Tag Archives: Old West

Bodie, California Ghost Town

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Jack Elliott

Stagecoaches in front of the Grand Central Hotel on Main Street in 1880. Tucked away in the hills of Mono County is Bodie, with scarce 800 inhabitants. It is a peaceful, respectable town now, but time was when it contained … Continue reading →

Posted in California | Tagged Bodie, Ghost Towns, Gold, Gold Mining, History, Old West, Photographs, Photos, Pics, Travel | 9 Comments

Slippery Rock Stagecoach Road (19th Century)

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Jack Elliott

Crossing Slippery Rock in the mountains above the Goleta Valley, along the original San Marcos Pass route over the Santa Ynez Mountains. The Pacific Ocean defines the horizon in the background. © Denver Public Library, Western History Collection “Santa Barbara … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara County | Tagged Hiking, History, Landscapes, Non-fiction, Old West, Photos, Pics, San Marcos Pass, Santa Ynez Mountains, Slippery Rock, Stagecoaches | 15 Comments

Of Soldiers and Warriors

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Jack Elliott

Nineteenth century U.S. cavalry. “Indians stay pretty much to the reservations anymore, where they belong. There’s no way of mixing the white race with the red. Too many differences.” Andy knew the differences all too well, for he had lived … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction | Tagged Cavalry, Historical Fiction, History, Indians, Native Americans, Old West, Soldiers, Tales, War, Writing | 1 Comment

Through From Santa Barbara to San Francisco in 48 Hours (1873)

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Jack Elliott

A newspaper ad for Coast Line Stagecoach Co. published in the Santa Barbara Weekly Press (1873). In 1873, twenty-two dollars ($375.00 in 2010 inflation adjusted dollars) got you a two-day ride on a stagecoach to San Francisco. That must have … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara County | Tagged Coast Line, History, Old West, Postcards, Stagecoaches, Writing | 7 Comments

The Sarsaparilla Drifter

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Jack Elliott

The bat-winged double doors flew open smacking the saloon’s walls with an emphatic clap. He stood there, a bulky figure, face obscured in shadow, the dim sooty flutter of tallow candles warping his features into a caricature. His flat brimmed … Continue reading →