Mysteries in American History
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Two of the most photographed buildings in Montana include Gillian Hall on the left and the Fraternity Hall on the right. Both buildings form Montana’s smallest state park today.
The town of Elkhorn, however, never truly died, and since the day it began, it has always been populated, though often very sparsely. The 2020 census puts its population at 12. Today, the preserved Fraternity Hall and Gillian Hall are part of Montana’s smallest state park and are open to visitors. Make a Ghost Town Adventure to Elkhorn, Montana.
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Did You Know?
Ann Bailey
After her husband was killed on October 10, 1774, in Dunsmore’s War, Ann Hennis Trotter Bailey vowed to avenge his death. She became better known as “Mad Ann”, a colorful figure, a scout, a spy, and an Indian fighter during the colonial Indian Wars and the American Revolution. Read more…
Pete Aguereberry
Born in the Basque Region of France on October 18, 1874, Jean Pierre “Pete” Aguereberry was a renowned Death Valley prospector who mined gold for more than 40 years. He read about the incredible gold discoveries in California and begged his father to let him come to the United States at an early age. When he turned 16, his father relented, and Pete sailed for America in 1890. Continue Reading…
From Legends’ General Store!
Need a postcard for each state? This postcard set is for you. Even includes a postcard for Washington, D.C. All 51 postcards in this special set have been designed by Legends of America.
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Route 66 Photo Prints from All Eight States.
From Chicago, Illinois, to the Santa Monica Pier in California, and everything in between, you’ll find dozens of Route 66 photographs from all eight states! Small to large print sizes, canvas, and more!
Begin Browsing Our Mother Road Galleries Here
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Happy Birthday!
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Chief Satanta of the Kiowa tribe.
In October of 1874, Kiowa Chief Satanta took his own life while being imprisoned in Texas. Known to his people as Set-Tainte, meaning “White Bear Person,” Satanta was a great Kiowa warrior who later became the principal chief in the Kiowa Wars of the 1860s-1870s and was known as “The Orator of the Plains.” Read more…
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Condon Bank showing bullet holes in windows, 1892
Early on the morning of October 5, 1892, the five outlaws rode into Coffeyville shortly after 9:00 a.m. to find the city’s streets filled with people. Tying their horses in an alley across from the banks, they dismounted and marched down the alley, three in front and two in the rear. The outlaws, disguised with false beards, divided into two groups: Grat, Power, and Broadwell entered the C.M. Condon & Co. Bank, and Bob and Emmett crossed the plaza to enter the First National Bank. More about the Dalton Gang HERE.
Outlaws
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Route 66 Mural in Pontiac. Photo by Kathy Alexander, 2010.
A city of about 12,000 people today, Pontiac, Illinois, has been recognized by the National Main Street program with numerous Governor’s Hometown awards and by Time Magazine as one of the best small towns in the country. One of Route 66’s Red Carpet Corridor Communities, Pontiac has much to offer for the Route 66 Roadie and the history buff. Hit the road to Pontiac – City of Swinging Bridges.
A Route 66 shield is carved in rock to commemorate where the Mother Road once ran through the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. Photo by Dave Alexander.
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Frontier Slang, Lingo & Phrases by Legends of America
Frontier Slang, Lingo & Phrases by Legends of America
From the wild and woolly mining camps, to the rampages of the Civil War, to the many cowboys riding on the range, those frontier folks often used terms and phrases that are no longer used in everyday language today. Yet other words and sayings were often specific to certain regions and never used across the states. These terms, as in the past, are still sometimes heard in specific areas, but are “foreign” to the rest of us.
From the pages of period newspapers, books, and century old dictionaries comes the slang, lingo, and phrases of the American Frontier. Even if you’re not looking for a definition, you’ll get a peek into the charm and character of a historic era.
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Hey, Y’all!
Dave & Kathy Alexander, somewhere in America, 2026.
Legends of America is comprised of just the two of us — Dave & Kathy, who have a love of history, travel, and a desire to share it with the world! Several others have contributed along the way, and we always welcome more.
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