You know, some stories just write themselves. That was the headline in the Indianapolis News on November 26, 1947, which I found doing some random dude ranch research the other day. Naturally, I had to investigate, and if you think today's celebrity culture is weird, just wait. Alva LaSalle "Beau" Kitselman, Jr. was the heir … Continue reading “Hoosier Tires of Yoga and Wants His Dude Ranch Back.”
Dude ranching
The Cowboy Singer Who Wasn’t A Cowboy
Folks of a certain age in the United States will remember the Death Valley Days TV show of the 1950s. But before Ronald Reagan, Robert Taylor, and Dale Robertson hosted the long-running series, Death Valley Days was a popular radio program. It debuted in September of 1930 and featured a singer called The Lonesome Cowboy, … Continue reading The Cowboy Singer Who Wasn’t A Cowboy
For Your Holiday Table: “Cowboy in a Sack”
When people go to a dude ranch they want two things most of all: good horses to ride, and good food to eat. When I was researching my new book, American Dude Ranch: A Touch of the Cowboy and the Thrill of the West (coming March 2022, and please excuse the shameless self-promotion) I discovered … Continue reading For Your Holiday Table: “Cowboy in a Sack”
Dude Ranch Halloween Fun
Chances are you don't think "dude ranch" when you think of Halloween. Some ranches didn't do much to celebrate the day, because the end of October was the end of the season for Rocky Mountain operations, and the start for ranches in the warmer climates of the Southwest. In other words, it's a busy time … Continue reading Dude Ranch Halloween Fun
95 Years With the Dudes
When he was a teenager, New York native Larry Larom saw Buffalo Bill's Wild West during one of its appearances in the city between 1907 and 1909. (By the way, if you want to show your Western authenticity credentials, never call the Wild West a show, because Buffalo Bill didn't either.) Larom actually got to … Continue reading 95 Years With the Dudes
Tumblereads: A New Twist on the Old West 