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A limestone mansion built to defy the prairie became a vessel for sorrow—and then a sanctuary. We take you inside Dodge City’s Home of Stone, from John Mueller’s audacious rise and the black walnut staircase that flaunted prosperity, to the winter they called the White Death that buried a cattle empire under ice. Amid ruin, another story took hold: Caroline’s quiet grief, a nursery that never warmed, a rocking chair that swayed without wind, and a whisper that sounded like a child who didn’t get to grow up.

When the Schmidts moved in, the house learned new rhythms—electric light, hot bread, children’s laughter—until a visiting boy tumbled down the staircase and said another child pushed him. Instead of fleeing, Elizabeth Schmidt opened the town’s memory, reading county ledgers and finding the Mueller graves that numbers can’t account for. Elma saw the silent boy in the wavering lamplight, pointing to the nursery, to his heart, and out across the endless plains—a pantomime of loss that didn’t need words.

The answer wasn’t force; it was recognition. In the basement, a trunk with faded initials held a small carved wooden horse, smooth from a child’s hands. Placed on the parlor mantel—the warm center of the home—the toy changed the house’s weather. The chill lifted. Doors stilled. What remained felt like a guardian more than a ghost. Across decades, the Home of Stone became a living museum of Dodge City’s true legacy: not just gun smoke and cattle drives, but the durable courage of pioneer mothers and the quiet rituals that heal places.

If this story moved you, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves haunted history, and leave a review telling us the object you’d place on your mantel to honor a forgotten story.

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November 29, 1864 dawned cold on the Colorado plains as Cheyenne and Arapaho families slept peacefully under an American flag—a gift promising protection. By nightfall, over 200 Native Americans lay dead in what would become one of the most shameful episodes in American history.

The Sand Creek Massacre didn't happen in isolation. It grew from a toxic brew of broken treaties, gold rush fever, and political ambition. Once respected Cheyenne and Arapaho territories, recognized in the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie, were systematically stripped away as miners and settlers poured into Colorado. When tribes resisted this invasion, territorial officials seized their opportunity. Governor John Evans issued proclamations essentially authorizing the killing of any Native Americans, while Colonel John Chivington—a Methodist minister with political aspirations—assembled a regiment specifically to confront the "Indian problem."

What makes this story particularly heartbreaking is that Chief Black Kettle and other peace-seeking leaders had been actively working with authorities, believing they were under military protection at Sand Creek. Instead, Chivington's troops unleashed unspeakable violence: women and children shot as they fled, bodies mutilated, scalps and body parts taken as souvenirs to be displayed in Denver theaters. As one witness testified: "It was hard to see little children on their knees have their brains beat out by men professing to be civilized."

Though three federal investigations condemned the massacre in the strongest terms, justice remained elusive. Chivington escaped punishment by resigning his commission, while brave whistleblowers like Captain Silas Soule paid with their lives for speaking truth. The massacre transformed the American frontier, shattering trust between Native peoples and the government and igniting decades of intensified conflict across the plains.

By exploring this difficult history, we confront uncomfortable truths about our nation's past and the human capacity for both cruelty and courage. Join us for Dr. Jeff Broom's upcoming presentation at the Dodge City Library on October 4th, where he'll examine the complex narratives surrounding this pivotal event through rigorous historical research and primary sources.

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Uncover the chilling mystery that lurks beneath Dodge City's storied past. While gunfighters and cattle drives typically dominate Wild West lore, a different kind of legend has quietly persisted for generations – the haunting of the Mueller Schmidt house.

The Stone House stands as an architectural anomaly on the Kansas plains. Built in 1881 with imposing two-foot-thick limestone walls, it was designed to last forever in a town where everything else seemed temporary. But according to countless witnesses over the decades, something else has remained permanent within those walls. Disembodied footsteps echo on the grand staircase. Lights flicker on and off in rooms known to be empty. Most haunting of all, a woman's silhouette appears regularly at an upper window, eternally waiting for someone who never returned.

What tragedy befell this imposing structure? Was it a heartbroken bride who perished during a merciless Kansas winter? Or does the haunting stem from darker origins – perhaps connected to the violence that earned Dodge City its reputation as "the wickedest little city in America"? Could there be secrets literally buried beneath the foundation?

This October, join hosts Michael King and Brad Smalley as they meticulously investigate this enduring mystery, combining rigorous historical research with firsthand accounts to separate chilling folklore from historical fact. They'll unlock the heavy oak door and cross the threshold that generations of Dodge City residents have approached with trepidation. Whether you're a history buff, paranormal enthusiast, or simply love a good mystery, "The Secret of the Stone House" promises to be our most captivating exploration yet of the supernatural side of the Wild West. Find us wherever you get your podcasts – if you dare to listen.

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Gold rushes change landscapes—both physical and human. When 100,000 settlers poured into Colorado Territory following the 1858 discovery of gold, they unknowingly set in motion a chain of events that would culminate in one of America's most controversial military actions. The newcomers' wagons followed water sources critical to both buffalo herds and the nomadic Plains Indians who depended on them for survival. As these resources vanished, tensions escalated into violence.

Historian Jeff Broome takes us deep into the complexities of the Sand Creek Massacre, challenging simplified narratives through meticulous primary source research. His account traces the growing conflict through 1864—from the killing of Cheyenne Chief Lean Bear to the Hungate family murders to the failed Camp Weld peace conference. Each incident represents a thread in a complex tapestry of cultural misunderstanding, economic pressure, and political maneuvering.

What makes Broome's perspective particularly valuable is his commitment to evidence over preconception. Despite discovering his own great-great-uncle fought with the 3rd Colorado Cavalry at Sand Creek, Broome maintains his dedication to letting archaeological findings and primary documents guide his conclusions. His willingness to revise established stories when evidence contradicts them—as with his discoveries at the Hungate massacre site—demonstrates true historical integrity. Most poignantly, Broome finds common ground with Native perspectives by acknowledging the profound cultural trauma of boarding schools that severed Indigenous peoples' connections to their ancestors by prohibiting their languages.

Don't miss Dr. Broome's upcoming presentation on October 4th at the Dodge City Library, where he'll continue exploring these complex historical narratives. For more on the American West, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or visit wildwestpodcastbuzzsprout.com. Questions or comments? Reach us at wildwestpodcast@gmail.com.

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Charlie Bassett may be the most important Wild West lawman you've never heard of. Before Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson became household names, they wore their first badges under his leadership in Dodge City, Kansas—a place so notoriously lawless it earned the nickname "the wickedest little town in America."

Born in Massachusetts in 1847, Bassett's journey took him from Civil War battlefields to the heart of frontier chaos. Standing only five feet four inches tall, what he lacked in physical stature he more than compensated for with quiet resolve and unwavering integrity. As Dodge City's first Marshal and Ford County's first Sheriff, he faced down the wildest elements of the American frontier—rampaging cowboys, professional gamblers, and ruthless outlaws—while establishing the foundations of law and order that would allow civilization to take root.

Unlike his more famous protégés, Bassett didn't build his reputation on spectacular gunfights or self-promotion. His authority came from competence, calm judgment, and moral courage. When a man was lynched by vigilantes, Bassett conducted a thorough investigation and boldly declared to the governor that the victim had been innocent. When the notorious Sam Bass gang robbed a train of $60,000 in gold, Bassett led the posse that pursued them across the Kansas prairie. And when the deadly tension between two rivals erupted in gunfire at the Long Branch Saloon, it was Bassett who restored order in the aftermath.

Perhaps most telling was his role in the famous "Dodge City War" of 1883. When his friend Luke Short was unfairly driven from town, Bassett helped assemble a formidable group of frontier legends—including Earp and Masterson—whose mere presence forced town officials to back down without a shot being fired. Their gathering, immortalized in the famous "Dodge City Peace Commission" photograph, marked one of the last great moments of the Wild West era.

Bassett died in 1896 at just 48 years old, seeking treatment for Bright's disease in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His passing, like much of his life, was quiet and dignified—a stark contrast to the outsized legends that would grow around many of his contemporaries.

This episode pulls back the curtain on the forgotten lawman who mentored legends, revealing how true courage often comes wrapped in quiet authority rather than gunsmoke and bravado. Discover the untold story of the lawman's lawman—Charles Bassett, the steady hand who truly tamed the West.

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The tangled web of myth and reality surrounding Dutch Henry Borne reveals a captivating window into the American frontier experience. Our exploration of this enigmatic outlaw's life continues as we examine the controversial claims and counterclaims about one of the West's most fascinating characters.

Dutch Henry's transformation from military scout to notorious criminal traverses the shifting moral landscape of the frontier. Beginning his Western career in 1867 as a scout for Custer's 7th Cavalry, Borne witnessed the brutality of the Ouachita Massacre in 1868, which seemingly triggered his disillusionment with military service. By 1871, he had staked a claim in Kansas and ventured to Colorado for buffalo hunting. After suffering an attack by Cheyenne warriors and facing accusations of instigating the conflict, Bourne's sense of injustice drove him to steal Army mules and the commandant's horse, vowing revenge and setting him on a path toward outlaw status.

The most fascinating controversy we tackle is whether Dutch Henry was actually present at the Second Battle of Adobe Walls in June 1874. Official records indicate he was incarcerated in Kansas at the time, yet multiple independent sources—including the battle site monument, Olive Dixon's account of her husband Billy Dixon's experiences, and Borne's own later correspondence—place him at this pivotal frontier conflict. This historical mystery highlights the challenges of frontier record-keeping and the complex nature of Western mythology.

Our examination of Dutch Henry's later years reveals his evolution from notorious horse thief to family man, marrying Ida Dillabaugh in 1900 and fathering four children while maintaining his frontier identity. His correspondence with Western writer Charles Seringo demonstrates how aging frontiersmen often sought to cement their places in the narrative of the American West.

What makes Dutch Henry's story so compelling is how it illustrates the blurred lines between lawman and outlaw in a land where personal vendettas and survival often trumped abstract ethics. Was he truly at Adobe Walls? The evidence is compelling but contradictory—much like the man himself. Listen and decide for yourself as we unravel one of the West's most enduring mysteries.

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Some monsters aren't fiction – they're buried in Dodge City Cemetery beneath stones that read "beloved husband and father."

The story of Print Olive might be the most shocking true tale we've covered on Whiskey and Westerns. While sipping Bullet Bourbon (a fitting choice given Print's remarkable ability to absorb lead throughout his violent career), we unraveled the brutal history of a man whose sadistic tendencies would make even fictional villains seem tame.

Print began as a Texas cattle baron in the post-Civil War era, accumulating wealth by gathering "maverick" cattle – a term derived from Samuel Maverick, who famously refused to brand his herds. But Print's legacy wasn't built on business acumen alone. His reputation for horrific violence preceded him across the frontier. He once tied suspected rustlers to trees, wrapped them in freshly skinned wet cowhides, and watched as the rawhide slowly dried and crushed them to death in the hot Texas sun. Those who crossed the Olives had a tendency to "leave the country" permanently.

When Nebraska farmers Mitchell and Ketchum killed Print's brother Bob in self-defense, Print's revenge was swift and gruesome. After capturing the men through a bounty, Print hanged Ketchum while Mitchell remained handcuffed to him, forcing Mitchell to dangle by his arm while watching his partner strangle. Print then shot both men repeatedly before burning their bodies, earning the nickname "The Man-Burner." This incident forced Print to relocate to Dodge City, where he eventually met his own violent end in a Trail City saloon.

Perhaps most fascinating is how Print's brutal story influenced American literature. Larry McMurtry's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Lonesome Dove" contains characters and scenes directly inspired by Print Olive's life. Jake Spoon, the hanging scene, Dietz and PI – all have roots in the actual history of this forgotten frontier monster.

Want to learn more? Visit our website to download "Ladder of Rivers," the book that chronicles Print's complete story and likely inspired McMurtry's masterpiece. Our next episode will feature the Dora Hand story, another fascinating tale connected to Print's violent web of influence.

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Step back in time to the dusty, lawless streets of Dodge City, Kansas as we unravel the enigmatic legend of "Mysterious" Dave Mathers over glasses of Knob Creek bourbon. Few characters in Western lore earned their nicknames more honestly than Mathers, whose life story combines gunfights, peculiar behavior, and ultimately, a disappearance that sealed his place in frontier mythology.

We trace Mathers' journey from his early days as a horse thief running with Dave Rudabaugh to his arrival in Dodge City around 1874. After surviving a near-fatal knife attack and forming an unusual business relationship with local physician Dr. Thomas McCarty, Mathers embarked on a colorful career that regularly blurred the line between lawman and outlaw. You'll hear the hilarious tale of "the conversion of Dave Mather," where he exposed a preacher's congregation as hypocrites with a well-placed gunshot, and discover his unique method for testing his sobriety—shooting at the town fire bell after leaving saloons.

The heart of our story follows Mathers through his time with the notorious "Dodge City Gang" in Las Vegas, New Mexico, his return to Dodge as assistant marshal, and his fateful, escalating feud with town founder Tom Nixon. Their rivalry over politics, business competition, and a woman culminated in one of Dodge City's most telling shootouts—where Mathers killed Nixon with four bullets and walked away free on self-defense claims, despite the shooting occurring weeks after Nixon's initial attempt on his life.

What happened to Mysterious Dave after that deadly encounter? Like many aspects of his life, his ultimate fate remains shrouded in mystery—a fitting end for a man whose very nickname acknowledged the enigma of his existence. Join us for this captivating glimpse into frontier justice, personalities, and the complex moral code that governed the American West.

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