice article: "COLE YOUNGER - Painting Pails In the Minnesota State Prison--The Transgressor's Road" which begins: "This is the home of the Younger brothers. Naturally the Northfield trio were the much sought after of the convicts yesterday..." with mo... See More
Founding the Lick Observatory... Property values in Northern California...
Item #635258
March 01, 1876
WELDON & LEONARD'S REAL ESTATE CIRCULAR & PRICE LIST, San Francisco, California, March 1, 1876
* Lick Observatory, Mount Hamilton founding
The ftpg. has: "Another Monument" which begins: "When James Lick executed his deed of gift, donating his immense property to various benevolent & scientific societies of this state, he provided that $750,000 should be ... See More
Red Bluff, California....
Item #634317
March 18, 1876
THE DAILY PEOPLE'S CAUSE, Red Bluff, California, March 18, 1876 An interesting title from Northern California. Quite scarce as well, as we only have a few issues. Various news & ads of the day, mostly local.
Four pages, some stains near the bottom, very nice condition.
Bank robbery in the Old West...
Item #634212
October 22, 1890
DESERET EVENING NEWS, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, October 22, 1890 Just what we hope to find on the front page of a newspaper from the Old West is in this issue: "Daring Robbery" "The Watchman Gagged & Bound and $2000 Secured" with some details. Not a lengthy nor conspicuous report, but great to have in this title.
Other news of the day with many interesting adve... See More
Brothers in crime: the Hildebrands... Thomas Edison...
Item #633688
August 31, 1878
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Aug. 31, 1878
* Outlaw Bill Hildebrand
* Southeast Missouri Bushwhacker
* Inventor Thomas Edison
The top of page 3 has heads including: "BRED IN THE BONE" "Bill Hildebrand Following in Sam's Footsteps" which begins: "William Hildebrand, a brother of the renowned Missouri desperado, Sam Hildebrand, following the apparent instinct ... See More
Nice Phoenix newspaper from the 1890's...
Item #633486
October 27, 1895
THE ARIZONA GAZETTE, Phoenix, Oct. 27, 1895
* Rare old West title
* Maricopa County
Difficult to find 19th century newspapers from Phoenix but here is one. This was published 17 years before Arizona statehood.
Various news & ads of the day including "Colonization Scheme...For the Establishment of a Colony...Of European People on Lands Near Tucson, in Arizona Territory" ... See More
Early from this Northern California town...
Item #633251
February 28, 1873
PETALUMA EVENING ARGUS, California, Feb. 28, 1873
* Rare Old West title
* Sonoma County
This town is in Sonoma County, north of San Francisco. A quite early title with a wealth of various local and national news of the day, and an interesting wealth of advertisements, many of which have the "typical Old West" look to them.
Four pages, never bound nor trimmed, good condition... See More
Early report on Jesse & Frank James...
Item #633003
February 02, 1875
ST. LOUIS DAILY GLOBE, Missouri, Feb. 2, 1875
* Early Jesse & Frank James gang
Page 2 has over half a column taken up with a report headed: "The James Boys" "Sketch of the Parties Who Have Been Captured--Some New Facts & Some More Guesses" being an interesting article on their pursuit and concerning some of their confederates. An early report on the James br... See More
Bob Dalton involved in a jail fight...
Item #632819
October 23, 1894
THE BETHLEHEM TIMES, Pennsylvania, Oct. 23, 1894 Page 2 has a rather small item: "Outlaws Fight In Jail" noting in part: "A desperate fight occurred here in the jail between Eli Levy, Chulee Star and Bob Dalton, all of whom were under sentence of death..." with a bit more (see).
Eight pages, evenly toned, partially loose at the spine, is fragile & must be handled car... See More
One of the Younger brothers gang...
Item #632686
March 03, 1877
THE MISSOURI REPUBLICAN, St. Louis, March 3, 1877 The top of the back page has an article headed: "Jim Younger" "It is Claimed by a St. Louis Detective That He is Not in the Stillwater Prison" (see). He was one of the infamous Younger brothers gang of outlaws.
Eight pages, very nice condition.
Nice report on the Bill Cook gang...
Item #632119
October 24, 1894
THE BETHLEHEM TIMES, Pennsylvania, Oct. 24, 1894
* Bill Cook Gang
The top of page 2 has column heads: "MANY OUTLAWS LOOSE" "The Cook Gang Doing Wholesale Robbery in the West" "Aquia Creek Booty Recovered" plus various subheads (see). The text takes over a full column. The great article begins: "The latest performance in the grand carnival of crime whi... See More
Train robbers have an easy job of it...
Item #631762
April 15, 1892
THE OMAHA DAILY BEE, Nebraska, April 15, 1892 The top of the front page has an interesting article headed: "ROBBED A TRAIN WITH EASE" "Three Men Hold Up an Express Seventy Miles from New Orleans" "They Didn't Have to Fire A Shot" "Glitter of Their Revolvers Induced the Engineer, Fireman and Express Messenger to Surrender Without a Struggle--Bloodhounds ... See More
1869 Oakland, California...
Item #631593
November 13, 1871
OAKLAND DAILY TRANSCRIPT, California, November 13, 1871
* Rare Old West title
* Within 20 years of its incorporation
* Within 20 years of its incorporation
This 4 page newspaper has news of the day with several interesting advertisements. With newspapers West of the Mississippi being very rare prior to 1900, here is an opportunity to get a issue from the old West back when cowboys, Indians, saloons, gold miners & gunfigh... See More
Very uncommon title from what is still small town...
Item #631510
January 04, 1873
PLUMAS COUNTY BULLETIN, Quincy, Plumas County, California, Dec. 24, 1891
* Rare title
Quincy is a town of less than 2000. It started as a Gold Rush community just outside of Elizabethtown in Northern California. Elizabethtown started in 1852 and slowly dissolved and moved a mile away into American Valley to form Quincy after 1858. Quincy is named after the city of Quincy, Illinois, nam... See More
Great reporting from the Old West...
Item #631453
August 04, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Aug. 4, 1883 This was certainly one of the best newspapers at reporting now iconic events of the Old West, this issue including; "Through The Trap--Henry Lee, A Virginia Murderer, Executed at Richmond--The Doomed Man Goes to His Death Stolidly" "Shot Dead by a Gambler" "A Texas Cowboy on a Drunken Frolic at Hallettsville" "Cattle T... See More
The hanging of Captain Jack & others...
Item #631002
October 04, 1873
THE SAN DIEGO UNION, California, Oct. 4, 1873
* Captain Jack execution
* Lava Beds War
* Modoc Indians
The top of page 2 has an article: "Execution of the Modocs" which mentions in part: "...the day fixed by order of the President for the execution of the Modoc prisoners at Fort Klamath, Oregon...hanging of Captain Jack, Boston Charley..." and o... See More
From the Oklahoma Territory...
Item #630681
September 06, 1894
THE POND CREEK TRIBUNE, O.T. [Oklahoma Territory], September 6, 1894
* Very rare title
All 19th century newspapers from the Oklahoma Territory are quite scarce. Oklahoma didn't join the Union until 1907. As noted in Gregory (Union List of American Newspapers) this title is held by only one institution, as the holdings of the other institution were purchased by us.
A typical newspaper of... See More
Photo of the Rocky Mountains in the masthead...
Item #630477
September 22, 1911
MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN, Denver, Colorado, September 22, 1911
* Rare from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado
One of the few newspapers I have seen which has a photograph in the masthead, in this case a photo of the Rocky Mountains. The front pagee is part of a continuing article: "Denver's Assets" with a photo.
A volume one issue, 16 pages, 9 by 12 inches, printed on glo... See More
1875 Bakersfield, California...
Item #626678
March 11, 1875
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, Bakersfield, March 11, 1875
* Rare Old West title
An uncommon & early title from this California town.
Four pages, a wealth of ads, never bound nor trimmed, nice condition.
Lillie Langtry and various crimes...
Item #626167
July 22, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, July 22, 1883 Among the articles within are: "Chronicles of Crime--A Georgia Hackman's Throat Cut from Ear to Ear" "Fatal Affray Between Farmers" "Telephone Transmitters" "A Child Roasted Alive" "Mrs. Langtry In A New Role" which is about the famed Lillie Langtry (see hyperlink).
Sixteen pages, very nice conditi... See More
Capture of the outlaw Frank James...
Item #626163
October 15, 1876
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Oct. 15, 1876
* Jesse James Gang
* Outlaw Frank captured
The top of page 4 has column heads including: "FRANK JAMES" "The Notorious Outlaw in the St. Louis Calaboose" "The Police of This City Effect the Capture in a Creditable Manner" "Frank Denies His Identity as a James boy--But He is Certainly the Northfield Robber Wounde... See More
Nice Phoenix newspaper from the 1890's...
Item #625501
March 21, 1895
THE ARIZONA GAZETTE, Phoenix, March 21, 1895
* Rare Old West title
* Maricopa County
Difficult to find 19th century newspapers from Phoenix but here is one. This was published 17 years before Arizona statehood.
Various news & ads of the day including a column of: "Local Briefs" with small news tidbits; "Rode With A Skull--Terrible Experience of an Arizona Cowboy Co... See More
Comments on the defense of the Jesse James & Younger brothers band of outlaws...
Item #624731
March 13, 1875
ST. LOUIS DAILY GLOBE, Missouri, March 13, 1875
* Jesse James Gang
* Younger Brothers
Page 3 has: "The Jameses and the Youngers" which takes almost an entire column on these outlaws, including in part: "...the course of your contemporary, the St. Louis Dispatch, in relation to the noted outlaws--the James-Younger band...lost no opportunity of espousing the cause of thes... See More
Thoughts on the capture of Jesse James...
Item #624730
October 16, 1876
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Oct. 16, 1876
* Outlaw Jesse James captured ?
Page 4 has an interesting editorial headed: "Our Outlaws" which begins: "The story of the capture of Jesse James as told in our local columns of yesterday, reads more like a tale of Apulia or Calabria, or a reminiscence...it is also possible that some of the dangers of his capture may have been exagg... See More
A rare territorial title from Oklahoma...
Item #622762
April 06, 1900
NORMAN DEMOCRAT-TOPIC, Norman, Oklahoma, April 6, 1900
* Rare territorial title
This is actually a "territorial" newspaper, as Oklahoma did not become a state until 1907, one of only 3 of the contiguous 48 to join the union in the 20th century (New Mexico & Arizona the other two).
Most of the front page is taken up with various news tidbits of both a local and national... See More
Rare Johnny Ringo mention in a Tombstone Epitaph...
Item #622485
January 21, 1882
THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH, Cochise County, Arizona, January 21, 1882
* Best old West title to be had
* Johnny Ringo mention
Few could argue for a more recognizable title from the Old West, nor could any town be more linked to the romance of the West than this one. Tombstone is steeped in Western lore, and the several movies done concerning the gunfight at the O.K. Corral have kept this to... See More
Lengthy coverage of the trial of outlaw Frank James...
Item #621924
August 31, 1883
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Missouri, Aug. 31, 1883
* Outlaw Frank James
* Jesse James gang
* Gallatin, Missouri trial
The top of the front page has column heads: "PROVING AN ALIBI" "The Defense in the James Case Outlines Its Work" "Testimony Adduced that Frank was Not at Winston" "Gen. Joe Shelby Creates a Scene in the Witness Box" "Breakin... See More
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