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Howdy folks, welcome to Dr. History's audio stories of the Old West. Each week a new podcast. Stories of Cowboys, Indians, Mountain men, pioneers, the Oregon Trail, miners, cattle drives, stagecoach and bank robbers, the cavalry, outlaws and lawmen, some famous and some you have never heard of.

From the Custer Battlefield to the Klondike to Indian battles to buried treasure and lost mines to the early explorers. I love telling true stories that shaped the old west, along with my partner radio talk show host and rodeo announcer, Zeb Bell.

Listen to the broadcast live, every Tuesday at 10:06 am (Mountain Time) at ZebBell.com. Southern Idaho listeners can also tune in to AM Radio 1230. Previously recorded episodes are available on our Podcasts Page.

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Recently Added Podcasts

The Lumber Rush - Part Three October 29, 2024 Idaho lumberjacks sent logs down the rivers, but one log could cause huge jams. Dynamite worked, but was dangerous. Ephraim Shay invented a small railroad engine that effectively pulled log laden rail cars. John Dolbeer invented the steam driven "donkey engine" for extracting logs. Simon Benson invented the first successful method for floating log rafts to San Diego.
The Lumber Rush - Part Two October 22, 2024 Skidroads, log chutes and flumes were used to transport lumber to the mills and to market. Skidroads used oxen to pull tons of huge logs. Chutes were long troughs made of wood. John Cook's chute sent logs at 90 miles an hour, sizzling when they hit the water. Flumes with water were as long as 54 miles. Brave souls occasionally rode in special boats down the flume, not all of them made it.
The Lumber Rush October 15, 2024 Lumber was in huge demand in California and came from Maine until they realized there were thousands of acres on the west coast. Lumbermen used different methods to fell trees, all involved heavy dangerous work. By 1859 millions of board feet were produced on the west coast.
John Sutter October 8, 2024 He had it all, 50,000 acres in California, cattle, sheep, horses, acres of wheat. He needed lumber, so joined with James Marshall to build a sawmill. When Marshall found some shiny stones, it was the end for Sutter. With the gold rush he lost all his employees, his land was overrun with gold seekers, his cattle scattered and crops trampled. He died a poor man.
Prize Fighting October 1, 2024 Virginia City Montana was the site of the first glove prize fight and lasted 26 rounds. In 1867 Con Orem fought Jimmy Dwyer in a bare knuckles fight. They fought into the night and was to resume the next morning, but Orem was unconscious. When G. Ward and John Gallagher fought a 105-round bout, it ended in tragedy. Gallagher’s left arm was broken, but he continued to fight. In the 105th round, Ward went down for good and died the next day.

The Lumber Rush - Part Three

October 29, 2024

Idaho lumberjacks sent logs down the rivers, but one log could cause huge jams. Dynamite worked, but was dangerous. Ephraim Shay invented a small railroad engine that effectively pulled log laden rail cars. John Dolbeer invented the steam driven "donkey engine" for extracting logs. Simon Benson invented the first successful method for floating log rafts to San Diego.

The Lumber Rush - Part Two

October 22, 2024

Skidroads, log chutes and flumes were used to transport lumber to the mills and to market. Skidroads used oxen to pull tons of huge logs. Chutes were long troughs made of wood. John Cook's chute sent logs at 90 miles an hour, sizzling when they hit the water. Flumes with water were as long as 54 miles. Brave souls occasionally rode in special boats down the flume, not all of them made it.

The Lumber Rush

October 15, 2024

Lumber was in huge demand in California and came from Maine until they realized there were thousands of acres on the west coast. Lumbermen used different methods to fell trees, all involved heavy dangerous work. By 1859 millions of board feet were produced on the west coast.

John Sutter

October 8, 2024

He had it all, 50,000 acres in California, cattle, sheep, horses, acres of wheat. He needed lumber, so joined with James Marshall to build a sawmill. When Marshall found some shiny stones, it was the end for Sutter. With the gold rush he lost all his employees, his land was overrun with gold seekers, his cattle scattered and crops trampled. He died a poor man.

Prize Fighting

October 1, 2024

Virginia City Montana was the site of the first glove prize fight and lasted 26 rounds. In 1867 Con Orem fought Jimmy Dwyer in a bare knuckles fight. They fought into the night and was to resume the next morning, but Orem was unconscious. When G. Ward and John Gallagher fought a 105-round bout, it ended in tragedy. Gallagher’s left arm was broken, but he continued to fight. In the 105th round, Ward went down for good and died the next day.