Tougher than Tombstone

And deadlier than Dodge City

Not many people are familiar with the now-ghost town of Tascosa, Texas but back in its heyday it was known as the Cowboy Capital of the Plains. Consequently, Tascosa also garnered a reputation as being one of the West’s deadliest towns.

Don’t take my word for it, though. Feel free to visit yourself and check out one of the town’s only remaining features - Boot Hill.

Tascosa’s Boot Hill

Although the total number of violent deaths that occurred in Tascosa is unknown, according to former lawman Jim East there were 26 killings just between the years of 1880 and 1886 alone. Former resident Ella Sheets - whose husband was also killed in Tascosa - claimed that at one point there were 28 bodies buried there at Boot Hill.

Billy the Kid, John Selman, Henry Newton Brown, Dave Rudabaugh, and Charlie Siringo are just a few of the notable names that walked Tascosa’s dusty streets and bellied up to its seedy bars.

Thirsty cowboys drinking at Tascosa’s Dunn & Jenkins saloon

And then there are folks you might not be familiar with; guys like Poker Tom or Squirell-Eyed Charlie, Ed King, Johnny Lang, or the awesomely named Catfish Kid.

Ah but don’t worry, you will soon enough! On the next episode of The Wild West Extravaganza, we’ll take a dive into Tascosa and discuss a shootout that even eclipsed the famous fight at the Ok Coral, both in bullets fired and bodies buried. We’ll also be taking a look at Tascosa’s last resident - a dance hall gal with a heart of gold by the name of Frenchy McCormick. Stay tuned for this Wednesday morning (May 17th) to learn more! Trust me, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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