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Squabble's Over: Rival Western History Groups Merge

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:36:42 +0000

It's kind of like the old Western B-movie scene where two gunfighters meet face-to-face on Main Street and one of them always says, "This town ain't big enough for the two of us!" Well, it looks like the two gunfighters have decided the town is big enough-if they join forces.

Which Is the West’s Oldest Continuously-Occupied City?

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:48:23 +0000

Answer: Acoma, New Mexico

Since 1150 A.D., Acoma Pueblo has earned the reputation as the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America.

Located west of Albuquerque, the 65-mile drive to Acoma is one of New Mexico's most scenic and historic, where visitors experience breathtaking views and monolith rock formations unlike any in the world.

A federally recognized Indian Tribe, Acoma Pueblo has a land base covering 431,664 acres and is home to 4,800 tribal members with more than 250 dwellings, none of which have electricity, sewer, or water. In 1629, construction began on the massive San Esteban del Rey Mission, a Catholic mission. Both the Mission and the Pueblo are Registered National Historical Landmarks.

The Sky City Cultural Center and Haak'u Museum strive to preserve Native American traditions while providing insight into the unique history of the Acoma Pueblo Indians. Open year-round, the Cultural Center offers guided tours, Acoma pottery & Native American crafts for sale by local artisans, cultural exhibits, and a host of performances and events. For more information, visit the Web site at http://sccc.acomaskycity.org/

Source: Sky City Cultural Center and Haak'u Museum

A poignant final chapter for McMurtry’s Duane

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:55:16 +0000

Review by Deborah Donovan
The fifth novel in what was originally thought by critics to be a trilogy, Rhino Ranch appears to be Larry McMurtry's last foray into the small and dying town of Thalia, Texas.

It all began with The Last Picture Show (1966), in which Duane Moore and his buddies were lovesick teenagers, and Thalia was enjoying prosperity from the oil boom years. In Texasville, the sequel, the town wealth has dissipated with the oversupply of oil, and Duane has gone from a millionaire to an almost-broke father of four incorrigible offspring, and is dealing with midlife crisis in all its many guises.

‘Roundup!,’ Latest Collection of Western Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry from the Western Writers of America, Now Available

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Roundup!, the latest collection of Western fiction and nonfiction short stories and poetry presented by the Western Writers of America and written by some of today's top Western writers, is now available in bookstores and online at Amazon.com.

Roundup! (ISBN: 978-0-9785634-7-9) is published by La Frontera Publishing (www.lafronterapublishing.com) and distributed through the University of New Mexico Press (www.unmpress.com) .

Kenneth Freeman Paintings To Be Offered at Texas Art Sale

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 05:30:59 +0000

For the first time in three years, original masterpieces from the private collection of the late Kenneth M. Freeman will be offered for sale Jan. 28/29, 2011 at the 7th Annual Western Artists of America Show and Sale at the Pearce Museum in Corsicana, Texas.

The masterpieces are from the private Legacy collection and represent some of Freeman's finest artwork. Freeman's work has toured the country in two traveling museum exhibitions plus additional selections in other museum shows.

Roundup! Book Signing a Good Excuse to See WWA Friends

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:11:36 +0000

One of the great fans - and friends - of Western writing is Larry Siegel, community relations manager for Barnes & Noble's North Scottsdale, Ariz., store. Larry not only enjoys a good tale about the Old West, he's also a big supporter of Western authors, and in particular, the Western Writers of America (WWA).

So when I got an email from Miles Swartout, one of the WWA's members telling me Larry and the WWA were setting up a December book signing for Roundup! - the Western Writers of America's latest Western anthology - well, I had to be there.

Grand Canyon Ranger Lisa Hendy Receives National Park Service’s Top Honor

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:31:52 +0000

Lisa Hendy was driving through Wyoming in a blizzard when she received the news that she had just been awarded the National Park Service's (NPS) 2011 Harry Yount National Park Ranger Award for excellence, in effect dubbing her as the best ranger in the nation.

"I had to pull over when my supervisor told me," she told OldWestNewWest.com Travel & History Magazine. "Afterwards, I drove for a while trying to absorb the news and realized I was 11 miles past my turn off. It was overwhelming."

Where Is the West’s Largest Urban Park?

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:16:51 +0000

Answer: Los Angeles

Comprising 153,075 acres, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is not only the West's largest urban national park, it is the world's largest urban park. It has more area codes (5) and zip codes (26), including the notable 90210 zip code of Beverly Hills, than any other unit in the National Park System.

Look for a feature story on Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area in OldWestNewWest.Com Travel & History Magazine very soon.

Source: National Park Service

A Wild West Heroine Reborn

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:26:19 +0000

Review by Arlene McKanic
Readers who've seen the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid will remember Katherine Ross' portrayal of Etta Place, Robert Redford's pretty girlfriend. The real Etta Place turns out to be even more intriguing, for no one knows much about her-not even whether she was really Sundance's girlfriend. In his rollicking debut novel, Gerald Kolpan imagines the life of this mystery woman, placing her in a time and place filled with colorful characters.

Sandra Day O’Connor Wins 2010 Spur Award from Western Writers of America for Her Children’s Book, ‘Finding Suzie’

Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has won a 2010 Spur Award from Western Writers of America for "Finding Susie," her somewhat autobiographical children's book about growing up on a desert ranch.

Western Writers of America (www.westernwriters.org) announced the winners and finalists of its annual literary contest Saturday, March 20, during the National Festival of the West. O'Connor and illustrator Tom Pohrt won the Storyteller Spur for best illustrated children's book. "Finding Susie" was published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, a division of Random House.