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Recipe Index >> Cowboy & Western >> US Old West History

1890 and Beyond

Contents: Old West Pg. 1 | Old West Pg. 2 | Old West Pg. 3 | 1890 and beyond (Cowboy & Ranching) | Fiction and non-fiction

Closing of the frontier
The eleventh U.S. Census was taken in 1890, and the superintendent announced that there was no longer a clear line of settlement; Frederick Jackson Turner concluded the frontier was over. His highly influential Frontier Thesis dealt with a much earlier period. With the discovery of gold in the Klondike in 1896, a new frontier was opened up in the vast northern territory. Alaska became known as "the last frontier."

Cross-border Raids
Pancho Villa, after leaving his father's employ, took up the life of a banditry in Durango and later in the state of Chihuahua. He was caught several times for crimes ranging from banditry to horse thievery and cattle rustling but, through influential connections, was always able to secure his release. Villa later became a controversial revolutionary folk hero, leading a band of Mexican raiders in attacks against various regimes and was sought after by the U.S. government.

Johnson County War
The Johnson County War was a range war which took place in Johnson County, Wyoming, in the Powder River Country in April 1892. The large ranches were organized as the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (the WSGA) and hired killers from Texas; an expedition of 50 men was organized, which proceeded by train from Cheyenne to Casper, Wyoming, then toward Johnson County, intending to eliminate alleged rustlers and also, apparently, to replace the government in Johnson County. 

After initial hostilities, the sheriff of Johnson County raised a posse of 200 men and set out for the ruffians' location. The posse led by the sheriff besieged the invading force at the TA Ranch on Crazy Woman Creek.

After two days, one of the invaders escaped and was able to contact the acting governor of Wyoming. Frantic efforts to save the besieged invaders ensued, and telegraphs to Washington resulted in intervention by President Benjamin Harrison. The Sixth Cavalry from Fort McKinney was ordered to proceed to the TA ranch and take custody of the invaders and save them from the posse. In the end, the invaders went free after the court venue was changed and the charges were dropped.