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It’s about that time again when we jump into our scariest costume creation - Halloween is almost here! So, to get you into that Halloween vibe along with us, we are bringing you some weird… or, straight up creepy, facts about the Wild West. Ever wondered how long a dead body can go unnoticed? Want to know more about the cowboy hat and how it became a trend? Well then, we are bringing to you this and more… Read on, if you dare!
1.The Ultimate Halloween Decoration
This one is as creepy as it gets. Ever thought of using an actual dead body as decoration? Well, some folks had that idea back in 1911. A bank robber, Elmer McCurdy, died during a shootout in Oklahoma. But since McCurdy was an outlaw, no relatives came forward to claim his body. And so McCurdy laid, completely forgotten, until the funeral home director decided to give the man an appropriate treatment, embalming McCurdy. Naturally, the director never got paid for his services. So he decided to keep the body and wait for some poor soul to come and claim it. It never happened. And this is where it gets really bizarre, folks. You see, the funeral director had an idea to make up for his losses. So he went ahead with it and put the body on display. This creepy attraction actually drew in lots and lots of people! Thought it was over? Well, it wasn't. In 1949, a travelling carnival company bought the body and used it as a prop! The thing is that, as time went by, people actually forgot that the "prop" was an actual body. And so McCurdy was moved again, and this time was made into decoration for a funhouse in Long Beach, CA. And he remained there until 1976, when people finally realized that the decoration was a dead body. Elmer McCurdy's wild journey came to an end in 1977, when he was given a proper burial.
2. No Shots Fired
Can't really think about the Old West without guns, can we? Well then, this will come as a surprise to you cowboys and girls, but gun laws were actually pretty damn strict back then! In fact, they were even stricter than they are nowadays! How strict are we talking about? Well, let's just say that some officials went as far as outright banning people from carrying guns around. Forget about those classic scenes with folks shooting each other left right and center - while it looks cool in fiction and did happen from time to time, it wasn't exactly a common sight back then.
3. Risky Travel
We all know how risky and difficult getting to the West was back then. The Oregon Trail was laid between 1811 and 1840, and at first was only passable by foot or on horseback. Wagon trails only became possible around 1836. It measured an impressive 2,020 miles, and some 350,000 brave souls risked traversing this dangerous trail. Estimates indicate that one seventeenth of the migrants, around 20,500, lost their lives trying to complete this journey. Cholera was the most common cause of death, mainly because of contaminated water.
4. Save this Accessory for Hollywood
Ever thought of a cowboy without a cowboy hat? Pretty crazy, isn't it? But while ol' Red doesn't take his off, most cowboys in the Old West didn't actually wear the traditional cowboy hat! While hats were a common trend back then, our beloved cowboy headwear only became popular much later. The bowler was considered the best option - so much that some folks called it "the hat that won the West"! The cowboy hat as we know it only became popular around 1865, when John Batterson Stetson came up with a new design. It was an instant hit and eventually became the Western's favorite.
5. Old School Ranch Traffic
Forget about that romantic image of a lone wagon crossing the prairies. With so many people making their way to the West, there were quite a few wagons making the trip at once. And this unusual traffic jam would often stretch for a long length! And it was absolutely miserable for the poor folks at the rear of the pack. The wagons that went ahead naturally kicked off a lot of dust, making it nearly impossible for the rest to see anything. The animals also had a hard time finding their footing, with the trail becoming worn out as more and more wagons travelled on it.
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Now that you know some of the weird facts about the Wild West, let's get even spookier… with massive wins!
Pay the Ranch a visit and get into that Halloween vibe with us. The only scary things you will run into are our wild Jackpots! Come and catch the winning spirit at Red Stag - It’s worth the ride!