Book Description

What do Bat Masterson, Bill Cody, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, David Crockett, William Tecumseh Sherman, Mark Twain, Elizabeth Custer, and the Statue of Liberty all have in common? They all spent time in New York City! Each chapter in this fascinating book provides a short biography of a Western hero or celebrity and tells how they made their mark on the city that many considered the media and cultural capital of the time. By tracing their path across the city—from casual visits, media campaigns, and political tours to family ties, shopping sprees, and steady employment—author Michael P. O'Connor aptly demonstrates how New York City influenced the lives and livelihood of many familiar names in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Locations around the city significant to the Westerners, including the Old Bowery Theatre, the Market Exchange, Battery Park, the St. Nicholas Hotel, and St. Patrick's Cathedral, are illustrated through historic images and modern photos accompanied by brief histories. A timeline from 1812 to 1933 highlights the settling of the West alongside a history of New York City. An appendix provides a listing of Alamo defenders who had ties to the city, and a bibliography provides an extensive list of further reading and reference materials. O'Connor's meticulous research and passion for the subject make this an informative and entertaining blend of New York City history and Western lore perfect for both tourists and historians.