The Summer of 1876: Outlaws, Lawmen, and Legends in the Season That Defined the American West

From the creator of the "Legends of the Old West" podcast, this book examines the overlapping narratives of major figures in frontier mythology during the summer of 1876. That summer was pivotal in shaping Old West mythology. Seven individuals—Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Wild Bill Hickok, and Jesse James—were involved in events that launched or defined their notoriety. The book weaves together their timelines to show how their stories intersected and to demonstrate the historical significance of that period. The narrative is layered with other major 1876 events: the National League's inaugural baseball season, the final year of President Ulysses S. Grant's administration, Alexander Graham Bell's debut of the telephone, and the release of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." These events are contextualized against the backdrop of the nation's centennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence, positioning 1876 as the summer that defined the American West.