From Walnut Creek to the Gulf of Mexico, the early Texas Rangers fought against defiant Native tribes and the Mexican army when the Republic of Texas declared its independence. They were fearless frontiersmen, and in one case, maritime fighters, as well. Here are some of the early stories of the Texas Rangers. Join Black Barrel+ for early access and bingeabl ... Show More

Two decades of fighting between Comanches and Texans culminated in the bloodiest year in early Texas history. In 1840, a series of events led to the greatest war party ever formed on the southern plains as the Comanches cut a swath of destruction through central Texas. All the fa ... Show More

May 1863. Union soldiers attempt to strangle information out of Jesse James’ stepfather. They succeed, but they also drive 16-year-old Jesse to join the guerilla raiders who rampage through Missouri during the Civil War. Under the leadership of violent captains like William Quant ... Show More

Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock and many more flocked to the Black Hills in 1876 to strike it rich. It was a lawless, illegal town in its early days — a hell of a place to make your fortune. Join Black Barrel+ for early access and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supp ... Show More

Virginia City was Nevada’s largest boomtown with a rise and fall in a span of 20 years. Historically dark, and now reported to be haunted by miners, historical figures and women of ill repute - to this day, the bourbon still flows and the ghost stories are a’plenty. Join us at a ... Show More

On this episode of Our American Stories, straight out of a Horatio Alger novel, the Silver Kings (John Mackay, James Fair, William O'Brien, and James Flood) epitomized the rags-to-riches American dream story. Roger McGrath tells the story of the richest mineral discovery in Ameri ... Show More

A bar fight and a stint on the lam transformed Samuel Clemens into Mark Twain — and changed the course of American literature. Settle in for Mark Twain's origin story. * Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, Jason English Written by Zaron Burnett Produced by Josh Fisher Editi ... Show More

On this episode of Our American Stories, Roger McGrath, author of Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes is here to tell us the story of the richest mineral discovery in American history, the Comstock Lode. Jason Wolfe created the first coupon site on the internet back when you ... Show More

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kentucky journalist Sam Terry tells the story of William King Solomon, a gravedigger who may have saved the town of Lexington during the Cholera epidemic of 1833; and TJ Stiles tells the humble story of Cornelius Vanderbilt and how he beca ... Show More

The Washoe Club in Virginia City, Nevada, serves as a vivid reminder of the town's rich mining heritage and its role in shaping the American West. Its ornate Victorian architecture, legendary spiral staircase, and haunting tales have made it an enduring symbol of Nevada's fascina ... Show More

Most people know Mark Twain as one of America’s most popular writers and humorists. Some even know that as a young man, he was a Riverboat pilot. But did you know that during the Civil War, he volunteered for the war effort to fight for the South? Learn more about your ad choices ... Show More

In the 1870s, Palisade, NV was the meanest little town west of the Mississippi. Every week, newspapers announced another gunpowder-fueled cowboy showdown. Palisade put the wild in the “Wild West.” But there was a lot more to the story that didn’t make the paper ... Show More

In the late 1850s, a young man named Samuel Clemens started out piloting steamboats on the Mississippi River. Within a few years, he embarked on a writing career, adopting the pen name that became famous: Mark Twain. Armed with a wry sense of humor and a natural flair for storyte ... Show More

LEGENDS Ep. 3 | “Texas Rangers, Part 1”