Ghost Towns of the Wild West: Madams, Miners and Gunslingers
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"Great host! Great visuals! Julien was very knowledgeable about the subject matter" - John
While the American frontier holds a mythical space in many of our imaginations as a romantic and liberating destination, it was truly anything but. The California Gold Rush of the 1840s and '50s attracted hundreds of thousands of able-bodied men looking to strike it rich, which sprouted small shanty towns around the West seemingly overnight — most ridden with violence, disease, runaway criminals, and brothels. But what was it like to live in one of these towns, and how accurately are they portrayed in movies and pop culture? It's time to explore a wild and lawless period in American history.
Join me along with my host, the New York Adventure Club as we explore the stories and remnants of former "Wild West" towns during the Gold Rush years, which attracted everyone from miners and businessmen, to cowboys and criminals, to everyone in between looking for new opportunities.
Highlights:
- A brief overview of the Gold Rush and subsequent mining boom, such as Nevada's Comstock Lode, which was the first major silver discovery in the United States
- A discussion around some of the West’s most famous cast of characters, including the beloved madame Julia Bulette, notorious gunman Billy the Kid, and infamous female gunslinger Belle Star
- What life was like in small towns throughout the West, from basic hygiene to the unforgiving landscape
- Photographs of the remnants of Wild West ghost towns, from Bodie, California — one of the most authentic (and haunted) ghost towns in the West — to Tombstone, Arizona — where the legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral took place
Can't make it live? The replay of this webinar will be available for one week on demand.
Click here to register: New York Adventure Club