Discover Authentic Western Stories & Cowboy Wisdom with The Cowboy Accountant

Some went looking for land. Others chased gold, freedom, or a chance to start over. The reasons Americans moved west were as varied as the people who made the journey, and their choices changed the lives of those already there.

The smell of beef over a hot fire. A baked potato split open and steaming. A good steakhouse makes you hungry before you order. But with some steaks now topping $150, what separates a memorable meal from one that simply leaves a bigger bill?

Elections in the Wild West could decide who ran a town, whose business prospered, and who had a voice. From recognizable party ballots to Dodge City’s saloon politics, frontier democracy was a public, contested, and sometimes dangerous part of building the West.

Hollywood put cowboys and Indians on opposite sides. The working West was more complicated. Cattle drives crossed Native land, relationships ranged from cooperation to conflict, and some of the people riding for the brand were Native Americans themselves.