Western Settlement of Tonopah, Nevada
This photo of the main street in the Western Settlement of Tonopah, Nevada was always full of people.
The covered wagons brought goods to the trading posts, which were either to be used for sale or for trade.
Sacheen Littlefeather
Back in the old West, Native Americans were subject to a wide array of brutal treatment for many centuries. In this photo, we see Sacheen Littlefeather, who became one of the leading activist voices for Native American civil rights.
Littlefeather gave a speech at the 45th Annual Academy Awards in 1973 going on stage instead of actor Marlon Brando, who declined his award for Best Actor to protest the treatment of Native American people in show business. She was later accused of falsely claiming to have a Native American background but her stint at the Academy Awards was still impactful.
The Cast of Buffalo Bill
In this photo, we see two native Americans beside a cowboy on a bale of hay. These three guys were part of the Buffalo Bill show.
Cool photo, indeed!
Deadwood, South Dakota
As part of the Omaha Board of Trade, a procession of stagecoaches carries passengers down a mountain road near Deadwood, South Dakota. Yes, you read it right; we said Deadwood!
This image was captured in 1889, when it was later to be the setting of the famous HBO western series "Deadwood," which showed the history of the town. Yup, are you guys mind blown? Because we are!
Bass Reeves
This guy is a legendary figure from the Wild West — Bass Reeves. This gentleman was born a slave in 1838 in Crawford Country, Arkansas. After the 13th amendment was passed, Reeves became a free man. Interestingly, his time with the Native population landed Reeves his first job as a tour guide of Native territory.
What makes Reeves a legendary figure is that he became the first deputy US marshal of African descent. He quickly rose up in the ranks because of his solid reputation in law enforcement. All in all, he made 3000 arrests of dangerous criminals.