Alias Soapy Smith

I have been working with my friend, Jeff Smith, to create a short video advertising his new book titled, "Alias Soapy Smith." Jeff is the great grandson of the infamous bunco artist known as Soapy Smith who lived and died in the late 1800's. I have a preliminary version done, but cannot yet show it as we have not yet received permission from all of the artists involved in displaying their wrok.

In the meantime, if you are a fan of old west history, you can order a copy of the book from www.klondikeresearch.com or www.soapysmith.net . I am up to Chapter 10 and I have to say it is one of the most detailed biographies you will ever read and it includes a lot of familiar names from the time period. Did you know that Bat Masterson helped to rig an election in Denver?

Check it out.

BB

Old West Social

I have just returned from Norco, CA where I attended a session of the Old West Social Gathering. Also there were Terry Ike Clanton and Jeff Soapy Smith. Ike, the EmCee, continued the theme of paranormal events in Tombstone started on his most recent episode of the Haunted Saloon. I spoke a bit about the possibility of Doc Holliday being buried in Griffin, Georgia rather than in Colorado as is widely believed. Soapy passed out a few of his books about J. R. Smith II, but there were no $50.00 bills inside as he promised. :)

Next week it is on to the Dragoon Mountains and then Tombstone for Clanton Days. See y'all there.

Sutter Mill Millionaire

I just put up another video. This one is about Sam Brannon, the man who started the 49er gold rush and then got rich selling supplies to the miners. I went to the Marshall Gold Discovery State Park up in Coloma to tape the old sawmill and ran into Ed Allen, a volunteer at the park, who told a few tales. This is one of them.

If you ever wondered where the notion of community property came from, watch this 5:38 video:

Sutter Mill Millionaire