In the 1840s, gold had officially been discovered in California, and many men made their way out West in search of riches. The early mining camps were dangerous places full of violence and crime. Law and order was needed, and the Vigilante Committee became the first organized deliverer of justice in these turbulent new towns. As more and more people headed out West, and many new towns sprang up, a more official system of law was needed. From the days of the California Gold Rush to the killing of Bill Tilghman, the last of the traditional frontier lawmen, this book discusses the men that shaped law and order in the 'Wild, Wild West'.
This book is an indispensable guide to the often misunderstood field of living history. It presents the actuality that there is a great deal more involved in this discipline than merely “wearing old clothes and going back to the past.” This volume succinctly captures the perspectives that Richard Pawling has gained from over thirty-five years of experience in the interpretive profession (in county, state and national parks and as entrepreneur and owner of Rich Pawling’s History Alive!). Here, Pawling shares his observations and advice about everything from designing a living history persona to his successful use of this provocative teaching technique in the college classroom, to the role of research in helping you to learn about your own genealogical past. Though written for a broad audience, this book should be of particular interest to those employed as an interpretive park ranger or a naturalist, a museum or tour guide, or those who volunteer as a military reenactor or as a docent at a park, museum or historic site. Old Clothes presents the important lessons Pawling has learned along the way, the most important of which is that “life is a journey and understanding our past plays an important role in helping us to continue to learn not only about life in general, but more importantly, about ourselves.”