Globe Trekker (1994) s17e11 Episode Script
The Wild West, USA
1 WOMAN: AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK, WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE.
FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU, A PROUD SPONSOR OF "GLOBE TREKKER.
" BERNIE: WOAH, HOWDY, YOU MUST BE ZAY? ZAY HARDING: YEAH, HEY BERNIE.
BERNIE: WELL, CLIMB ON IN HERE.
ZAY HARDING: THANK YOU, COOL.
OH RIGHT, HELLO.
BERNIE: FIRST TRIP? ZAY HARDING: YEAH.
BERNIE: IT'LL BE EXCITING.
OK, GET US OUT OF HERE.
HEHAAAAA.
ZAY HARDING: IN THIS GLOBE TREKKER SPECIAL, I'M EXPLORING THE EXTRAORDINARY 19TH CENTURY HISTORY OF AMERICA'S SPECTACULAR WILD WEST, TOGETHER WITH MY FELLOW GLOBE TREKKER HOSTS SAMI SABITI, HOLLY MORRIS, JUSTINE SHAPIRO AND IAN WRIGHT.
OUR JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION ACROSS THE HISTORIC WILD WES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA TAKES US TO THE LOCATIONS OF MANY OF THE WILD WEST'S MOST DRAMATIC EVENTS.
IN TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, CALIFORNIA, OREGON, MONTANA, ALBERTA AND THE YUKON.
OUR JOURNEY ACROSS THE OLD WILD WEST STARTS A THE BEGINNING OF THE 19TH CENTURY, WHEN MOST OF THE WES WAS STILL POPULATED ONLY BY NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES, AS YET UNTROUBLED BY THE UNSTOPPABLE WAVE OF EXPLORERS, SETTLERS, GOLD PROSPECTORS, GUN SLINGING COWBOYS, RAILROADS AND THE FEARSOME U.
S.
CAVALRY THAT WOULD SOON BE UNLEASHED UPON THEM.
OUR STORY STARTS JUS OVER 200 YEARS AGO WITH LEWIS AND CLARK'S FAMOUS 3,700 MILE JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION, WHICH TOOK THEM ALL THE WAY TO THE PACIFIC COAS IN MODERN-DAY OREGON.
FOLLOWING THE VERY LAS STRETCH OF THEIR JOURNEY TO THE COAST IS SAMI SABITI.
SAMI SABITI: IN 1804 WHEN VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE PACIFIC NORTHWES WAS INDIAN COUNTRY, PRESIDENT JEFFERSON SENT OUT AN EXPEDITION FROM THE MISSISSIPPI TO EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN TERRITORY.
THIS BACKBREAKING JOURNEY TO THE PACIFIC COAST JUST UP HERE TOOK LEWIS AND CLARKE'S TEAM OF ABOUT 30 OR SO A YEAR AND A HALF, MUCH OF IT BY CANOE.
I'M TELLING YOU, THESE GUYS WERE FIT.
[GRUNTS.]
THIS IS WHAT THE LEWIS AND CLARKE EXPEDITION HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO AFTER THEIR GRUELING FOUR THOUSAND MILE JOURNEY TO THE PACIFIC WAS FINALLY OVER.
NOT EXACTLY A LUXURY HOTEL, BUT THIS, WHICH THEY BUILT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, FORT CLATSOP.
WOMAN: THERE YOU GO, LOOK AT MOM, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? BOY: LEWIS AND CLARKE.
SAMI SABITI: EVERY FEATURE AT THE FORT HAS BEEN ACCURATELY RECREATED.
THAT CANNOT BE TOO COMFORTABLE.
EVERYTHING ON SHOW HERE FROM THE WEAPONRY USED TO THE RACCOON HATS WORN IS BASED ON DETAILS GIVEN IN THE EXTENSIVE JOURNALS THAT LEWIS AND CLARKE'S TEAM WROTE WHILS COOPED UP HERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S DESCRIBED HOW WILDLIFE WAS SHOT FOR FOOD.
[GUNSHOT.]
AND HOW THE ANIMALS' FA WAS USED TO MAKE CANDLES.
WOMAN: THAT WOULD BURN FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE TYPE OF CANDLES THAT THEY MADE.
SAMI SABITI: SMELLS LIKE ANIMAL FAT.
WOMAN: IT IS PURE ANIMAL FAT.
[GRUNTS.]
AND WHEN THEY WERE CROSSING THE BITTER ROO MOUNTAINS AND WERE SHORT ON FOOD, THEY MAY HAVE EATEN SOME OF THEIR CANDLES.
SAMI SABITI: REALLY? WOMAN: BECAUSE I WAS A SOURCE OF FAT.
SAMI SABITI: SO CAN I, CAN I EAT THIS? WOMAN: YOU COULD EAT IT.
SAMI SABITI: IT'S KIND OF WEIRD ACTUALLY, IT'S GOT NO TASTE TO IT, BUT I CAN TELL THAT I'M EATING FAT.
WOMAN: THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S PURE ANIMAL FAT.
SAMI SABITI: RIGHT, SORRY.
[WOMAN LAUGHS.]
.
WOMAN: THAT'S OKAY.
SAMI SABITI: IT'S DISGUSTING.
BUT YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO SURVIVE.
WOMAN: THAT'S RIGHT.
ZAY HARDING: THE MAIN RESULT OF LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION WAS THE REALIZATION THAT THE GREAT PLAINS AND LUSH PACIFIC COASTLAND THAT THEY'D DISCOVERED WOULD MAKE IDEAL FARMING AND CATTLE COUNTRY FOR SETTLERS FROM THE EAST IF ONLY THE HOSTILE NATIVE AMERICANS THAT LIVED THERE COULD BE TAMED, DISPLACED, OR KILLED.
BY 1840 A WAGON ROUTE TO THE WEST HAD BEEN COMPLETED, KNOWN AS THE OREGON TRAIL, WHICH ALLOWED SETTLERS TO TRAVEL OVER 2,000 MILES WEST FROM MISSOURI ALL THE WAY TO THE PACIFIC COAST.
TODAY THE CATTLE TOWN OF PENDLETON IN OREGON HOLDS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION KNOWN AS THE ROUNDUP, IN HONOR OF THE TOWN'S ORIGINAL SETTLERS.
SAMI SABITI: HOWDY.
IN THE 1840'S FORTY YEARS AFTER THE EXPLORERS LEWIS AND CLARKE HAD BLAZED A TRAIL, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PIONEERING SETTLERS HEADED WEST THROUGH PENDLETON, ALONG THE SO CALLED OREGON TRAIL.
EVERY YEAR THE ROUNDUP RE-ENACTS THIS MASSIVE MIGRATION.
MAN: ALL OF MY ANCESTORS CAME ON THE OREGON TRAIL TO GET OVER HERE, I HAD GRANDPARENTS, GREAT GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT-GREA GRANDPARENTS THAT CAME OVER.
SOME OF THE EARLIES ONES CAME IN 1860'S AND THEN IN THE 1870'S AND THEY CAME BY HORSE AND BUGGY AND HORSES JUS LIKE THIS AND MULES, AND SOME OF THEM EVEN CAME WITH AN OX CART.
THEY WERE HARDY PEOPLE AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE ABLE TO SETTLE THE WEST, I THINK.
ZAY HARDING: THE LONG JOURNEY TO THE WEST WAS A DIFFICUL AND DANGEROUS ONE, BU THE POTENTIAL REWARDS MADE THE RISK WELL WORTH TAKING.
IN JUST 20 YEARS FROM 1840, 300,000 SETTLERS HEADED WES USING THE OREGON TRAIL.
ONE GROUP OF SETTLERS DIVERTED JUST OFF THE MAIN TRAIL TO FOUND THE STATE WE KNOW TODAY AS UTAH.
VISITING THE CAPITAL, SALT LAKE CITY, IS HOLLY MORRIS.
HOLLY MORRIS: BRIGHAM YOUNG AND HIS 147 PILGRIMS ARRIVED HERE IN THE GREAT BASIN IN UTAH.
THEY HAD FLED RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION, THEY HAD COVERED OVER A THOUSAND MILES AND THEY WERE IN SEARCH OF A PROMISED LAND.
THEY SETTLED HERE IN 1847 TO BUILD THEIR JERUSALEM.
I'M TALKING OF COURSE ABOUT THE MORMONS AND THIS WAS THE PLACE.
TODAY ROUGHLY THREE QUARTERS OF UTAH'S TWO AND A HALF MILLION RESIDENTS ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, WHICH WORLD-WIDE HAS BUILT A FOLLOWING OF OVER TEN MILLION MEMBERS.
THIS IS THE FIRST CABIN IN THE MORMON SETTLEMENT, THE DEUEL FAMILY LIVED HERE, JUST A MODES LITTLE LOG CABIN, SO THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN AND THAT IS WHAT IT'S GROWN INTO, THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE MORMON CHURCH.
IT'S JUST A SYMBOL OF HOW MASSIVE AND POWERFUL THE CHURCH HAS BECOME.
ZAY HARDING:FURTHER SOUTH, MUCH OF TODAY'S USA WAS BACK THEN STILL PART OF MEXICO.
TEXAS, IN PARTICULAR, ONLY JOINED THE USA IN 1845, A DECADE AFTER THE MOS FAMOUS SIEGE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WILD WEST.
I'M VISITING SAN ANTONIO IN TEXAS TO FIND OUT MORE AT THE HISTORIC SITE OF THE ALAMO.
THE ALAMO STARTED LIFE AS AN 18TH CENTURY SPANISH MISSION, BUT CATAPULTED TO FAME IN 1836 WHEN A SMALL FORCE OF TEXAN LAND OWNERS TOOK ON THE MIGHTY MEXICAN ARMY.
DESPITE A MEXICAN FORCE OF THOUSANDS, THE TEXANS HELD OUT HERE FOR 13 DAYS BEFORE BEING MERCILESSLY SLAUGHTERED.
NEWS OF THE HEROIC DEFEA SWEPT ACROSS THE LAND AND LESS THAN A YEAR LATER TEXAS WON ITS INDEPENDENCE TO THE BATTLE CRY, "REMEMBER THE ALAMO.
" TODAY, THE ALAMO STANDS AS A SYMBOL OF TEXAN VALOR AND EVERY MONTH ITS COURTYARDS FILL WITH HISTORICAL DISPLAYS, BRINGING THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE BACK TO LIFE.
[GUNSHOT.]
WHOO! WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE? RECRUITER: WELL, WE'RE SIGNIN' PEOPLE UP TO HELP DEFEND THE ALAMO.
YA INTERESTED IN SIGNIN' UP? ZAY HARDING: DEPENDS, WHAT'S MY INCENTIVE? RECRUITER: A LITTLE TASTE OF WHISKY EVR'DAY.
ZAY HARDING: MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART.
RECRUITER: YES, SIR.
ZAY HARDING: AH, FIRE WATER! RECRUITER: PRETTY GOOD, THOUGH, RIGHT? ZAY HARDING: YEAH.
RECRUITER: WELL COLONEL TRAVIS MAKES SURE WE GE A LITTLE PORTION OF THIS EVR' AFTERNOON.
ZAY HARDING: IS THAT RIGHT? RECRUITER: YES, SIR.
ZAY HARDING: WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? BASED ON THAT ALONE, I'M GONNA SIGN UP.
RECRUITER: WELL, COLONEL TRAVIS IS IN THE BARRACKS, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE.
ZAY HARDING: WHA KIND OF GUN IS THAT? SOLDIER: WELL, THIS IS A BRITISH BROWN BESS MUSKET.
THIS WAS THE MAIN WEAPON OF THE DAY.
YOU PUT A LITTLE OF THE GUN POWDER IN HERE TO PRIME IT.
ZAY HARDING: YUP.
SOLDIER: YOU PUT THE RES OF THE GUN POWDER IN THERE, AND MAKE SURE YOU MASH IT DOWN PRETTY GOOD.
ZAY HARDING: YOU HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY TIME YOU FIRE? SOLDIER: EVERY TIME.
AND A TRAINED SOLDIER COULD FIRE THREE ROUNDS A MINUTE, SO EVERY TWENTY SECONDS.
YOU WANNA GIVE IT A TRY? ZAY HARDING: DO YOU NEED MY HELP? SOLDIER: OF COURSE, WE COULD USE EVERYBODY WE CAN GET.
ZAY HARDING: THEN I WILL HELP YOU.
FIRE IN THE HOLE! [GUNSHOT.]
.
WHOA! SOLDIER: NOW YOU'RE PART OF THE REVOLUTION.
ZAY HARDING: WOO, YEAH! MANY WHO FOUGHT AND DIED AT THE ALAMO BECAME HEROES IN AMERICAN HISTORY, SYMBOLIZING THE BRAVERY AND INDEPENDENT SPIRIT OF, NOT JUST TEXAS, BUT THE NATION AS A WHOLE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HAVE HERE WITH ME ALAMO LEGEND AND ONE OF MY CHILDHOOD HEROES, DAVEY CROCKETT.
KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER.
DAVEY CROCKETT: WELL, IT'S GOOD TO MEET YA.
ZAY HARDING: NICE TO MEET YOU TOO.
DAVEY CROCKETT: MOST PEOPLE CALL ME COLONEL CROCKETT.
ZAY HARDING: OH, 'SCUSE ME! DAVEY CROCKETT: BUT MY FRIENDS CAN CALL ME DAVEY, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO COUN YOU AS ONE OF MY FRIENDS.
ZAY HARDING: OH, THANK YOU, DAVEY.
IT'S AN HONOR.
SO, HOW DID YOU GE TO BE SO WELL LIKED? DAVEY CROCKETT: IT REALLY GOT STARTED BACK IN TENNESSEE.
I LIVED ON THE FRONTIER AND I HAD A KNACK FOR HUNTING BEAR.
ONE SEASON, I KILLED A HUNDRED AND FIVE BEAR.
ZAY HARDING: JEEZ.
DAVEY CROCKETT THIS IS THE AGE OF THE COMMON MAN, AND I HAVE TO SAY, YOU DON'T GET MORE COMMON THAN ME.
ZAY HARDING: I KNOW YOU'RE A LIVING LEGEND RIGHT NOW, BUT DO YOU REALIZE WHA HAPPENS TO YOU IN THE ALAMO.
DAVEY CROCKETT I UNDERSTAND THAT I, THAT I DIE HERE.
ORDINARILY, THA MIGHT BOTHER A PERSON, BUT BECAUSE I WAS SO POPULAR, AND MANY PEOPLE CARED ABOUT ME, THEY BEGAN TO CARE ABOUT WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN TO TEXAS.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT TEXAS BECOMES INDEPENDENT OF MEXICO FOR TEN YEARS, AND THEN I JOINS THE UNITED STATES, BECOMES THE 28TH STATE.
AND SO, IT MAKES ME PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT.
ZAY HARDING: THREE YEARS LATER, ONCE THE U.
S.
HAD WON THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR IN 1848, THE REST OF THE SOUTHWES ALSO BECAME PART OF THE USA.
IN THE SAME YEAR GOLD WAS DISCOVERED IN CALIFORNIA.
FOR A BRIEF PERIOD, IT WAS BOOM TIME.
AT THE MARSHALL GOLD DISCOVERY STATE HISTORIC PARK IN COLOMA, CALIFORNIA, WHERE CARPENTER JAMES MARSHALL'S ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY STARTED THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH, JUSTINE SHAPIRO FINDS OUT MORE.
MAN: JUSTINE, THIS IS A REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL SAW MILL.
NOW, MARSHALL DISCOVERED GOLD WHILE BUILDING THE SAW MILL BACK IN JANUARY 24, 1848.
THAT EVENT LITERALLY CHANGED THE WORLD.
SO THIS STARTED THE GREATES MASS MIGRATION OF PEOPLE EVER.
50,000 PEOPLE A YEAR WERE COMING TO CALIFORNIA, FOR YEARS.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: WHATEVER YOU FOUND WAS YOURS.
MAN: THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
WE GOING TO AGITATE IT.
GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
BACK IN 1848, WHEN GOLD WAS FIRST DISCOVERED, THESE MINORS WERE FINDING AN OUNCE OF GOLD PER PERSON, PER DAY.
BY 1849 IT HAD DROPPED TO HALF AN OUNCE THOUGH.
BY 1850 THEY WERE DOWN TO A QUARTER OF AN OUNCE.
IT HAD CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
THERE YOU GO, YOU DID IT.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: GOLD.
I FOUND GOLD.
THAT'S GOLD? MAN: THAT'S IT.
THAT'S IT FOR SURE.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: REALLY? HOW MUCH IS A PIECE THIS WORTH? MAN: OH GOSH, A DOLLAR.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: WOW.
IT REALLY STANDS OU AGAINST THE BLACK SAND.
MAN: IT CERTAINLY DOES.
YEAH, ONCE YOU'VE SEEN GOLD, YOU ALWAYS KNOW GOLD.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: OK, I THINK I'M BITTEN.
ZAY HARDING: PROSPEROUS TOWNS LIKE CALIFORNIA'S STATE CAPITAL SACRAMENTO GREW UP AS A RESULT OF THE GOLD RUSH.
BEFORE LONG, HOWEVER, MOST OF THE GOLD RAN OUT, AND BOOM TURNED TO BUST.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: THERE WAS GOLD IN THOSE HILLS, AND BACK IN 1859 THE TOWN OF BRODY WAS BUILT ON THE PROFITS OF THE GOLD RUSH.
IN LESS THAN 20 YEARS IN BECAME THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
AND WHEN THE GOLD RAN OUT, THE TOWN DIED, AND TURNED INTO, A GHOST TOWN.
HI, I'M JUSTINE.
GREG: HI, I'M GREG, GLAD TO MEET YOU.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: GOOD TO MEET YOU.
GREG: COME WITH ME, I'LL SHOW YOU AROUND JUSTINE SHAPIRO: GREAT.
AT ITS HEIGH PEOPLE LIVED IN BRODY.
IN THE 1930'S, A GREA FIRE BURNT MUCH OF THE TOWN TO THE GROUND.
AND THIS HAS ALL BEEN LEFT THE WAY IT WAS AFTER WHAT POINT? GREG: LAST OPERATED ABOUT THE EARLY 1940'S.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: I FEEL LIKE CLEANING.
VACUUMING THE PLACE.
WHAT KIND OF SURPRISES ME, SEEING ALL THESE SPICES.
CINNAMON, ALL SPICE, CLOVES, VANILLA, SALT, MUSTARD.
MY IMPRESSION OF THE WILD WEST WAS THAT THEY WERE ALL EATING SPAM OUT OF A CAN.
WHAT DID THOSE HUNGRY MINORS EAT? GREG: STEAKS.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: YEAH, MEAT AND POTATO'S.
GREG: THIS IS ONE OF PROBABLY 65 SALOONS IN BRODY IN ITS HEYDAY.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: 65 SALOONS IN BRODY.
SO, HOW DID IT WORK? THEY WENT AND WORKED THE MINES IN THE MORNING.
GREG: RIGHT AND GOT THEIR $4 A DAY PAY AND SPEND IT ON ROULETTE GAMES OR CARD GAMES OF SOME SORT OR LADIES OF THE EVENING AND BE BROKE BY THE NEXT DAY.
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: WOMEN, ALCOHOL AND MONEY.
BRODY HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING A TOUGH, LAWLESS TOWN WITH AT LEAST ONE GUN FIGHT EVERY DAY.
THEY SAY THE FUNERAL BELL RANG CONTINUOUSLY.
ZAY HARDING: IN THE DECADES AFTER THE GOLD RUSH, THE POPULATION OF THE WILD WEST CONTINUED TO GROW RAPIDLY.
ONE WAY TO TRAVEL OUT WEST WAS ON THE BUTTERFIELD STAGECOACH, WHICH FROM 1858 TO 1861 CARRIED PASSENGERS ALL THE WAY FROM MISSOURI ON THE 3,000 MILE JOURNEY TO SAN FRANCISCO.
I'M TRAVELING PART OF THE BUTTERFIELD STAGECOACH ROUTE, NEAR EL PASO, TEXAS, WITH HISTORIAN AND WILD WES ENTHUSIAST BERNIE SERGEANT.
SO TELL ME ABOU THE BUTTERFIELD.
BERNIE: A LOT OF FOLKS WOULD TAKE THE BUTTERFIELD AND HEAD OUT WEST; THEY WERE GOING OU THERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GOLD STRIKES THA WERE TAKING PLACE AND ALL THE NEW BUSINESSES.
ZAY HARDING: I SEE.
BERNIE: SO THEY'D HOP ON THE OLD BUTTERFIELD AND THEY'D LAY DOWN $200.
ZAY HARDING: 200 BUCKS WOULD GET YOU CROSS COUNTRY? BERNIE: YEAH, IT'S ABOU $4,000 IN TODAY'S MONEY.
ZAY HARDING: OH, I SEE, RIGHT, YEAH.
BERNIE: IT'S JUST AMAZING WHA PEOPLE WOULD PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH TO GO WEST.
THEY'D HAVE PEOPLE SITTIN' ON THE FLOOR DOWN HERE.
ZAY HARDING: OH, YEAH.
BERNIE: THEY'D, THEY'D HAVE PEOPLE SITTIN' ON THE ROOF.
THEY'D HAVE PEOPLE HANGIN' ON THE BACK, AND THEY WOULD JUS BE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
NOT TO MENTION, YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN THERE WAS GOING TO BE A HIGHWAY MAN, A BANDIT, OR AN INDIAN WHO DECIDED THEY NEEDED THAT HORSE MUCH MORE THAN THE STAGECOACH NEEDED IT.
OR THEY NEEDED SOME PRETTY LITTLE PHILLY WHO WAS RIDIN' ON BOARD AND THEY WANTED A NEW WIFE.
ZAY HARDING: WERE THESE INDIANS DANGEROUS LIKE WE SEE IN THE MOVIES? WERE THEY SCALPING THE WHITE GUYS? BERNIE: YEAH, YEAH, THAT DID HAPPEN.
NOT ONLY WHITE GUYS, BUT THE FAMILY, THE WIVES AND THE CHILDREN.
DISMEMBERED, DISEMBOWELED, THE ATROCITIES WERE INCREDIBLE.
AND SO THERE WAS ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY HAD TO ENCOUNTER WHEN THEY WERE MAKING THAT 25 DAY TRIP CROSS COUNTRY.
ZAY HARDING: TWENTY-FIVE DAYS? BERNIE: TWENTY-FIVE DAYS IN THIS BEAUTIFUL AIR-CONDITIONED COACH.
SEE, YOU CAN SEE THE WIND JUST BLOWIN' THROUGH HERE.
ZAY HARDING: IS THAT YOU? BERNIE: YEAH.
DRIVER: WHOA! BERNIE: WELL ZAY, THIS IS WHERE WE GET OFF.
ZAY HARDING: ALRIGHT.
WOMAN: GODSPEED, GENTLEMEN.
ZAY HARDING: THANK YOU.
BERNIE: ZAY, I WANNA SHOW YOU SOMETHING OUT HERE.
ZAY HARDING: THE BUTTERFIELD TRAIL COVERED SOME 3000 MILES FROM START TO FINISH AND MADE LESS THAN 30 STOPS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTAN WAS HERE AT AN UNUSUAL CLUSTER OF ROCKS KNOWN AS HUECO TANKS.
HA, THIS IS AMAZING.
IT'S LIKE A GIANT MOVIE SET.
BERNIE: IT REALLY IS INCREDIBLE.
THIS, ALL THESE ROCKS COVERED WITH THE POCKMARKS, THE HOLES, IT'S CALLED HUECO TANKS FOR A REASON.
HUECO MEANING HOLE OR BOWL.
IT CONTAINED RAINWATER WHEN THE RAINS WOULD COME, WHICH ISN'T VERY OFTEN, IT'D FILL THOSE HOLES AND BECAME KIND OF AN OASIS IN THE MIDDLE OF CHIHUAHUAN DESERT.
ZAY HARDING: SURE, YEAH.
AND IT'S DRINKABLE, YEAH? BERNIE: ABSOLUTELY DRINKABLE.
THE BUTTERFIELD TRAIL IN FACT, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT CAME THROUGH HERE 'CAUSE THEY KNEW NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN THEY'D FIND SOME WATER IN SOME OF THESE HOLES IN THESE ROCKS UP HERE.
ZAY HARDING: NICE.
BERNIE: WELL ZAY, THIS IS WHA THEY CALL A NEWSPAPER CAVE.
YOU CAN SEE BY THE WRITING ON THE WALLS HERE AND THE YEARS THAT IT COVERED.
THAT'S A GOOD 150 YEARS' WORTH OF GRAFFITI.
ZAY HARDING: YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE.
BERNIE: THESE OVER HERE ARE VERY INTERESTING.
LET ME SHOW YOU THESE.
A COUPLE OF NAMES AND SOME FOLKS WITH DATES GOING BACK TO THE 1850'S: 1853, 1858, 1858.
WE'RE THINKING THAT PERHAPS A COUPLE OF THESE FOLKS LIKE PINKERTON AND BRADLEY AND SO ON MIGHTA WORKED ON THIS STAGE COACH STOP OR WERE SOME OF THE FIRST PASSENGERS TO COME THROUGH HERE AND WANTED TO LEAVE AN IDENTIFICATION FOR FUTURE TRAVELERS.
ZAY HARDING: SO THEY WOULD'VE WHAT? COME OFF THE TRAIL, COME HERE FOR SOME SHADE OR SOMETHING? BERNIE: WELL THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO GET AWAY FROM THE HEAT.
IT'S GOT WATER AVAILABLE IN THE TANKS ZAY HARDING: PROBABLY SOME FIRES, COOKIN' SOME BEANS, DRINKIN' SOME WHISKEY, AND READING THE NEWS OF WHO ELSE HAS BEEN HERE IN THE PAST.
THAT WAS REALLY NEAT.
BERNIE: YEAH I THOUGHT YOU'D ENJOY THAT.
AND ZAY I GOT A BIG TREAT FOR YA.
I WANT YOU TO RIDE SHOTGUN.
DOC, WHY DON'T YOU HAND HIM THAT PIECE WHEN HE GETS UP THERE ON THE SEAT.
ZAY HARDING: IS THIS WHERE THE TERM SHOTGUN CAME FROM? BERNIE: THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE IT CAME FROM.
MAN: HERE WE GO.
ZAY HARDING: ALRIGHT, I'M RIDING SHOTGUN.
DRIVER: [INAUDIBLE.]
STEP UP! ZAY HARDING: AS WELL AS PASSENGERS, THE BUTTERFIELD STAGECOACH ALSO CARRIED URGENT MAIL.
THE LONG, SOUTHERN ROUTE THROUGH TEXAS HAD BEEN USED AS THE TRAIL WAS SNOW-FREE AND PASSABLE ALL WINTER, BUT IN 1860 A MORE DIRECT ROUTE WAS PIONEERED, THE FAMOUS PONY EXPRESS, WHICH GREATLY REDUCED THE JOURNEY TIME TO JUST 10 DAYS.
TODAY, A RE-RIDE OF THE ENTIRE PONY EXPRESS ROUTE TAKES PLACE EVERY YEAR, USING HUNDREDS OF RIDERS.
HOLLY MORRIS IS JOINING IN TO RIDE A COUPLE OF MILES OF THE ROUTE AS I PASSES THROUGH UTAH.
HOLLY MORRIS: LESS THAN 15 YEARS AFTER THEY ARRIVED IN UTAH, MORMON PIONEERS WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE MAIL QUICKLY FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE PONY EXPRESS.
I'M ABOUT TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE PONY EXPRESS, BUT FIRST I HAVE TO MAKE A PLEDGE TO CLEAN LIVING AND HONESTY, SO ORDAINED BY THE FOUNDER, ALEXANDER MAJORS, IN 1860.
LEADER: GOOD MORNING RIDERS! RIDERS: GOOD MORNING.
LEADER: I'D LIKE TO ADMINISTER THE PONY EXPRESS OATH.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT ARM TO THE SQUARE.
I RIDERS: I.
LEADER: STATE YOUR NAME [RIDERS SAY NAMES.]
.
LEADER: DO HEREBY SWEAR BEFORE THE GREAT AND LIVING GOD.
RIDERS: DO HEREBY SWEAR BEFORE THE GREAT AND LIVING GOD.
LEADER: THAT I WILL NO QUARREL OR FIGHT RIDERS: I WILL NO QUARREL OR FIGHT.
LEADER: SO HELP ME GOD.
RIDERS: SO HELP ME GOD.
LEADER: YOU ARE SWORN IN.
THANK YOU.
HOLLY MORRIS: THANK YOU.
LEADER: YOU NEED TO KNOW THA EVERY PONY EXPRESS RIDER IN 1860 WAS ISSUED A BIBLE BY ALEXANDER MAJORS WHO WAS A RELIGIOUS MAN.
THEY WERE ISSUED A BIBLE AND A PISTOL.
THEY WERE TOLD TO USE THE BIBLE AT ALL TIMES AND THE PISTOL ONLY IN EXTREME.
HOLLY MORRIS: ALRIGHT, WELL I'M GLAD TO HAVE THE BIBLE, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE PRACTICAL ADVICE THOUGH? LEADER: PRACTICAL ADVICE? POINT THAT HORSE DOWN THE ROAD AND HE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU! HOLLY MORRIS: HERE SHE COMES, NEXT RIDERS GOING TO COME UP HAND OVER THE MAIL BAG, AND BOOM, THEN I'M OFF A COUPLE OF MILES TO CAMP FLOYD.
AS IN THE OLD DAYS, IT'S IMPORTANT WE GET THE MAIL BAG TRANSFERRED QUICKLY, BECAUSE THE NEXT RIDER IS ALREADY WAITING.
RIDER: THERE YOU GO.
HOLLY MORRIS: WHOA, OKAY, UH OKAY.
THIS WAY, THAT WAY? THIS EVENT GOES FOR 2,000 MILES AND THERE'S 500 RIDERS.
FOR RIDERS THIS WAS A REAL TEST OF ENDURANCE AND BACK THEN THERE WAS THE THREAT OF HOSTILE INDIANS AND BANDITS.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GO! THAT WAS FANTASTIC.
THE PONY EXPRESS PRETTY MUCH CAME TO AN END WITH THE INVENTION OF THE TELEGRAPH, ALL IN ALL IT ONLY LASTED NINETEEN MONTHS, BU WHAT A GREAT TRADITION.
SHOOT, I MEANT TO SEND MY MOM A POSTCARD ZAY HARDING: THE MAIN REASON THE PONY EXPRESS WAS FORCED TO CLOSE DOWN AFTER JUST 18 MONTHS IN 1861 WAS THE OUTBREAK OF THE U.
S.
CIVIL WAR.
SURPRISINGLY, IT WAS DURING THE CIVIL WAR THAT PLANS WERE MADE TO BUILD WHAT WOULD BECOME BY FAR THE MOS SIGNIFICANT TRANSPOR ROUTE ACROSS THE USA WHEN IT WAS FINALLY COMPLETED IN 1869.
IN 1861 ABRAHAM LINCOLN BECAME THE 16TH PRESIDEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
HE ASCENDED TO POWER AT A TIME OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND UNCERTAINTY, INHERITING A NATION ON THE VERGE OF CIVIL WAR.
THE SOUTH WAS THREATENING TO SUCCEED FROM THE NORTH.
THE NEED TO UNITE THE WEST TO THE EAST WAS NEVER MORE APPARENT.
RAILROADS WERE THE ANSWER.
THE MAIN OBSTACLE SEEMED TO BE AGREEING ON A ROUTE.
IN 1862, WITH THE SOUTHERN STATES DISTRACTED BY CIVIL WAR, A ROOT WAS FINALLY AGREED UPON AND THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD BILL WAS PASSED.
TWO COMPANIES WERE CONTRACTED TO COMPLETE THE MONUMENTAL TASK OF BUILDING THE 2,000 MILES OF TRACK.
THE CENTRAL PACIFIC STARTED IN CALIFORNIA AND BUILT EAST.
THE UNION PACIFIC STARTED IN IOWA AND BUILT WEST.
THE EXACT MEETING POINT, HOWEVER, WAS STILL TO BE DECIDED.
ONCE THE CIVIL WAR ENDED IN 1865, CONSTRUCTION WORK IN THE EAST COULD BEGIN.
I MEET UP WITH HISTORIAN DICK CRAIG TO FIND OUT MORE.
WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE FOR THE RAILROAD WORKERS HEADING OU WEST BUILDING ON THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD? DICK: IT WAS TERRIBLE.
THEY WERE PAID $3 A DAY WHICH WAS A GOOD SALARY BACK THEN, BUT THEY WORKED EVERY DAY FROM SUN UP TO SUN DOWN.
AND AS THEY MOVED ALONG EVERY 100 MILES, THEY WOULD STOP AND ALL OF THOSE SALOON KEEPERS AND GAMBLERS AND PIMPS AND PROSTITUTES WOULD MOVE ALONG WITH THE RAILROAD.
WHEREVER THEY STOPPED, THESE TOWNS WOULD POP UP.
THEY PUT THE TOWN ON FLA CARS AND HAULED IT TO THE NEXT END OF TRACK.
IF YOU SEE PHOTOGRAPHS OF IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A REAL TOWN.
THEY HAVE STOREFRONTS, BUT THEY'RE MOSTLY TENTS WITH FALSE FRONTS.
ZAY HARDING: TENT TOWNS.
DICK: TENT TOWNS, EXACTLY.
AND THEY COULD PUT UP A WHOLE TOWN IN LIKE TWO DAYS.
THEY BECAME KNOWN AS HELL ON WHEELS.
ZAY HARDING: IT WAS LITERALLY A TOWN ON WHEELS JUST ROLLING THROUGH SETTING UP CAMP, PARTYING FOR A WHILE, MAKING A DENT ON THE PLACE, AND MOVING ON AND ROLLING ALONG.
DICK: YEAH AND WHEN THE RAILROAD LEFT, SO DID ALL THE WORKERS AND SO DID ALL OF THE PEOPLE PREYING ON THE WORKERS.
AND SO IT KIND OF FELL BACK TO JUST BEING A TOWN.
SOME OF THEM DISAPPEARED, SOME OF THEM THRIVED.
BUT BY THE 1880'S AND 90'S I WAS STARTING TO SETTLE DOWN BECAUSE MORE WOMEN SHOWED UP AND THEY BEGAN BUILDING SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES AND I BECAME MORE OF A COMMUNITY.
ZAY HARDING: IN THE WEST, AT THE SAME TIME, THE CENTRAL PACIFIC TRACK WAS GRADUALLY BEING LAID EAST FROM CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS.
NEAR TRUCKEE IN CALIFORNIA, ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICUL SECTIONS OF THE ROUTE, I MEE UP WITH HISTORIAN PHIL SEXTON.
PHIL SEXTON: THIS IS CALLED BY MOST PEOPLE CHINA WALL.
IT WAS BUILT BY CHINESE LABOR AND IT WAS BUILT FOR A PRACTICAL PURPOSE.
ABOVE IT IS THE ROAD BED FOR THE 1865 ROUTE OF THE CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD.
IT'S REALLY ONE OF THE GREA ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENTS IN AMERICA IN THE 19TH CENTURY BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED A DRY LAID WALL.
THERE IS NO MORTAR.
THESE ARE LOCKED LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO STABLE.
ZAY HARDING: HOW DID THE CHINESE EVEN GET INVOLVED WITH THE RAILWAY? PHIL SEXTON: THERE WAS AN ACUTE LABOR SHORTAGE OF WHITE MALES IN CALIFORNIA.
A LOT OF CALIFORNIA MEN HAD GONE TO NEVADA TO SEARCH FOR SILVER.
SO, THEY NEEDED LABOR AND IN THE CITY OF AUBURN, THERE WAS A CHINESE POPULATION.
THEY RELUCTANTLY HIRED THEM AND THEY THOUGHT, "THEY REALLY CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
THEY'RE SMALLER THAN US, THEY'RE WEAKER THAN US, THEY DON' SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
" BUT THEY WERE THERE.
IT TURNED OUT THAT THE CHINESE WERE SUCH GOOD WORKERS, SUCH FABULOUS WORKERS, THA THE RAILROAD BEGAN TO SEARCH ALL OVER THIS WESTERN STATES FOR CHINESE.
THEY EVEN SENT CONTRACTORS TO GANSU PROVINCE AND BROUGHT BACK SHIPLOADS OF CHINESE.
ZAY HARDING: OH MY.
WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS LIKE? PHIL SEXTON: SOME OF THE HARDEST GRANITE IN THE WORLD IS HERE AT DONNER PASS AND THIS WAS DONE WITHOUT POWER TOOLS.
THIS WAS DOWN WITH ZAY HARDING: HOW DID THEY DO IT? PHIL SEXTON: BLACK POWDER, STEEL DRILLS TO DRILL HOLES TO FILL WITH BLACK POWDER AND BLOW IT UP.
THEN SHOVELS AND PICKS TO MUCK ALL OF THAT WASTE OU AND DUMP IT OVER THE SIDE.
FOR A SHORT TIME UP HERE, THE RAILROAD INTRODUCED THE USE OF NITROGLYCERIN.
IT'S MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN BLACK POWDER SO IT DOUBLED THEIR PROGRESS.
THEY WENT FROM 8 TO 12 INCHES A DAY, TO 24 TO 32 INCHES A DAY.
ZAY HARDING: THEY WERE JUST GOING INCHES A DAY? PHIL SEXTON: INCHES A DAY.
ZAY HARDING: THIS WHOLE PROCESS TOOK HOW MANY YEARS? PHIL SEXTON: NEARLY TWO YEARS.
1,654 FEET ON FOUR FACES NEARLY TWO YEARS.
WINTER AND SUMMER WORKING ESSENTIALLY 24 HOURS A DAY.
ZAY HARDING: JUS FOR ONE TUNNEL? PHIL SEXTON: JUS FOR ONE TUNNEL.
ZAY HARDING: WOW, WAS IT DANGEROUS? PHIL SEXTON: IT'S AN AVALANCHE ZONE.
THERE'S HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF TONS OF SNOW AND FEROCIOUS WINDS.
WE KNOW DOCUMENTED STORIES OF ENTIRE BARRACKS BUILDINGS BEING SWEPT OFF THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN BURIED IN SNOW TO WHERE THE BODY RECOVERIES COULD NOT BE DONE UNTIL THE SNOW MELTED IN SPRING.
ONE OF THEM WROTE, "GENTLEMEN, YOU NEED TO WORK AS IF HEAVEN IS BEFORE YOU AND HELL IS BEHIND YOU.
" ZAY HARDING: AFTER YEARS OF HARD LABOR, THE WESTERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD FINALLY MET IN UTAH, AT A PLACE CALLED PROMONTORY SUMMIT, ON MAY 10TH 1869.
IN 1869, THE LAS PIECE OF TRACK, A GOLDEN SPIKE, WAS DRIVEN HOME BY A SILVER HAMMER TO COMPLETE THE LINE AND CEMENT THIS MONUMENTAL POIN IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
WHAT AN ENORMOUS ACHIEVEMENT THIS WAS.
FOR EVERY MILE, I WOULD TAKE 350 RAILS, 10,000 SPIKES, AND 2,500 WOODEN TIES.
BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS WENT INTO LAYING THESE RAILS.
AND THE RESULT WAS TO MODERNIZE AMERICA AND CONNECT THE NATION.
THE COMPLETION OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD MAY HAVE BEEN A TRIUMPH FOR USA, BUT IT WAS A DISASTER FOR THE COUNTRY'S NATIVE AMERICANS.
AS THE FLOW OF SETTLERS TO THE WEST NOW BECAME A FLOOD.
ON THE GREAT PLAINS, I MEET WITH BEN SHERMAN, A MEMBER OF THE LAKOTA TRIBE.
ALL THESE PLAINS, BEFORE THE RAILROADS CAME THROUGH, WERE JUST COVERED WITH MILLIONS OF BUFFALOES.
IS THAT RIGHT? BEN SHERMAN: YES, THE ESTIMATES ARE PERHAPS 60 MILLION.
ZAY HARDING: 60 MILLION? BEN SHERMAN: THIS IS THROUGH THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES, THE CENTRAL PLAINS, AND UP INTO CANADA.
ZAY HARDING: HOW IMPORTAN WERE THE BUFFALO TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES THAT WERE LIVING HERE? BEN SHERMAN: THE BUFFALO WERE EVERYTHING.
THE BUFFALO PROVIDED FOOD AND SHELTER.
THE BUFFALO'S ALSO AT THE CENTER OF A LOT OF SPIRITUAL CEREMONIES TOO.
A GREAT DEAL OF KINSHIP TO THE BUFFALO SO THE PEOPLE DEPENDED ON THE BUFFALO JUST FOR SURVIVAL.
ZAY HARDING: THERE'S STORIES OF PEOPLE JUS SHOOTING BUFFALO OFF THE TRAIN FOR GAME.
BEN SHERMAN: YES, AND OF COURSE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILROADS REQUIRED A LO OF FOOD FOR ALL THE WORKERS.
YOU MAY KNOW OF BUFFALO BILL.
HE WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO HELPED SUPPLY MEAT TO THE RAILROAD WORKERS.
THEN THE PEOPLE WHO RODE THE TRAINS OUT, THEY SHOT THE BUFFALO JUST FOR SPORT LEAVING THE CARCASSES OUT HERE TO ROT.
THEY KILLED THEM FOR NO REASON.
JUST FOR THE FUN OF KILLING THE BUFFALO.
I WOULD IMAGINE A THAT TIME AFTER THE RAILROADS CAME THROUGH, THERE WERE NO BUFFALO HERE IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
ZAY HARDING: HOW DID THE NATIVE AMERICANS REACT TO THE RAILROADS JUST TOTALLY TAKING OVER THEIR LAND? BEN SHERMAN: THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAD TO DO SOMETHING AND IT BECAME ALL OU WAR EVENTUALLY.
THE TRIBAL NATIONS ATTEMPTED TO STOP CONSTRUCTION A VARIOUS NUMBER OF WAYS, THAT INCLUDED ATTACKING THE SURVEYORS.
WE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING OUT HERE.
THEY WERE PLOTTING THE LAND WHERE THEY WANTED THE RAILROAD TO GO.
CUTTING TELEGRAPH WIRES, PERHAPS ATTACKING A TRAIN HERE AND THERE.
IN TWO OR THREE CASES, ACTUALLY, CAUSING DERAILMEN OF TRAIN CARS.
ZAY HARDING: DO YOU THINK THE U.
S.
GOVERNMEN SAW THE RAILROADS AS A MEANS TO SOLVE THE INDIAN PROBLEM? BEN SHERMAN: THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ADJECTIVES OR SUPERLATIVES TO DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF WHAT HAPPENED TO NATIVE AMERICANS.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROMOTING THE RAILROAD, THE INDUSTRIALISTS, THE POLITICIANS, THE SPECULATORS, THEY WANTED PEOPLE OUT HERE.
AND SO, WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO IT THAN TO CLEAR THE NATIVE AMERICANS OUT AND MAKE THE LAND AVAILABLE FOR FARMING.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE RAILROAD HELPED THE GOVERNMEN AND THE SPECULATORS DO.
THERE WAS NO OTHER PLACE TO MOVE THE NATIVE AMERICANS TO SO WHAT TO DO WITH THEM? PUT THEM ON RESERVATIONS, KILL THEM OFF, ALL THOSE KINDS OF OPTIONS WERE TAKEN.
ZAY HARDING: DO YOU THINK WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NATIVE AMERICANS IS EVER FORGIVABLE? BEN SHERMAN: I'LL TURN THA BACK TO YOU AND ASK YOU IF GENOCIDE IS EVER FORGIVABLE.
100 YEARS LATER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE.
WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST.
IN THE UNITED STATES PERHAPS 10 MILLION NATIVE AMERICANS WERE LOST.
TO ME, THAT QUALIFIES AS GENOCIDE AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY FORGIVENESS FOR GENOCIDE.
ZAY HARDING: THE EXPULSION OF NATIVE AMERICANS FROM THE SOUTH EASTERN U.
S.
BACK IN THE 1830S, A FORCED MARCH ALONG THE SO-CALLED TRAIL OF TEARS, HAD BEEN JUST A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME.
IN THE 1860S AND 1870S A SERIES OF BATTLES WERE FOUGH ALL ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS, AFTER WHICH NATIVE AMERICANS WERE HERDED ONTO A FEW SCATTERED RESERVATIONS, LOCATED ON SOME OF THE WORST AND MOST UNDESIRABLE LAND.
WITH THE NATIVE AMERICANS DEFEATED, AND THE BUFFALO EXTERMINATED, THE GREAT PLAINS WERE NOW FREE TO BE GRAZED BY HUGE HERDS OF CATTLE.
THE WEST HAD BEEN WON, AND WAS NOW COWBOY COUNTRY.
VERY RARELY, THE NATIVE AMERICANS WON A FLEETING VICTORY.
IAN WRIGHT HEADS TO THE LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD IN MONTANA, THE SITE OF CUSTER'S FAMOUS LAST STAND IN 1876 BUT FIRST, HOLLY MORRIS VISITS WASHITA IN OKLAHOMA, WHERE CUSTER'S 7TH U.
S.
CAVALRY WENT INTO ACTION A FEW YEARS EARLIER.
LAWRENCE: THERE'S THE BATTLEFIELD, RIGHT THERE! HOLLY MORRIS: JUST OVER THIS KNOLL? LAWRENCE: THAT'S IT! HOLLY MORRIS: LAWRENCE IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS SIGHT.
HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER SURVIVED THE BATTLE.
IN YOUR MIND WHY SHOULD THE PEOPLE KNOW ABOU THIS BATTLE TODAY? LAWRENCE: BECAUSE ONLY ONE VIEW HAS BEEN EXPRESSED AND THE WORD BATTLE TELLS IT.
IT'S A BATTLE FROM THE MILITARY STANDPOINT BUT I WAS A MASSACRE FROM THE CHEYENNE STANDPOINT.
THE CHARGE CAME FROM THOSE HILLS.
THERE WAS INDISCRIMINATE SHOOTING WOMEN, CHILDREN WERE KILLED AS WELL AS THE ELDERS.
HOLLY MORRIS: WAS BLACK KETTLE KILLED IN THAT? LAWRENCE: BLACK KETTLE WAS KILLED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
HE WAS THE ONE THAT FIRED A WARNING SHOT INTO THE AIR.
HE DIDN'T FIRE AT THE TROOPS, HE COULDN'T, BECAUSE HE WAS A PEACE CHIEF.
IAN WRIGHT: I HEADED FOR THE CROW RESERVATION IN MONTANA TO SEE THE LITTLE BIG HORN BATTLEFIELD, THE SITE OF CUSTER'S LAST STAND.
IN 1876 GENERAL CUSTER AND HIS CAVALRY WERE MASSACRED BY 2,000 SIOUX WARRIORS, DEFENDING THEIR TERRITORY FROM THE GOLD HUNGRY WHITES.
GERALD BAKER IS A PARK RANGER WHOSE FAMILY HAS LIVED ON THIS LAND FOR GENERATIONS.
GERALD: WE ARE ABOUT READY TO CLOSE.
IAN WRIGHT: ARE YOU? RIGHT, I'M OFF SOON.
I'D THOUGHT I'D CHECK IT OUT.
IS THIS WHERE ALL THE BATTLE WAS? GERALD: THE BATTLE ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE, AH, THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY IS ACTUALLY THIS RIDGE OVER HERE AND THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY IS BEYOND THOSE HILLS IN THE BACK OF US.
THE MAJORITY OF THE FIGHTING WITH GEORGE CUSTER AND HIS SEVENTH CAVALRY WHERE THEY GOT KILLED IS RIGHT THROUGH THIS LOCATION.
YOU CAN SEE THE STONE MARKERS WHERE THE PEOPLE FELL AND SOLDIERS FELL.
THEY ALWAYS SAY THE END OF THE BATTLE TOOK PLACE ON TOP OF THE HILL WHICH IS A REAL GOOD PLACE FOR THE HERO TO BE AT.
IN FACT SOME OF THE INDIANS TRIBES THAT FOUGHT HERE, SOME OF THEIR ORAL TRADITIONS SAY THAT GEORGE CUSTER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO GO, ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO GE KILLED AND HE WASN'T THE LAST ONE WITH BLAZING GUNS AND THIS TYPE OF THING.
IAN WRIGHT: HOW MANY DID THEY LOSE THEN, THE 7TH CAVALRY? GERALD: 227 WERE KILLED WITH THIS, THERE WAS ALSO SOME LOS OVER IN ANOTHER BATTLE.
UM AND SO THERE WAS UM UP TO ALMOST 300 PEOPLE DIED.
INDIANS DESCRIBED IT AS THE BATTLE LASTING AS LONG AS IT TAKES A HUNGRY MAN TO EAT HIS DINNER.
THAT'S HOW LONG IT TOOK.
IAN WRIGHT: THREE MINUTES.
GERALD: IN MY CASE ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF.
SO IT WAS PRETTY FAST.
IAN WRIGHT: DID THIS SIGNIFY LIKE HOW THE WEST WAS WON DO YOU THINK? GERALD: WHAT THIS BATTLES SIGNIFIES TO A LOT OF TRIBES AND TO A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS IS A CHANGE OF LIFE.
YOU KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME HERE HAVE NO IDEA THAT INDIANS ARE STILL LIVING IN RESERVATIONS.
THAT FOR EXAMPLE, NOW I GREW UP ON A RESERVATION WITH NO WATER, NO BATHROOM AND WE HAD OUTSIDE JOHNS AND THIS KIND OF STUFF AND PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT, THAT IS STILL HAPPENING TODAY.
ZAY HARDING: JUST A MONTH AFTER THE LITTLE BIGHORN, ANOTHER FAMOUS WILD WEST SHOOTOUT TOOK PLACE NOT FAR AWAY, IN SOUTH DAKOTA.
AS NATIVE AMERICANS WERE DRIVEN OFF THEIR LANDS, ALL ACROSS THE NEW FRONTIER TOWNSHIPS SPRANG UP WHERE THE LAW WAS THE LAW OF THE GUN.
DEADWOOD, IN PARTICULAR, FOUNDED AFTER GOLD HAD BEEN DISCOVERED NEARBY DURING AN EXPEDITION LED BY CUSTER HIMSELF, SOON BECAME HOME TO LEGENDARY GUNSLINGERS CALAMITY JANE AND WILD BILL HICKOK.
IAN WRIGHT: I THOUGH I'D TRY MY LUCK AT THE OLD STYLE SALOON.
IF IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE LIKES OF WILD BILL HICKOCK, IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
MIND IF I CROUPIER: STRAIGH HIGH STUD POKER.
PLAYER: SIT DOWN, IT'S A FRIENDLY GAME.
IAN WRIGHT: IT DOESN' LOOK TOO FRIENDLY CROUPIER: RIGHT, YOU ARE GOING TO GET TWO CARDS DOWN, FOUR UP, ONE DOWN.
THAT MAKES FIVE TO TWENTY FIVE.
THREE RAISES IS OUT, CHECK-IN RAISE IS ALLOWED.
THERE IS NO ANTE, BU THE LOW CARD ON THIRD STREE HAS TO BET AT LEAST $5.
IAN WRIGHT: THERE IS NO ANTE, WHAT'S THAT? CROUPIER: ANTE IS LIKE WHEN EVERYONE HAS TO PUT IN MONEY BEFORE YOU GET ANY CARDS.
IAN WRIGHT: RIGHT, OKAY.
CAN I? CROUPIER: THERE YOU GO.
IAN WRIGHT: RIGHT, OKAY.
I WAS GOING FOR THE MAXIMUM STAKE, $5.
[DEALER INAUDIBLE.]
SO ARE THERE ANY LEGENDS HERE THEN? ANY BAD BOYS AROUND? PLAYER 2: THE LEGEND OF WILD BILL HICKOCK.
IAN WRIGHT: WHO'S HE THEN? PLAYER 2: HE WAS A GAMBLER, GUN FIGHTER, SCOUT FOR THE ARMY.
IAN WRIGHT: WHAT DID WILD BILL GET UP TO THEN? PLAYER 2: WELL, HE LIKED TO PLAY CARDS.
IAN WRIGHT: DID HE? PLAYER 2: YEAH, HE CAME IN HERE ONE AFTERNOON IAN WRIGHT: IN HERE? PLAYER 2: YEP, CAME IN HERE AND HE SAT DOWN AND A GUY BY THE NAME OF JACK MCCAUCHIN CAME IN THE DOOR.
WILD BILL GOT UP RIGH AWAY AND DREW HIS GUN.
WHEN HE SAW WHO IT WAS, HE SAID HELLO TO JACK AND PUT HIS GUN BACK IN HIS HOLSTER AND SAT DOWN.
WELL THEN JACK WALKED AROUND THE TABLE TOOK A LOOK AT EACH HAND AS HE WENT AND HE CAME TO A STOP BEHIND WILD BILL, DREW HIS GUN AND SHO HIM IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.
IAN WRIGHT: WHILE HE WAS SITTING DOWN PLAYING CARDS? PLAYER 2: WHILE HE WAS SITTING DOWN PLAYING CARDS.
IAN WRIGHT: WAS HE AT HIS TABLE? PLAYER 2: MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
IAN WRIGHT: A PAIR OF SEVENS DOESN'T REALLY DO IT.
OH YOU GUYS ARE TOO GOOD FOR ME.
[GUNSHOTS.]
.
THIS GAME IS GETTING A BIT TOO HAIRY FOR ME.
RIGHT, CHEERS FOR THE GAME GENTS.
ZAY HARDING: ACCORDING TO LEGEND, THE CARDS WILD BILL HICKOK WAS HOLDING WHEN HE WAS SHOT WERE TWO PAIRS OF BLACK ACES AND EIGHTS, STILL KNOWN TODAY AS A "DEAD MAN'S HAND.
" ONE PLACE IN THE U.
S.
WHERE SUCH A DEADLY POKER GAME IS UNLIKELY TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE WAS UTAH, WHERE GAMBLING HAS BEEN ILLEGAL EVER SINCE THE STATE WAS SETTLED BY THE MORMONS.
HOLLY MORRIS VISITS CIRCLEVILLE, UTAH, TO CHECK OU THE BACKGROUND OF ONE OF THE WILD WEST'S MORE SURPRISING OUTLAWS.
HOLLY MORRIS: MORMONS PRIDE THEMSELVES ON BEING A LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE, SO IT'S IRONIC THAT THE NOTORIOUS WILD WEST OUTLAW BUTCH CASSIDY, IMMORTALIZED IN THE MOVIE "BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID," WAS ONE OF THEIR MOST FAMOUS MEMBERS.
BUTCH CASSIDY WAS BORN GEORGE LEROY PARKER IN 1866.
HE WAS A GOOD MORMON BOY, UNTIL SOMETHING WENT SOUTH AND HE LIVED HERE IN THIS CABIN.
I'M MEETING A RELATIVE OF HIS HERE, A GUY NAMED BILL BETINSON.
[KNOCKS.]
.
BILL? BILL: YES? HOLLY MORRIS: HI.
BILL: HI.
HOLLY MORRIS: I'M HOLLY.
BILL: I'M BILL.
HOLLY MORRIS: THANKS FOR MEETING ME HERE.
BILL: COME ON IN.
HOLLY MORRIS: OKAY, OH MY GOD THIS IS COOL! BILL: THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT LEFT BUT IT'S HOLLY MORRIS: IT'S SMALL, WEREN'T THOSE MORMON FAMILIES BIG? BILL: WELL, BUTCH CAME FROM A REALLY HUGE FAMILY, THERE WAS THIRTEEN CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY.
HOLLY MORRIS: ALL IN THIS CABIN? BILL: YES, THEY WERE SPREAD OUT BY A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO THEY WEREN'T HERE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
HOLLY MORRIS: HOW EXACTLY ARE YOU RELATED TO HIM? BILL: I'M ACTUALLY THE GREAT GREAT NEPHEW TO BUTCH, HIS REAL NAME WAS ROBERT LEROY PARKER, AND MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS A YOUNGER SISTER AND HER NAME WAS LULA PARKER BETINSON.
HOLLY MORRIS: YOU'VE GOT SOME STRONG BUTCH BLOOD IN YOU, HUH? I MEAN BILL: WELL I TRY TO OBEY THE LAW.
HOLLY MORRIS: YEAH, YEAH, OF COURSE.
SO HOW DOES ONE GO FROM BEING A HUMBLE FARM BOY TO BEING BUTCH CASSIDY? BILL: HE KIND OF STARTED RUNNING WITH THE WRONG CROWD AND MADE SOME BAD DECISIONS AND THEN HE HAD TO LEAVE THE AREA BECAUSE HE WAS WANTED FOR, THEY THOUGHT, FOR SOME STOLEN CATTLE.
HOLLY MORRIS: WHOA, GOT SNAKES AROUND HERE? BILL: NO SNAKES, BUT THA WAS A LITTLE MOUSE THERE.
HOLLY MORRIS: BUTCH CASSIDY WAS RENOWNED FOR ROBBING BANKS AND TRAINS WITH THE WILD BUNCH GANG THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHWEST.
HE FLED TO SOUTH AMERICA WITH HIS PARTNER SUNDANCE IN 1901, WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSEDLY KILLED IN A SHOOTOUT.
BILL: THESE OLD TREES ARE POPLAR TREES THAT HE HELPED HIS MOTHER PLANT AS A BOY.
HIS MOTHER HAD BROUGHT HIM UP TO BE A CHRISTIAN LAW-ABIDING PERSON AND HE CHOSE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE AND THA KIND OF BROKE HER HEART.
HOLLY MORRIS: AND WHAT'S THE FEELING NOW, THERE SEEMS TO BE A GENTLENESS ABOUT HIS LEGEND? BILL: WELL, WHAT SORT OF SETS HIM APART IS HE WASN'T THE TYPICAL BAD GUY THAT KILLED PEOPLE, HE WAS KNOWN TO NEVER HAVE KILLED ANYBODY HOLLY MORRIS: REALLY? BILL: YES, AND HE HELPED OUT PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.
HOLLY MORRIS: HAD A LITTLE BIT OF ROBIN HOOD IN HIM.
BILL: HAD A LITTLE BIT OF ROBIN HOOD, YEAH.
I MEAN THERE'S STORIES OF HIM PAYING OFF THE MORTGAGES FOR WIDOWS AND HOLLY MORRIS: BU NOT WIDOWS HE WIDOWED, BECAUSE HE DIDN' KILL ANYONE, RIGHT? BILL: RIGHT.
ZAY HARDING: THE PLACE IN SOUTH AMERICA WHERE BUTCH AND SUNDANCE WEN INTO HIDING IN 1901 WAS EXTREMELY REMOTE CHOLILA, IN PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA.
I'VE MADE THE LONG JOURNEY THERE MYSELF TO VISIT THEIR HIDEOUT.
YOU CAN SEE WHY THEY CHOSE TO HIDE OUT HERE IN CHOLILA.
THE LAKES AND MOUNTAINS REALLY DO RESEMBLE UTAH.
THEY WOULD HAVE FELT RIGHT AT HOME.
ON THEIR 15,000 ACRE RANCH THEY REARED CATTLE AND SOON BECAME PART OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
HISTORIAN JUAN MOTOMALA IS AN EXPERT ON THEIR TIME IN ARGENTINA.
JUAN: THIS IS THE ORIGINAL HOUSE THAT BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID BUILT IN CHOLILA IN 1901.
THEY ESTABLISHED A FARMING COMMUNITY WITH LOTS OF LAND AND NOBODY KNEW THEIR PAST.
THEY CHANGED THEIR NAMES.
THEY WEREN'T BUTCH OR SUNDANCE THEY WERE ENRIQUE PLACE AND JAMES RYAN.
IN THIS WAY NOBODY KNEW THEM.
ZAY HARDING: BUT AFTER FIVE YEARS THEY WERE TRACKED DOWN.
JUAN: THEY SOLD UP EVERYTHING AND FLED TO CHILE AND THEN TO BOLIVIA.
WHERE THEY DIED, PEOPLE SAY THEY DIED.
ZAY HARDING: SO WHO ARE THEY TO YOU? WE'RE THEY HONEST MEN OR WERE THEY OUTLAW CRIMINALS? JUAN: THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC PERSONALITY.
THEY'VE NEVER KILLED ANYONE.
SO THEY ROBBED WITH GOOD METHODS AND DID IT WITH A SMILE BUT THE MONEY THAT THEY STOLE.
IT'S NOT TRUE THEY STOLE FROM THE RICH TO GIVE TO THE POOR.
AND THIS IS THE REASON THEY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY.
ZAY HARDING: BY THE TIME THA BUTCH AND SUNDANCE WERE KILLED IN A SHOOTOUT IN BOLIVIA, MOST OF THE WILD WEST ITSELF WAS NEARING THE END OF ITS DAYS, BECOMING TAMED.
THE REMOTEST PARTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, HOWEVER, STILL REMAINED SUBSTANTIALLY UNEXPLORED, THE WILD WEST'S FINAL FRONTIER.
TRANSFORMED BY THE GREAT KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH, I'M VISITING DAWSON CITY IN THE YUKON.
NOW A TOWN OF AROUND 1,800 PEOPLE, DURING THE GOLD RUSH YEARS DAWSON CITY WAS THE LARGES CITY NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO, WITH THE POPULATION REACHING 35,000.
DURING THE SIX YEARS OF THE GOLD RUSH THEY ESTIMATED ABOU A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF GOLD WAS EXCAVATED FROM AROUND HERE.
WELL, THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN.
IN 1896, THREE GUYS CAME HERE TO GO FISHING.
ONE OF EM SAW A GOLD NUGGE AND AS THEY LOOKED CLOSER THERE WAS SO MUCH GOLD HE SCREAMED OUT "BONANZA.
" WORD GOT OUT, THE GOLD RUSH STARTED AND THIS HAS BEEN CALLED BONANZA CREEK EVER SINCE.
WORD QUICKLY SPREAD AND JUST A YEAR LATER PROSPECTORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WERE HEADING STRAIGHT FOR DAWSON CITY IN SEARCH OF FAME AND FORTUNE.
IT WAS A TOUGH JOURNEY, OVER HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES AND MANY PEOPLE DIED TRYING TO GET HERE.
AS IF THE MOUNTAIN RANGES WEREN'T ENOUGH, ONCE THEY GOT HERE THEY STILL HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS MIGHTY YUKON RIVER.
A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE STARTED OUT TO THE GOLD RUSH.
40,000 OF THOSE MADE IT HERE, AND ONLY ABOUT A HANDFUL STRUCK IT RICH.
THE GOLD RUSH ENDED IN THE EARLY 1900's, NOT BECAUSE THE GOLD RAN OUT, BUT BECAUSE ALL THE MOST EASILY ACCESSIBLE GOLD WAS ALREADY GONE.
TODAY PEOPLE ARE STILL MINING IN DAWSON CITY.
UP HERE THE GOLD IS LOOSE IN THE DIRT, NOT EMBEDDED IN ROCKS.
DAVE MILLER, SECOND GENERATION GOLD MINER IS SHOWING ME HOW TO SEPARATE THE GOLD FROM THE DIRT USING ONLY WATER.
DAVE: YOU CAN SEE HOW THE WHOLE TABLE IS SHAKING A LITTLE BIT.
ZAY HARDING: YEAH.
DAVE: THAT SORT OF SIMULATES A PANNING ACTION OKAY.
TO GET THE OBJECT IS TO GET THE GOLD IN OUR HANDS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
AS YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SOME GOLD EH? WE HAVE GOLD AND WE HAVE LINARITE.
ZAY HARDING: LOOK HOW TINY IS THIS.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GETTING EXCITED ABOUT FOLKS AND LOOK HOW TINY THAT IS.
THERE'S ALL THESE HUGE ROCKS, ALL THIS WORK, FOR SPECKS THIS BIG, THIS IS AMAZING TO ME.
AND THEN I MET SIMON MASON-WOOD WHO WEIGHS AND MELTS THE GOLD INTO BRICKS.
SIMON WALK ME THROUGH THIS, WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE? SIMON: WELL I'M MELTING DOWN RAW GOLD WHICH YOU SEE HERE AND IT'S TO GET THE IMPURITIES OUT OF IT, THE BLACK SAND, THE QUARTZ SPECKS YOU CAN SEE IN THE GOLD, AND TURN IT INTO A BAR FORM.
ZAY HARDING: YOU CAN SEE THE GOLD COMING OUT.
AND ALL THAT IS WORTH ABOUT 100,000? SIMON: WELL THA PARTICULAR ONE IS ABOUT, A LITTLE OVER $40,000.
ZAY HARDING: WOW.
SIMON: OKAY, HERE IT IS, FINISHED PRODUCT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED HERE.
ZAY HARDING: SOLID GOLD.
BONANZA.
SEE YA.
TODAY, ALTHOUGH PROSPECTORS ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR GOLD OUT HERE ON THE WILD WEST'S FINAL FRONTIER, FOR MOST PEOPLE THE WILD WEST LIVES ON ONLY AS ENTERTAINMENT EITHER AT THE MOVIES, OR BES OF ALL AT PROFESSIONAL RODEOS, WHICH SHOWCASE COWBOYS' GREATEST SKILLS.
PROVIDING A SPECTACULAR END TO OUR JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION ACROSS THE HISTORIC WILD WEST, I'M AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND BEST RODEOS, THE CALGARY STAMPEDE, WHICH HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING HUGE CROWDS EVERY YEAR SINCE 1912.
THE MAIN EVENTS OF THE STAMPEDE TAKE PLACE IN THE GRANDSTAND ARENA, BULL RIDING, CHUCK WAGON RACING, STEER WRESTLING, BRONCO RIDING AND EVEN THE KIDS GE INVOLVED, THEY'RE CALLED MUTTON BUSTERS.
KIRK MOORE IS EXPLAINING SOME OF RODEO'S FINER POINTS TO ME.
SO WHAT ARE WE WATCHING HERE KIRK? KIRK: WELL, WE'RE WATCHING STEER WRESTLING, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BULLDOGGING IN THE OLD DAYS.
AND YOUR COWBOY ON ONE SIDE HE'S GOING TO GET IN THE BOX BACK THERE, HE'S GOING TO NOD HIS HEAD, THEY'RE GOING TO RELEASE THE STEER OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE CHUTE AND HE'S GOING TO GO CHASE IT.
THAT WAS A GOOD ONE; IT'S A TRICKY LITTLE SPORT, I HEARD ONE FELLA SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON SOMEBODY WHO HADN'T SEEN IT BEFORE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE HANGING OUT YOUR CAR WINDOW, GO FORTY MILES AN HOUR AND THEN JUS GRAB THE NEXT MAILBOX YOU SEE.
ZAY HARDING: THE MOST FAMOUS EVENT OF THE RODEO ARE THE CHUCK WAGON RACES, THEY STARTED HERE, AND THE ONES IN CALGARY ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
CHUCK WAGONS LIKE THESE HELPED COWBOYS LIVE THEIR LIFE ON THE RANGE, CARRYING COOK STOVES, FOOD AND TENTS.
EACH CHUCK WAGON HAS FOUR OUTRIDERS, WHOSE JOB ONCE THE RACE STARTS IS TO THROW THE CAMP STUFF INTO THE WAGON.
THE WAGONS AND HORSES DO A FIGURE OF EIGHT, THEY JUMP ONTO THEIR MOVING HORSES FROM THE GROUND, AND THEN OFF THEY GO AROUND THE TRACK.
THE RACES ARE REALLY ENTERTAINING, BUT CERTAINLY DON'T REFLEC HOW THE WILD WEST'S PIONEERS IN THE PAST ACTUALLY DROVE THEIR WAGONS UNLESS THAT IS THEY WERE BEING CHASED PERHAPS BY HOSTILE INDIANS! ALMOST AS SOON AS THE DAYS OF THE WILD WEST WERE OVER, HOLLYWOOD EMBRACED ITS FANTASTIC LEGENDS AND TO THIS DAY EMBELLISHES THEM TO TELL AN EVEN BETTER STORY.
WE ALL LOVE A GOOD WESTERN, RIGHT? AND FANCY PLAYING THE HERO.
JOHN WAYNE, MOVE OUT OF MY WAY! MAN: ALRIGHT YOU TWO, WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE? OUTLAW: YOU DON' GIVE US MUCH OF A CHOICE.
OUTLAW 2: I DON'T RECKON WE'LL GIVE YOU MUCH OF A CHANCE! ZAY HARDING: TIME TO CLEAN UP THIS TOWN! [GUNSHOTS.]
.
NARRATOR: STAY TUNED FOR A SPECIAL "GLOBE TREKKER" EXTRA.
ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY, SUBARU.
WOMAN: AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK.
WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE.
FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU, A PROUD SPONSOR OF GLOBE TREKKER.
MAN: YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOU THIS SERIES ON OUR WEBSITE.
PROGRAMS FROM THE GLOBE TREKKER SERIES ARE AVAILABLE ON DVD AND NOW ON DEMAND FROM GLOBETREKKER.
TV.
MUSIC FROM THE SERIES IS AVAILABLE ON CD, YOU CAN ALSO ORDER THE NEW GLOBE TREKKER ANNUAL FEATURING INFORMATION ON FESTIVALS, EVENTS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
TO ORDER GLOBE TREKKER PRODUCTS CALL 888-565-0361 OR VISIT THE WEBSITE WWW.
GLOBETREKKERTV.
COM ZAY HARDING: I MEET UP WITH ROSANO BOSCARINO WHO'S GONNA GUIDE ME THROUGH CAMUY'S COMPLEX UNDERGROUND NETWORK OF RIVER CAVES.
ROSANO: WE HAVE ALL THESE ALL THESE STREAMS COMING TOGETHER.
WE COME IN THROUGH [INAUDIBLE.]
3 RIVERS, THEY JOIN AND THIS IS THE LIMESTONE.
THIS IS WHERE THEY SINK AS A SINKING RIVER.
SO, WHEN IT RAINS UP HERE OR STORMS, THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS.
FLASH FLOODS OCCUR IN, LIKE, ONE FOOT PER MINUTE.
ZAY HARDING: THEY ONLY COME IN THE AFTERNOON? ROSANO: USUALLY FROM 3:00 UP, BUT WEATHER PATTERNS ARE CHANGING.
WE'VE HAD A FEW EARLIER ONES, SO WE HAVE TO ASSUME THE WORST.
ZAY HARDING: THE FEAR OF GETTING CAUGHT BY AFTERNOON RAIN MEANS WE CANT DELAY.
BUT EVEN SO, I NEED TO REPEL DOWN INTO THE 250 FOOT DEEP SINKHOLE THAT LEADS TO THE RIO ANGELES.
ROSANO GIVES ME A QUICK RUN-DOWN.
ROSANO: THIS IS THE REPEL RACK.
WITH THIS WE CREATE FRICTION SO WE CAN GO DOWN SAFELY, NOT FALL.
WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING DOWN 250 FEET! THAT'S LIKE A 25 STORY BUILDING.
ONLY THREE STEPS, THA MEANS THIS IS SO EASY! EVEN A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT.
THE FIRST ONE IS, GET INTO POSITION, WHICH CONSISTS OF SPREADING YOUR LEGS, LAY BACK AND HAVE FUN.
SO, YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE AWAY FROM THE WALL, YOU CAN SEE WHERE TO PUT YOUR FEET.
SEE? NOW YOU NEED TO GET PERPENDICULAR TO THE WALL, OKAY? DON'T GET TOO PERPENDICULAR, LIKE 90 DEGREES, LIKE, "OH, MY GOD!" LEAN FORWARD AND YOU'RE GONNA GET IN THE SHAPE OF AN "L.
" OKAY, SECOND STEP AND THIRD STEP WILL BE NATURAL BECAUSE AT THE BEGINNING, IT'S LIKE, "DO I PUSH, DO I PULL, DO I LOWER, DO I SQUEEZE?" "OH, MY GOD, I'M GETTING CONFUSED!" JUST DO IT, IT WILL HAPPEN.
ZAY HARDING: TIMES MOVING ON AND WE NEED TO HEAD UNDERGROUND.
TO GET TO THE TOP OF THE SINKHOLE LEADING INTO THE ABYSS, WE HAVE TO CROSS BY ZIP-LINE.
HERE I GO! WHOA! WHOO-HOO, DON'T LOOK! [LAUGHING.]
.
AH! [HIGH PITCHED VOICE.]
.
I'M GONNA TALK LIKE MICKEY ALL DAY NOW! [REGULAR VOICE.]
.
THAT WAS THE EASY BIT.
THE 250 FOOT DECENT TO COME IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
OH, MY GOSH.
THIS IS NUTS.
UH, MY HEART RATE IS GOING CRAZY.
I'M SWEATING, SHORTNESS OF BREATH I'M, I'M ACTUALLY A LO MORE SCARED THAN I THOUGH I WAS GONNA BE.
THIS IS NO JOKE.
WHOO-HOO-HOO, AH, THIS IS GORGEOUS.
THAT'S AN ADVENTURE.
[LAUGHS.]
.
MAN, I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA PASS OUT! STARTED TO GE LIGHT-HEADED HALFWAY THROUGH.
MY LEGS ARE NUMB.
AH! SO HOW DID I DO? ROSARO: OH, PRETTY GOOD, PRETTY GOOD.
YOU WERE FIGHTING GRAVITY.
ZAY HARDING: I WAS FIGHTING GRAVITY.
ROSARO: I SAW YOU, AT ONE POINT, YOU HAD LIKE THE DEATH GRIP.
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO LET GO OF THAT ROPE.
ZAY HARDING: YEAH.
ROSARO: BUT THAT'S NORMAL.
BUT YOU DID REAL GOOD.
SOME PEOPLE, THE FIRS TIME THEY COME DOWN, THEY PEE ON THEMSELVES.
[INAUDIBLE.]
.
ZAY HARDING: SO, WE'RE GOING INTO THE CAVE NOW? ROSARO: GOING INTO THE CAVE.
WE'RE GONNA GE WET, WILD AND DIRTY.
ZAY HARDING: ALRIGHT.
HEADING INTO THE MOUTH OF THE CAVE GOUGED OUT OF THE ROCK BY THE UNDERGROUND RIVER, IT LOOKS PEACEFUL ENOUGH.
BUT IT WOULD BE NO JOKE TO GET CAUGHT DOWN HERE AFTER A TROPICAL DOWN-POOR.
ROSARO: VERY SLIPPERY! ZAY HARDING: IT'S TIME TO TAKE THE PLUNGE AND SWIM OUR WAY IN AND OUT OF THE CAVERN BEFORE THE AFTERNOON RAIN ROLLS IN.
THE BATS ARE AT HOME HERE, BUT FOR US THE CAVERN IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO HANG ABOUT.
UNLIKE BATS, WE CAN' CLING TO THE CAVERN ROOF TO ESCAPE A FLASH FLOOD.
FINALLY, WE MAKE IT BACK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE.
FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU, A PROUD SPONSOR OF "GLOBE TREKKER.
" BERNIE: WOAH, HOWDY, YOU MUST BE ZAY? ZAY HARDING: YEAH, HEY BERNIE.
BERNIE: WELL, CLIMB ON IN HERE.
ZAY HARDING: THANK YOU, COOL.
OH RIGHT, HELLO.
BERNIE: FIRST TRIP? ZAY HARDING: YEAH.
BERNIE: IT'LL BE EXCITING.
OK, GET US OUT OF HERE.
HEHAAAAA.
ZAY HARDING: IN THIS GLOBE TREKKER SPECIAL, I'M EXPLORING THE EXTRAORDINARY 19TH CENTURY HISTORY OF AMERICA'S SPECTACULAR WILD WEST, TOGETHER WITH MY FELLOW GLOBE TREKKER HOSTS SAMI SABITI, HOLLY MORRIS, JUSTINE SHAPIRO AND IAN WRIGHT.
OUR JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION ACROSS THE HISTORIC WILD WES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA TAKES US TO THE LOCATIONS OF MANY OF THE WILD WEST'S MOST DRAMATIC EVENTS.
IN TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, CALIFORNIA, OREGON, MONTANA, ALBERTA AND THE YUKON.
OUR JOURNEY ACROSS THE OLD WILD WEST STARTS A THE BEGINNING OF THE 19TH CENTURY, WHEN MOST OF THE WES WAS STILL POPULATED ONLY BY NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES, AS YET UNTROUBLED BY THE UNSTOPPABLE WAVE OF EXPLORERS, SETTLERS, GOLD PROSPECTORS, GUN SLINGING COWBOYS, RAILROADS AND THE FEARSOME U.
S.
CAVALRY THAT WOULD SOON BE UNLEASHED UPON THEM.
OUR STORY STARTS JUS OVER 200 YEARS AGO WITH LEWIS AND CLARK'S FAMOUS 3,700 MILE JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION, WHICH TOOK THEM ALL THE WAY TO THE PACIFIC COAS IN MODERN-DAY OREGON.
FOLLOWING THE VERY LAS STRETCH OF THEIR JOURNEY TO THE COAST IS SAMI SABITI.
SAMI SABITI: IN 1804 WHEN VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE PACIFIC NORTHWES WAS INDIAN COUNTRY, PRESIDENT JEFFERSON SENT OUT AN EXPEDITION FROM THE MISSISSIPPI TO EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN TERRITORY.
THIS BACKBREAKING JOURNEY TO THE PACIFIC COAST JUST UP HERE TOOK LEWIS AND CLARKE'S TEAM OF ABOUT 30 OR SO A YEAR AND A HALF, MUCH OF IT BY CANOE.
I'M TELLING YOU, THESE GUYS WERE FIT.
[GRUNTS.]
THIS IS WHAT THE LEWIS AND CLARKE EXPEDITION HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO AFTER THEIR GRUELING FOUR THOUSAND MILE JOURNEY TO THE PACIFIC WAS FINALLY OVER.
NOT EXACTLY A LUXURY HOTEL, BUT THIS, WHICH THEY BUILT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, FORT CLATSOP.
WOMAN: THERE YOU GO, LOOK AT MOM, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? BOY: LEWIS AND CLARKE.
SAMI SABITI: EVERY FEATURE AT THE FORT HAS BEEN ACCURATELY RECREATED.
THAT CANNOT BE TOO COMFORTABLE.
EVERYTHING ON SHOW HERE FROM THE WEAPONRY USED TO THE RACCOON HATS WORN IS BASED ON DETAILS GIVEN IN THE EXTENSIVE JOURNALS THAT LEWIS AND CLARKE'S TEAM WROTE WHILS COOPED UP HERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S DESCRIBED HOW WILDLIFE WAS SHOT FOR FOOD.
[GUNSHOT.]
AND HOW THE ANIMALS' FA WAS USED TO MAKE CANDLES.
WOMAN: THAT WOULD BURN FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE TYPE OF CANDLES THAT THEY MADE.
SAMI SABITI: SMELLS LIKE ANIMAL FAT.
WOMAN: IT IS PURE ANIMAL FAT.
[GRUNTS.]
AND WHEN THEY WERE CROSSING THE BITTER ROO MOUNTAINS AND WERE SHORT ON FOOD, THEY MAY HAVE EATEN SOME OF THEIR CANDLES.
SAMI SABITI: REALLY? WOMAN: BECAUSE I WAS A SOURCE OF FAT.
SAMI SABITI: SO CAN I, CAN I EAT THIS? WOMAN: YOU COULD EAT IT.
SAMI SABITI: IT'S KIND OF WEIRD ACTUALLY, IT'S GOT NO TASTE TO IT, BUT I CAN TELL THAT I'M EATING FAT.
WOMAN: THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S PURE ANIMAL FAT.
SAMI SABITI: RIGHT, SORRY.
[WOMAN LAUGHS.]
.
WOMAN: THAT'S OKAY.
SAMI SABITI: IT'S DISGUSTING.
BUT YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO SURVIVE.
WOMAN: THAT'S RIGHT.
ZAY HARDING: THE MAIN RESULT OF LEWIS AND CLARK'S EXPEDITION WAS THE REALIZATION THAT THE GREAT PLAINS AND LUSH PACIFIC COASTLAND THAT THEY'D DISCOVERED WOULD MAKE IDEAL FARMING AND CATTLE COUNTRY FOR SETTLERS FROM THE EAST IF ONLY THE HOSTILE NATIVE AMERICANS THAT LIVED THERE COULD BE TAMED, DISPLACED, OR KILLED.
BY 1840 A WAGON ROUTE TO THE WEST HAD BEEN COMPLETED, KNOWN AS THE OREGON TRAIL, WHICH ALLOWED SETTLERS TO TRAVEL OVER 2,000 MILES WEST FROM MISSOURI ALL THE WAY TO THE PACIFIC COAST.
TODAY THE CATTLE TOWN OF PENDLETON IN OREGON HOLDS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION KNOWN AS THE ROUNDUP, IN HONOR OF THE TOWN'S ORIGINAL SETTLERS.
SAMI SABITI: HOWDY.
IN THE 1840'S FORTY YEARS AFTER THE EXPLORERS LEWIS AND CLARKE HAD BLAZED A TRAIL, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PIONEERING SETTLERS HEADED WEST THROUGH PENDLETON, ALONG THE SO CALLED OREGON TRAIL.
EVERY YEAR THE ROUNDUP RE-ENACTS THIS MASSIVE MIGRATION.
MAN: ALL OF MY ANCESTORS CAME ON THE OREGON TRAIL TO GET OVER HERE, I HAD GRANDPARENTS, GREAT GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT-GREA GRANDPARENTS THAT CAME OVER.
SOME OF THE EARLIES ONES CAME IN 1860'S AND THEN IN THE 1870'S AND THEY CAME BY HORSE AND BUGGY AND HORSES JUS LIKE THIS AND MULES, AND SOME OF THEM EVEN CAME WITH AN OX CART.
THEY WERE HARDY PEOPLE AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE ABLE TO SETTLE THE WEST, I THINK.
ZAY HARDING: THE LONG JOURNEY TO THE WEST WAS A DIFFICUL AND DANGEROUS ONE, BU THE POTENTIAL REWARDS MADE THE RISK WELL WORTH TAKING.
IN JUST 20 YEARS FROM 1840, 300,000 SETTLERS HEADED WES USING THE OREGON TRAIL.
ONE GROUP OF SETTLERS DIVERTED JUST OFF THE MAIN TRAIL TO FOUND THE STATE WE KNOW TODAY AS UTAH.
VISITING THE CAPITAL, SALT LAKE CITY, IS HOLLY MORRIS.
HOLLY MORRIS: BRIGHAM YOUNG AND HIS 147 PILGRIMS ARRIVED HERE IN THE GREAT BASIN IN UTAH.
THEY HAD FLED RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION, THEY HAD COVERED OVER A THOUSAND MILES AND THEY WERE IN SEARCH OF A PROMISED LAND.
THEY SETTLED HERE IN 1847 TO BUILD THEIR JERUSALEM.
I'M TALKING OF COURSE ABOUT THE MORMONS AND THIS WAS THE PLACE.
TODAY ROUGHLY THREE QUARTERS OF UTAH'S TWO AND A HALF MILLION RESIDENTS ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, WHICH WORLD-WIDE HAS BUILT A FOLLOWING OF OVER TEN MILLION MEMBERS.
THIS IS THE FIRST CABIN IN THE MORMON SETTLEMENT, THE DEUEL FAMILY LIVED HERE, JUST A MODES LITTLE LOG CABIN, SO THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN AND THAT IS WHAT IT'S GROWN INTO, THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE MORMON CHURCH.
IT'S JUST A SYMBOL OF HOW MASSIVE AND POWERFUL THE CHURCH HAS BECOME.
ZAY HARDING:FURTHER SOUTH, MUCH OF TODAY'S USA WAS BACK THEN STILL PART OF MEXICO.
TEXAS, IN PARTICULAR, ONLY JOINED THE USA IN 1845, A DECADE AFTER THE MOS FAMOUS SIEGE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WILD WEST.
I'M VISITING SAN ANTONIO IN TEXAS TO FIND OUT MORE AT THE HISTORIC SITE OF THE ALAMO.
THE ALAMO STARTED LIFE AS AN 18TH CENTURY SPANISH MISSION, BUT CATAPULTED TO FAME IN 1836 WHEN A SMALL FORCE OF TEXAN LAND OWNERS TOOK ON THE MIGHTY MEXICAN ARMY.
DESPITE A MEXICAN FORCE OF THOUSANDS, THE TEXANS HELD OUT HERE FOR 13 DAYS BEFORE BEING MERCILESSLY SLAUGHTERED.
NEWS OF THE HEROIC DEFEA SWEPT ACROSS THE LAND AND LESS THAN A YEAR LATER TEXAS WON ITS INDEPENDENCE TO THE BATTLE CRY, "REMEMBER THE ALAMO.
" TODAY, THE ALAMO STANDS AS A SYMBOL OF TEXAN VALOR AND EVERY MONTH ITS COURTYARDS FILL WITH HISTORICAL DISPLAYS, BRINGING THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE BACK TO LIFE.
[GUNSHOT.]
WHOO! WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE? RECRUITER: WELL, WE'RE SIGNIN' PEOPLE UP TO HELP DEFEND THE ALAMO.
YA INTERESTED IN SIGNIN' UP? ZAY HARDING: DEPENDS, WHAT'S MY INCENTIVE? RECRUITER: A LITTLE TASTE OF WHISKY EVR'DAY.
ZAY HARDING: MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART.
RECRUITER: YES, SIR.
ZAY HARDING: AH, FIRE WATER! RECRUITER: PRETTY GOOD, THOUGH, RIGHT? ZAY HARDING: YEAH.
RECRUITER: WELL COLONEL TRAVIS MAKES SURE WE GE A LITTLE PORTION OF THIS EVR' AFTERNOON.
ZAY HARDING: IS THAT RIGHT? RECRUITER: YES, SIR.
ZAY HARDING: WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? BASED ON THAT ALONE, I'M GONNA SIGN UP.
RECRUITER: WELL, COLONEL TRAVIS IS IN THE BARRACKS, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE.
ZAY HARDING: WHA KIND OF GUN IS THAT? SOLDIER: WELL, THIS IS A BRITISH BROWN BESS MUSKET.
THIS WAS THE MAIN WEAPON OF THE DAY.
YOU PUT A LITTLE OF THE GUN POWDER IN HERE TO PRIME IT.
ZAY HARDING: YUP.
SOLDIER: YOU PUT THE RES OF THE GUN POWDER IN THERE, AND MAKE SURE YOU MASH IT DOWN PRETTY GOOD.
ZAY HARDING: YOU HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY TIME YOU FIRE? SOLDIER: EVERY TIME.
AND A TRAINED SOLDIER COULD FIRE THREE ROUNDS A MINUTE, SO EVERY TWENTY SECONDS.
YOU WANNA GIVE IT A TRY? ZAY HARDING: DO YOU NEED MY HELP? SOLDIER: OF COURSE, WE COULD USE EVERYBODY WE CAN GET.
ZAY HARDING: THEN I WILL HELP YOU.
FIRE IN THE HOLE! [GUNSHOT.]
.
WHOA! SOLDIER: NOW YOU'RE PART OF THE REVOLUTION.
ZAY HARDING: WOO, YEAH! MANY WHO FOUGHT AND DIED AT THE ALAMO BECAME HEROES IN AMERICAN HISTORY, SYMBOLIZING THE BRAVERY AND INDEPENDENT SPIRIT OF, NOT JUST TEXAS, BUT THE NATION AS A WHOLE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HAVE HERE WITH ME ALAMO LEGEND AND ONE OF MY CHILDHOOD HEROES, DAVEY CROCKETT.
KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER.
DAVEY CROCKETT: WELL, IT'S GOOD TO MEET YA.
ZAY HARDING: NICE TO MEET YOU TOO.
DAVEY CROCKETT: MOST PEOPLE CALL ME COLONEL CROCKETT.
ZAY HARDING: OH, 'SCUSE ME! DAVEY CROCKETT: BUT MY FRIENDS CAN CALL ME DAVEY, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO COUN YOU AS ONE OF MY FRIENDS.
ZAY HARDING: OH, THANK YOU, DAVEY.
IT'S AN HONOR.
SO, HOW DID YOU GE TO BE SO WELL LIKED? DAVEY CROCKETT: IT REALLY GOT STARTED BACK IN TENNESSEE.
I LIVED ON THE FRONTIER AND I HAD A KNACK FOR HUNTING BEAR.
ONE SEASON, I KILLED A HUNDRED AND FIVE BEAR.
ZAY HARDING: JEEZ.
DAVEY CROCKETT THIS IS THE AGE OF THE COMMON MAN, AND I HAVE TO SAY, YOU DON'T GET MORE COMMON THAN ME.
ZAY HARDING: I KNOW YOU'RE A LIVING LEGEND RIGHT NOW, BUT DO YOU REALIZE WHA HAPPENS TO YOU IN THE ALAMO.
DAVEY CROCKETT I UNDERSTAND THAT I, THAT I DIE HERE.
ORDINARILY, THA MIGHT BOTHER A PERSON, BUT BECAUSE I WAS SO POPULAR, AND MANY PEOPLE CARED ABOUT ME, THEY BEGAN TO CARE ABOUT WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN TO TEXAS.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT TEXAS BECOMES INDEPENDENT OF MEXICO FOR TEN YEARS, AND THEN I JOINS THE UNITED STATES, BECOMES THE 28TH STATE.
AND SO, IT MAKES ME PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT.
ZAY HARDING: THREE YEARS LATER, ONCE THE U.
S.
HAD WON THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR IN 1848, THE REST OF THE SOUTHWES ALSO BECAME PART OF THE USA.
IN THE SAME YEAR GOLD WAS DISCOVERED IN CALIFORNIA.
FOR A BRIEF PERIOD, IT WAS BOOM TIME.
AT THE MARSHALL GOLD DISCOVERY STATE HISTORIC PARK IN COLOMA, CALIFORNIA, WHERE CARPENTER JAMES MARSHALL'S ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY STARTED THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH, JUSTINE SHAPIRO FINDS OUT MORE.
MAN: JUSTINE, THIS IS A REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL SAW MILL.
NOW, MARSHALL DISCOVERED GOLD WHILE BUILDING THE SAW MILL BACK IN JANUARY 24, 1848.
THAT EVENT LITERALLY CHANGED THE WORLD.
SO THIS STARTED THE GREATES MASS MIGRATION OF PEOPLE EVER.
50,000 PEOPLE A YEAR WERE COMING TO CALIFORNIA, FOR YEARS.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: WHATEVER YOU FOUND WAS YOURS.
MAN: THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
WE GOING TO AGITATE IT.
GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
BACK IN 1848, WHEN GOLD WAS FIRST DISCOVERED, THESE MINORS WERE FINDING AN OUNCE OF GOLD PER PERSON, PER DAY.
BY 1849 IT HAD DROPPED TO HALF AN OUNCE THOUGH.
BY 1850 THEY WERE DOWN TO A QUARTER OF AN OUNCE.
IT HAD CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
THERE YOU GO, YOU DID IT.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: GOLD.
I FOUND GOLD.
THAT'S GOLD? MAN: THAT'S IT.
THAT'S IT FOR SURE.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: REALLY? HOW MUCH IS A PIECE THIS WORTH? MAN: OH GOSH, A DOLLAR.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: WOW.
IT REALLY STANDS OU AGAINST THE BLACK SAND.
MAN: IT CERTAINLY DOES.
YEAH, ONCE YOU'VE SEEN GOLD, YOU ALWAYS KNOW GOLD.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: OK, I THINK I'M BITTEN.
ZAY HARDING: PROSPEROUS TOWNS LIKE CALIFORNIA'S STATE CAPITAL SACRAMENTO GREW UP AS A RESULT OF THE GOLD RUSH.
BEFORE LONG, HOWEVER, MOST OF THE GOLD RAN OUT, AND BOOM TURNED TO BUST.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: THERE WAS GOLD IN THOSE HILLS, AND BACK IN 1859 THE TOWN OF BRODY WAS BUILT ON THE PROFITS OF THE GOLD RUSH.
IN LESS THAN 20 YEARS IN BECAME THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
AND WHEN THE GOLD RAN OUT, THE TOWN DIED, AND TURNED INTO, A GHOST TOWN.
HI, I'M JUSTINE.
GREG: HI, I'M GREG, GLAD TO MEET YOU.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: GOOD TO MEET YOU.
GREG: COME WITH ME, I'LL SHOW YOU AROUND JUSTINE SHAPIRO: GREAT.
AT ITS HEIGH PEOPLE LIVED IN BRODY.
IN THE 1930'S, A GREA FIRE BURNT MUCH OF THE TOWN TO THE GROUND.
AND THIS HAS ALL BEEN LEFT THE WAY IT WAS AFTER WHAT POINT? GREG: LAST OPERATED ABOUT THE EARLY 1940'S.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: I FEEL LIKE CLEANING.
VACUUMING THE PLACE.
WHAT KIND OF SURPRISES ME, SEEING ALL THESE SPICES.
CINNAMON, ALL SPICE, CLOVES, VANILLA, SALT, MUSTARD.
MY IMPRESSION OF THE WILD WEST WAS THAT THEY WERE ALL EATING SPAM OUT OF A CAN.
WHAT DID THOSE HUNGRY MINORS EAT? GREG: STEAKS.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: YEAH, MEAT AND POTATO'S.
GREG: THIS IS ONE OF PROBABLY 65 SALOONS IN BRODY IN ITS HEYDAY.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: 65 SALOONS IN BRODY.
SO, HOW DID IT WORK? THEY WENT AND WORKED THE MINES IN THE MORNING.
GREG: RIGHT AND GOT THEIR $4 A DAY PAY AND SPEND IT ON ROULETTE GAMES OR CARD GAMES OF SOME SORT OR LADIES OF THE EVENING AND BE BROKE BY THE NEXT DAY.
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE.
JUSTINE SHAPIRO: WOMEN, ALCOHOL AND MONEY.
BRODY HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING A TOUGH, LAWLESS TOWN WITH AT LEAST ONE GUN FIGHT EVERY DAY.
THEY SAY THE FUNERAL BELL RANG CONTINUOUSLY.
ZAY HARDING: IN THE DECADES AFTER THE GOLD RUSH, THE POPULATION OF THE WILD WEST CONTINUED TO GROW RAPIDLY.
ONE WAY TO TRAVEL OUT WEST WAS ON THE BUTTERFIELD STAGECOACH, WHICH FROM 1858 TO 1861 CARRIED PASSENGERS ALL THE WAY FROM MISSOURI ON THE 3,000 MILE JOURNEY TO SAN FRANCISCO.
I'M TRAVELING PART OF THE BUTTERFIELD STAGECOACH ROUTE, NEAR EL PASO, TEXAS, WITH HISTORIAN AND WILD WES ENTHUSIAST BERNIE SERGEANT.
SO TELL ME ABOU THE BUTTERFIELD.
BERNIE: A LOT OF FOLKS WOULD TAKE THE BUTTERFIELD AND HEAD OUT WEST; THEY WERE GOING OU THERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GOLD STRIKES THA WERE TAKING PLACE AND ALL THE NEW BUSINESSES.
ZAY HARDING: I SEE.
BERNIE: SO THEY'D HOP ON THE OLD BUTTERFIELD AND THEY'D LAY DOWN $200.
ZAY HARDING: 200 BUCKS WOULD GET YOU CROSS COUNTRY? BERNIE: YEAH, IT'S ABOU $4,000 IN TODAY'S MONEY.
ZAY HARDING: OH, I SEE, RIGHT, YEAH.
BERNIE: IT'S JUST AMAZING WHA PEOPLE WOULD PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH TO GO WEST.
THEY'D HAVE PEOPLE SITTIN' ON THE FLOOR DOWN HERE.
ZAY HARDING: OH, YEAH.
BERNIE: THEY'D, THEY'D HAVE PEOPLE SITTIN' ON THE ROOF.
THEY'D HAVE PEOPLE HANGIN' ON THE BACK, AND THEY WOULD JUS BE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
NOT TO MENTION, YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN THERE WAS GOING TO BE A HIGHWAY MAN, A BANDIT, OR AN INDIAN WHO DECIDED THEY NEEDED THAT HORSE MUCH MORE THAN THE STAGECOACH NEEDED IT.
OR THEY NEEDED SOME PRETTY LITTLE PHILLY WHO WAS RIDIN' ON BOARD AND THEY WANTED A NEW WIFE.
ZAY HARDING: WERE THESE INDIANS DANGEROUS LIKE WE SEE IN THE MOVIES? WERE THEY SCALPING THE WHITE GUYS? BERNIE: YEAH, YEAH, THAT DID HAPPEN.
NOT ONLY WHITE GUYS, BUT THE FAMILY, THE WIVES AND THE CHILDREN.
DISMEMBERED, DISEMBOWELED, THE ATROCITIES WERE INCREDIBLE.
AND SO THERE WAS ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY HAD TO ENCOUNTER WHEN THEY WERE MAKING THAT 25 DAY TRIP CROSS COUNTRY.
ZAY HARDING: TWENTY-FIVE DAYS? BERNIE: TWENTY-FIVE DAYS IN THIS BEAUTIFUL AIR-CONDITIONED COACH.
SEE, YOU CAN SEE THE WIND JUST BLOWIN' THROUGH HERE.
ZAY HARDING: IS THAT YOU? BERNIE: YEAH.
DRIVER: WHOA! BERNIE: WELL ZAY, THIS IS WHERE WE GET OFF.
ZAY HARDING: ALRIGHT.
WOMAN: GODSPEED, GENTLEMEN.
ZAY HARDING: THANK YOU.
BERNIE: ZAY, I WANNA SHOW YOU SOMETHING OUT HERE.
ZAY HARDING: THE BUTTERFIELD TRAIL COVERED SOME 3000 MILES FROM START TO FINISH AND MADE LESS THAN 30 STOPS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTAN WAS HERE AT AN UNUSUAL CLUSTER OF ROCKS KNOWN AS HUECO TANKS.
HA, THIS IS AMAZING.
IT'S LIKE A GIANT MOVIE SET.
BERNIE: IT REALLY IS INCREDIBLE.
THIS, ALL THESE ROCKS COVERED WITH THE POCKMARKS, THE HOLES, IT'S CALLED HUECO TANKS FOR A REASON.
HUECO MEANING HOLE OR BOWL.
IT CONTAINED RAINWATER WHEN THE RAINS WOULD COME, WHICH ISN'T VERY OFTEN, IT'D FILL THOSE HOLES AND BECAME KIND OF AN OASIS IN THE MIDDLE OF CHIHUAHUAN DESERT.
ZAY HARDING: SURE, YEAH.
AND IT'S DRINKABLE, YEAH? BERNIE: ABSOLUTELY DRINKABLE.
THE BUTTERFIELD TRAIL IN FACT, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT CAME THROUGH HERE 'CAUSE THEY KNEW NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN THEY'D FIND SOME WATER IN SOME OF THESE HOLES IN THESE ROCKS UP HERE.
ZAY HARDING: NICE.
BERNIE: WELL ZAY, THIS IS WHA THEY CALL A NEWSPAPER CAVE.
YOU CAN SEE BY THE WRITING ON THE WALLS HERE AND THE YEARS THAT IT COVERED.
THAT'S A GOOD 150 YEARS' WORTH OF GRAFFITI.
ZAY HARDING: YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE.
BERNIE: THESE OVER HERE ARE VERY INTERESTING.
LET ME SHOW YOU THESE.
A COUPLE OF NAMES AND SOME FOLKS WITH DATES GOING BACK TO THE 1850'S: 1853, 1858, 1858.
WE'RE THINKING THAT PERHAPS A COUPLE OF THESE FOLKS LIKE PINKERTON AND BRADLEY AND SO ON MIGHTA WORKED ON THIS STAGE COACH STOP OR WERE SOME OF THE FIRST PASSENGERS TO COME THROUGH HERE AND WANTED TO LEAVE AN IDENTIFICATION FOR FUTURE TRAVELERS.
ZAY HARDING: SO THEY WOULD'VE WHAT? COME OFF THE TRAIL, COME HERE FOR SOME SHADE OR SOMETHING? BERNIE: WELL THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO GET AWAY FROM THE HEAT.
IT'S GOT WATER AVAILABLE IN THE TANKS ZAY HARDING: PROBABLY SOME FIRES, COOKIN' SOME BEANS, DRINKIN' SOME WHISKEY, AND READING THE NEWS OF WHO ELSE HAS BEEN HERE IN THE PAST.
THAT WAS REALLY NEAT.
BERNIE: YEAH I THOUGHT YOU'D ENJOY THAT.
AND ZAY I GOT A BIG TREAT FOR YA.
I WANT YOU TO RIDE SHOTGUN.
DOC, WHY DON'T YOU HAND HIM THAT PIECE WHEN HE GETS UP THERE ON THE SEAT.
ZAY HARDING: IS THIS WHERE THE TERM SHOTGUN CAME FROM? BERNIE: THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE IT CAME FROM.
MAN: HERE WE GO.
ZAY HARDING: ALRIGHT, I'M RIDING SHOTGUN.
DRIVER: [INAUDIBLE.]
STEP UP! ZAY HARDING: AS WELL AS PASSENGERS, THE BUTTERFIELD STAGECOACH ALSO CARRIED URGENT MAIL.
THE LONG, SOUTHERN ROUTE THROUGH TEXAS HAD BEEN USED AS THE TRAIL WAS SNOW-FREE AND PASSABLE ALL WINTER, BUT IN 1860 A MORE DIRECT ROUTE WAS PIONEERED, THE FAMOUS PONY EXPRESS, WHICH GREATLY REDUCED THE JOURNEY TIME TO JUST 10 DAYS.
TODAY, A RE-RIDE OF THE ENTIRE PONY EXPRESS ROUTE TAKES PLACE EVERY YEAR, USING HUNDREDS OF RIDERS.
HOLLY MORRIS IS JOINING IN TO RIDE A COUPLE OF MILES OF THE ROUTE AS I PASSES THROUGH UTAH.
HOLLY MORRIS: LESS THAN 15 YEARS AFTER THEY ARRIVED IN UTAH, MORMON PIONEERS WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE MAIL QUICKLY FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE PONY EXPRESS.
I'M ABOUT TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE PONY EXPRESS, BUT FIRST I HAVE TO MAKE A PLEDGE TO CLEAN LIVING AND HONESTY, SO ORDAINED BY THE FOUNDER, ALEXANDER MAJORS, IN 1860.
LEADER: GOOD MORNING RIDERS! RIDERS: GOOD MORNING.
LEADER: I'D LIKE TO ADMINISTER THE PONY EXPRESS OATH.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT ARM TO THE SQUARE.
I RIDERS: I.
LEADER: STATE YOUR NAME [RIDERS SAY NAMES.]
.
LEADER: DO HEREBY SWEAR BEFORE THE GREAT AND LIVING GOD.
RIDERS: DO HEREBY SWEAR BEFORE THE GREAT AND LIVING GOD.
LEADER: THAT I WILL NO QUARREL OR FIGHT RIDERS: I WILL NO QUARREL OR FIGHT.
LEADER: SO HELP ME GOD.
RIDERS: SO HELP ME GOD.
LEADER: YOU ARE SWORN IN.
THANK YOU.
HOLLY MORRIS: THANK YOU.
LEADER: YOU NEED TO KNOW THA EVERY PONY EXPRESS RIDER IN 1860 WAS ISSUED A BIBLE BY ALEXANDER MAJORS WHO WAS A RELIGIOUS MAN.
THEY WERE ISSUED A BIBLE AND A PISTOL.
THEY WERE TOLD TO USE THE BIBLE AT ALL TIMES AND THE PISTOL ONLY IN EXTREME.
HOLLY MORRIS: ALRIGHT, WELL I'M GLAD TO HAVE THE BIBLE, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE PRACTICAL ADVICE THOUGH? LEADER: PRACTICAL ADVICE? POINT THAT HORSE DOWN THE ROAD AND HE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU! HOLLY MORRIS: HERE SHE COMES, NEXT RIDERS GOING TO COME UP HAND OVER THE MAIL BAG, AND BOOM, THEN I'M OFF A COUPLE OF MILES TO CAMP FLOYD.
AS IN THE OLD DAYS, IT'S IMPORTANT WE GET THE MAIL BAG TRANSFERRED QUICKLY, BECAUSE THE NEXT RIDER IS ALREADY WAITING.
RIDER: THERE YOU GO.
HOLLY MORRIS: WHOA, OKAY, UH OKAY.
THIS WAY, THAT WAY? THIS EVENT GOES FOR 2,000 MILES AND THERE'S 500 RIDERS.
FOR RIDERS THIS WAS A REAL TEST OF ENDURANCE AND BACK THEN THERE WAS THE THREAT OF HOSTILE INDIANS AND BANDITS.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GO! THAT WAS FANTASTIC.
THE PONY EXPRESS PRETTY MUCH CAME TO AN END WITH THE INVENTION OF THE TELEGRAPH, ALL IN ALL IT ONLY LASTED NINETEEN MONTHS, BU WHAT A GREAT TRADITION.
SHOOT, I MEANT TO SEND MY MOM A POSTCARD ZAY HARDING: THE MAIN REASON THE PONY EXPRESS WAS FORCED TO CLOSE DOWN AFTER JUST 18 MONTHS IN 1861 WAS THE OUTBREAK OF THE U.
S.
CIVIL WAR.
SURPRISINGLY, IT WAS DURING THE CIVIL WAR THAT PLANS WERE MADE TO BUILD WHAT WOULD BECOME BY FAR THE MOS SIGNIFICANT TRANSPOR ROUTE ACROSS THE USA WHEN IT WAS FINALLY COMPLETED IN 1869.
IN 1861 ABRAHAM LINCOLN BECAME THE 16TH PRESIDEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
HE ASCENDED TO POWER AT A TIME OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND UNCERTAINTY, INHERITING A NATION ON THE VERGE OF CIVIL WAR.
THE SOUTH WAS THREATENING TO SUCCEED FROM THE NORTH.
THE NEED TO UNITE THE WEST TO THE EAST WAS NEVER MORE APPARENT.
RAILROADS WERE THE ANSWER.
THE MAIN OBSTACLE SEEMED TO BE AGREEING ON A ROUTE.
IN 1862, WITH THE SOUTHERN STATES DISTRACTED BY CIVIL WAR, A ROOT WAS FINALLY AGREED UPON AND THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD BILL WAS PASSED.
TWO COMPANIES WERE CONTRACTED TO COMPLETE THE MONUMENTAL TASK OF BUILDING THE 2,000 MILES OF TRACK.
THE CENTRAL PACIFIC STARTED IN CALIFORNIA AND BUILT EAST.
THE UNION PACIFIC STARTED IN IOWA AND BUILT WEST.
THE EXACT MEETING POINT, HOWEVER, WAS STILL TO BE DECIDED.
ONCE THE CIVIL WAR ENDED IN 1865, CONSTRUCTION WORK IN THE EAST COULD BEGIN.
I MEET UP WITH HISTORIAN DICK CRAIG TO FIND OUT MORE.
WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE FOR THE RAILROAD WORKERS HEADING OU WEST BUILDING ON THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD? DICK: IT WAS TERRIBLE.
THEY WERE PAID $3 A DAY WHICH WAS A GOOD SALARY BACK THEN, BUT THEY WORKED EVERY DAY FROM SUN UP TO SUN DOWN.
AND AS THEY MOVED ALONG EVERY 100 MILES, THEY WOULD STOP AND ALL OF THOSE SALOON KEEPERS AND GAMBLERS AND PIMPS AND PROSTITUTES WOULD MOVE ALONG WITH THE RAILROAD.
WHEREVER THEY STOPPED, THESE TOWNS WOULD POP UP.
THEY PUT THE TOWN ON FLA CARS AND HAULED IT TO THE NEXT END OF TRACK.
IF YOU SEE PHOTOGRAPHS OF IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A REAL TOWN.
THEY HAVE STOREFRONTS, BUT THEY'RE MOSTLY TENTS WITH FALSE FRONTS.
ZAY HARDING: TENT TOWNS.
DICK: TENT TOWNS, EXACTLY.
AND THEY COULD PUT UP A WHOLE TOWN IN LIKE TWO DAYS.
THEY BECAME KNOWN AS HELL ON WHEELS.
ZAY HARDING: IT WAS LITERALLY A TOWN ON WHEELS JUST ROLLING THROUGH SETTING UP CAMP, PARTYING FOR A WHILE, MAKING A DENT ON THE PLACE, AND MOVING ON AND ROLLING ALONG.
DICK: YEAH AND WHEN THE RAILROAD LEFT, SO DID ALL THE WORKERS AND SO DID ALL OF THE PEOPLE PREYING ON THE WORKERS.
AND SO IT KIND OF FELL BACK TO JUST BEING A TOWN.
SOME OF THEM DISAPPEARED, SOME OF THEM THRIVED.
BUT BY THE 1880'S AND 90'S I WAS STARTING TO SETTLE DOWN BECAUSE MORE WOMEN SHOWED UP AND THEY BEGAN BUILDING SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES AND I BECAME MORE OF A COMMUNITY.
ZAY HARDING: IN THE WEST, AT THE SAME TIME, THE CENTRAL PACIFIC TRACK WAS GRADUALLY BEING LAID EAST FROM CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS.
NEAR TRUCKEE IN CALIFORNIA, ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICUL SECTIONS OF THE ROUTE, I MEE UP WITH HISTORIAN PHIL SEXTON.
PHIL SEXTON: THIS IS CALLED BY MOST PEOPLE CHINA WALL.
IT WAS BUILT BY CHINESE LABOR AND IT WAS BUILT FOR A PRACTICAL PURPOSE.
ABOVE IT IS THE ROAD BED FOR THE 1865 ROUTE OF THE CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD.
IT'S REALLY ONE OF THE GREA ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENTS IN AMERICA IN THE 19TH CENTURY BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED A DRY LAID WALL.
THERE IS NO MORTAR.
THESE ARE LOCKED LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO STABLE.
ZAY HARDING: HOW DID THE CHINESE EVEN GET INVOLVED WITH THE RAILWAY? PHIL SEXTON: THERE WAS AN ACUTE LABOR SHORTAGE OF WHITE MALES IN CALIFORNIA.
A LOT OF CALIFORNIA MEN HAD GONE TO NEVADA TO SEARCH FOR SILVER.
SO, THEY NEEDED LABOR AND IN THE CITY OF AUBURN, THERE WAS A CHINESE POPULATION.
THEY RELUCTANTLY HIRED THEM AND THEY THOUGHT, "THEY REALLY CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
THEY'RE SMALLER THAN US, THEY'RE WEAKER THAN US, THEY DON' SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
" BUT THEY WERE THERE.
IT TURNED OUT THAT THE CHINESE WERE SUCH GOOD WORKERS, SUCH FABULOUS WORKERS, THA THE RAILROAD BEGAN TO SEARCH ALL OVER THIS WESTERN STATES FOR CHINESE.
THEY EVEN SENT CONTRACTORS TO GANSU PROVINCE AND BROUGHT BACK SHIPLOADS OF CHINESE.
ZAY HARDING: OH MY.
WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS LIKE? PHIL SEXTON: SOME OF THE HARDEST GRANITE IN THE WORLD IS HERE AT DONNER PASS AND THIS WAS DONE WITHOUT POWER TOOLS.
THIS WAS DOWN WITH ZAY HARDING: HOW DID THEY DO IT? PHIL SEXTON: BLACK POWDER, STEEL DRILLS TO DRILL HOLES TO FILL WITH BLACK POWDER AND BLOW IT UP.
THEN SHOVELS AND PICKS TO MUCK ALL OF THAT WASTE OU AND DUMP IT OVER THE SIDE.
FOR A SHORT TIME UP HERE, THE RAILROAD INTRODUCED THE USE OF NITROGLYCERIN.
IT'S MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN BLACK POWDER SO IT DOUBLED THEIR PROGRESS.
THEY WENT FROM 8 TO 12 INCHES A DAY, TO 24 TO 32 INCHES A DAY.
ZAY HARDING: THEY WERE JUST GOING INCHES A DAY? PHIL SEXTON: INCHES A DAY.
ZAY HARDING: THIS WHOLE PROCESS TOOK HOW MANY YEARS? PHIL SEXTON: NEARLY TWO YEARS.
1,654 FEET ON FOUR FACES NEARLY TWO YEARS.
WINTER AND SUMMER WORKING ESSENTIALLY 24 HOURS A DAY.
ZAY HARDING: JUS FOR ONE TUNNEL? PHIL SEXTON: JUS FOR ONE TUNNEL.
ZAY HARDING: WOW, WAS IT DANGEROUS? PHIL SEXTON: IT'S AN AVALANCHE ZONE.
THERE'S HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF TONS OF SNOW AND FEROCIOUS WINDS.
WE KNOW DOCUMENTED STORIES OF ENTIRE BARRACKS BUILDINGS BEING SWEPT OFF THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN BURIED IN SNOW TO WHERE THE BODY RECOVERIES COULD NOT BE DONE UNTIL THE SNOW MELTED IN SPRING.
ONE OF THEM WROTE, "GENTLEMEN, YOU NEED TO WORK AS IF HEAVEN IS BEFORE YOU AND HELL IS BEHIND YOU.
" ZAY HARDING: AFTER YEARS OF HARD LABOR, THE WESTERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD FINALLY MET IN UTAH, AT A PLACE CALLED PROMONTORY SUMMIT, ON MAY 10TH 1869.
IN 1869, THE LAS PIECE OF TRACK, A GOLDEN SPIKE, WAS DRIVEN HOME BY A SILVER HAMMER TO COMPLETE THE LINE AND CEMENT THIS MONUMENTAL POIN IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
WHAT AN ENORMOUS ACHIEVEMENT THIS WAS.
FOR EVERY MILE, I WOULD TAKE 350 RAILS, 10,000 SPIKES, AND 2,500 WOODEN TIES.
BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS WENT INTO LAYING THESE RAILS.
AND THE RESULT WAS TO MODERNIZE AMERICA AND CONNECT THE NATION.
THE COMPLETION OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD MAY HAVE BEEN A TRIUMPH FOR USA, BUT IT WAS A DISASTER FOR THE COUNTRY'S NATIVE AMERICANS.
AS THE FLOW OF SETTLERS TO THE WEST NOW BECAME A FLOOD.
ON THE GREAT PLAINS, I MEET WITH BEN SHERMAN, A MEMBER OF THE LAKOTA TRIBE.
ALL THESE PLAINS, BEFORE THE RAILROADS CAME THROUGH, WERE JUST COVERED WITH MILLIONS OF BUFFALOES.
IS THAT RIGHT? BEN SHERMAN: YES, THE ESTIMATES ARE PERHAPS 60 MILLION.
ZAY HARDING: 60 MILLION? BEN SHERMAN: THIS IS THROUGH THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES, THE CENTRAL PLAINS, AND UP INTO CANADA.
ZAY HARDING: HOW IMPORTAN WERE THE BUFFALO TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES THAT WERE LIVING HERE? BEN SHERMAN: THE BUFFALO WERE EVERYTHING.
THE BUFFALO PROVIDED FOOD AND SHELTER.
THE BUFFALO'S ALSO AT THE CENTER OF A LOT OF SPIRITUAL CEREMONIES TOO.
A GREAT DEAL OF KINSHIP TO THE BUFFALO SO THE PEOPLE DEPENDED ON THE BUFFALO JUST FOR SURVIVAL.
ZAY HARDING: THERE'S STORIES OF PEOPLE JUS SHOOTING BUFFALO OFF THE TRAIN FOR GAME.
BEN SHERMAN: YES, AND OF COURSE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILROADS REQUIRED A LO OF FOOD FOR ALL THE WORKERS.
YOU MAY KNOW OF BUFFALO BILL.
HE WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO HELPED SUPPLY MEAT TO THE RAILROAD WORKERS.
THEN THE PEOPLE WHO RODE THE TRAINS OUT, THEY SHOT THE BUFFALO JUST FOR SPORT LEAVING THE CARCASSES OUT HERE TO ROT.
THEY KILLED THEM FOR NO REASON.
JUST FOR THE FUN OF KILLING THE BUFFALO.
I WOULD IMAGINE A THAT TIME AFTER THE RAILROADS CAME THROUGH, THERE WERE NO BUFFALO HERE IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
ZAY HARDING: HOW DID THE NATIVE AMERICANS REACT TO THE RAILROADS JUST TOTALLY TAKING OVER THEIR LAND? BEN SHERMAN: THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAD TO DO SOMETHING AND IT BECAME ALL OU WAR EVENTUALLY.
THE TRIBAL NATIONS ATTEMPTED TO STOP CONSTRUCTION A VARIOUS NUMBER OF WAYS, THAT INCLUDED ATTACKING THE SURVEYORS.
WE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING OUT HERE.
THEY WERE PLOTTING THE LAND WHERE THEY WANTED THE RAILROAD TO GO.
CUTTING TELEGRAPH WIRES, PERHAPS ATTACKING A TRAIN HERE AND THERE.
IN TWO OR THREE CASES, ACTUALLY, CAUSING DERAILMEN OF TRAIN CARS.
ZAY HARDING: DO YOU THINK THE U.
S.
GOVERNMEN SAW THE RAILROADS AS A MEANS TO SOLVE THE INDIAN PROBLEM? BEN SHERMAN: THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ADJECTIVES OR SUPERLATIVES TO DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF WHAT HAPPENED TO NATIVE AMERICANS.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROMOTING THE RAILROAD, THE INDUSTRIALISTS, THE POLITICIANS, THE SPECULATORS, THEY WANTED PEOPLE OUT HERE.
AND SO, WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO IT THAN TO CLEAR THE NATIVE AMERICANS OUT AND MAKE THE LAND AVAILABLE FOR FARMING.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE RAILROAD HELPED THE GOVERNMEN AND THE SPECULATORS DO.
THERE WAS NO OTHER PLACE TO MOVE THE NATIVE AMERICANS TO SO WHAT TO DO WITH THEM? PUT THEM ON RESERVATIONS, KILL THEM OFF, ALL THOSE KINDS OF OPTIONS WERE TAKEN.
ZAY HARDING: DO YOU THINK WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NATIVE AMERICANS IS EVER FORGIVABLE? BEN SHERMAN: I'LL TURN THA BACK TO YOU AND ASK YOU IF GENOCIDE IS EVER FORGIVABLE.
100 YEARS LATER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE.
WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST.
IN THE UNITED STATES PERHAPS 10 MILLION NATIVE AMERICANS WERE LOST.
TO ME, THAT QUALIFIES AS GENOCIDE AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY FORGIVENESS FOR GENOCIDE.
ZAY HARDING: THE EXPULSION OF NATIVE AMERICANS FROM THE SOUTH EASTERN U.
S.
BACK IN THE 1830S, A FORCED MARCH ALONG THE SO-CALLED TRAIL OF TEARS, HAD BEEN JUST A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME.
IN THE 1860S AND 1870S A SERIES OF BATTLES WERE FOUGH ALL ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS, AFTER WHICH NATIVE AMERICANS WERE HERDED ONTO A FEW SCATTERED RESERVATIONS, LOCATED ON SOME OF THE WORST AND MOST UNDESIRABLE LAND.
WITH THE NATIVE AMERICANS DEFEATED, AND THE BUFFALO EXTERMINATED, THE GREAT PLAINS WERE NOW FREE TO BE GRAZED BY HUGE HERDS OF CATTLE.
THE WEST HAD BEEN WON, AND WAS NOW COWBOY COUNTRY.
VERY RARELY, THE NATIVE AMERICANS WON A FLEETING VICTORY.
IAN WRIGHT HEADS TO THE LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD IN MONTANA, THE SITE OF CUSTER'S FAMOUS LAST STAND IN 1876 BUT FIRST, HOLLY MORRIS VISITS WASHITA IN OKLAHOMA, WHERE CUSTER'S 7TH U.
S.
CAVALRY WENT INTO ACTION A FEW YEARS EARLIER.
LAWRENCE: THERE'S THE BATTLEFIELD, RIGHT THERE! HOLLY MORRIS: JUST OVER THIS KNOLL? LAWRENCE: THAT'S IT! HOLLY MORRIS: LAWRENCE IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS SIGHT.
HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER SURVIVED THE BATTLE.
IN YOUR MIND WHY SHOULD THE PEOPLE KNOW ABOU THIS BATTLE TODAY? LAWRENCE: BECAUSE ONLY ONE VIEW HAS BEEN EXPRESSED AND THE WORD BATTLE TELLS IT.
IT'S A BATTLE FROM THE MILITARY STANDPOINT BUT I WAS A MASSACRE FROM THE CHEYENNE STANDPOINT.
THE CHARGE CAME FROM THOSE HILLS.
THERE WAS INDISCRIMINATE SHOOTING WOMEN, CHILDREN WERE KILLED AS WELL AS THE ELDERS.
HOLLY MORRIS: WAS BLACK KETTLE KILLED IN THAT? LAWRENCE: BLACK KETTLE WAS KILLED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
HE WAS THE ONE THAT FIRED A WARNING SHOT INTO THE AIR.
HE DIDN'T FIRE AT THE TROOPS, HE COULDN'T, BECAUSE HE WAS A PEACE CHIEF.
IAN WRIGHT: I HEADED FOR THE CROW RESERVATION IN MONTANA TO SEE THE LITTLE BIG HORN BATTLEFIELD, THE SITE OF CUSTER'S LAST STAND.
IN 1876 GENERAL CUSTER AND HIS CAVALRY WERE MASSACRED BY 2,000 SIOUX WARRIORS, DEFENDING THEIR TERRITORY FROM THE GOLD HUNGRY WHITES.
GERALD BAKER IS A PARK RANGER WHOSE FAMILY HAS LIVED ON THIS LAND FOR GENERATIONS.
GERALD: WE ARE ABOUT READY TO CLOSE.
IAN WRIGHT: ARE YOU? RIGHT, I'M OFF SOON.
I'D THOUGHT I'D CHECK IT OUT.
IS THIS WHERE ALL THE BATTLE WAS? GERALD: THE BATTLE ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE, AH, THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY IS ACTUALLY THIS RIDGE OVER HERE AND THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY IS BEYOND THOSE HILLS IN THE BACK OF US.
THE MAJORITY OF THE FIGHTING WITH GEORGE CUSTER AND HIS SEVENTH CAVALRY WHERE THEY GOT KILLED IS RIGHT THROUGH THIS LOCATION.
YOU CAN SEE THE STONE MARKERS WHERE THE PEOPLE FELL AND SOLDIERS FELL.
THEY ALWAYS SAY THE END OF THE BATTLE TOOK PLACE ON TOP OF THE HILL WHICH IS A REAL GOOD PLACE FOR THE HERO TO BE AT.
IN FACT SOME OF THE INDIANS TRIBES THAT FOUGHT HERE, SOME OF THEIR ORAL TRADITIONS SAY THAT GEORGE CUSTER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO GO, ONE OF THE FIRST ONES TO GE KILLED AND HE WASN'T THE LAST ONE WITH BLAZING GUNS AND THIS TYPE OF THING.
IAN WRIGHT: HOW MANY DID THEY LOSE THEN, THE 7TH CAVALRY? GERALD: 227 WERE KILLED WITH THIS, THERE WAS ALSO SOME LOS OVER IN ANOTHER BATTLE.
UM AND SO THERE WAS UM UP TO ALMOST 300 PEOPLE DIED.
INDIANS DESCRIBED IT AS THE BATTLE LASTING AS LONG AS IT TAKES A HUNGRY MAN TO EAT HIS DINNER.
THAT'S HOW LONG IT TOOK.
IAN WRIGHT: THREE MINUTES.
GERALD: IN MY CASE ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF.
SO IT WAS PRETTY FAST.
IAN WRIGHT: DID THIS SIGNIFY LIKE HOW THE WEST WAS WON DO YOU THINK? GERALD: WHAT THIS BATTLES SIGNIFIES TO A LOT OF TRIBES AND TO A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS IS A CHANGE OF LIFE.
YOU KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME HERE HAVE NO IDEA THAT INDIANS ARE STILL LIVING IN RESERVATIONS.
THAT FOR EXAMPLE, NOW I GREW UP ON A RESERVATION WITH NO WATER, NO BATHROOM AND WE HAD OUTSIDE JOHNS AND THIS KIND OF STUFF AND PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT, THAT IS STILL HAPPENING TODAY.
ZAY HARDING: JUST A MONTH AFTER THE LITTLE BIGHORN, ANOTHER FAMOUS WILD WEST SHOOTOUT TOOK PLACE NOT FAR AWAY, IN SOUTH DAKOTA.
AS NATIVE AMERICANS WERE DRIVEN OFF THEIR LANDS, ALL ACROSS THE NEW FRONTIER TOWNSHIPS SPRANG UP WHERE THE LAW WAS THE LAW OF THE GUN.
DEADWOOD, IN PARTICULAR, FOUNDED AFTER GOLD HAD BEEN DISCOVERED NEARBY DURING AN EXPEDITION LED BY CUSTER HIMSELF, SOON BECAME HOME TO LEGENDARY GUNSLINGERS CALAMITY JANE AND WILD BILL HICKOK.
IAN WRIGHT: I THOUGH I'D TRY MY LUCK AT THE OLD STYLE SALOON.
IF IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE LIKES OF WILD BILL HICKOCK, IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
MIND IF I CROUPIER: STRAIGH HIGH STUD POKER.
PLAYER: SIT DOWN, IT'S A FRIENDLY GAME.
IAN WRIGHT: IT DOESN' LOOK TOO FRIENDLY CROUPIER: RIGHT, YOU ARE GOING TO GET TWO CARDS DOWN, FOUR UP, ONE DOWN.
THAT MAKES FIVE TO TWENTY FIVE.
THREE RAISES IS OUT, CHECK-IN RAISE IS ALLOWED.
THERE IS NO ANTE, BU THE LOW CARD ON THIRD STREE HAS TO BET AT LEAST $5.
IAN WRIGHT: THERE IS NO ANTE, WHAT'S THAT? CROUPIER: ANTE IS LIKE WHEN EVERYONE HAS TO PUT IN MONEY BEFORE YOU GET ANY CARDS.
IAN WRIGHT: RIGHT, OKAY.
CAN I? CROUPIER: THERE YOU GO.
IAN WRIGHT: RIGHT, OKAY.
I WAS GOING FOR THE MAXIMUM STAKE, $5.
[DEALER INAUDIBLE.]
SO ARE THERE ANY LEGENDS HERE THEN? ANY BAD BOYS AROUND? PLAYER 2: THE LEGEND OF WILD BILL HICKOCK.
IAN WRIGHT: WHO'S HE THEN? PLAYER 2: HE WAS A GAMBLER, GUN FIGHTER, SCOUT FOR THE ARMY.
IAN WRIGHT: WHAT DID WILD BILL GET UP TO THEN? PLAYER 2: WELL, HE LIKED TO PLAY CARDS.
IAN WRIGHT: DID HE? PLAYER 2: YEAH, HE CAME IN HERE ONE AFTERNOON IAN WRIGHT: IN HERE? PLAYER 2: YEP, CAME IN HERE AND HE SAT DOWN AND A GUY BY THE NAME OF JACK MCCAUCHIN CAME IN THE DOOR.
WILD BILL GOT UP RIGH AWAY AND DREW HIS GUN.
WHEN HE SAW WHO IT WAS, HE SAID HELLO TO JACK AND PUT HIS GUN BACK IN HIS HOLSTER AND SAT DOWN.
WELL THEN JACK WALKED AROUND THE TABLE TOOK A LOOK AT EACH HAND AS HE WENT AND HE CAME TO A STOP BEHIND WILD BILL, DREW HIS GUN AND SHO HIM IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.
IAN WRIGHT: WHILE HE WAS SITTING DOWN PLAYING CARDS? PLAYER 2: WHILE HE WAS SITTING DOWN PLAYING CARDS.
IAN WRIGHT: WAS HE AT HIS TABLE? PLAYER 2: MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
IAN WRIGHT: A PAIR OF SEVENS DOESN'T REALLY DO IT.
OH YOU GUYS ARE TOO GOOD FOR ME.
[GUNSHOTS.]
.
THIS GAME IS GETTING A BIT TOO HAIRY FOR ME.
RIGHT, CHEERS FOR THE GAME GENTS.
ZAY HARDING: ACCORDING TO LEGEND, THE CARDS WILD BILL HICKOK WAS HOLDING WHEN HE WAS SHOT WERE TWO PAIRS OF BLACK ACES AND EIGHTS, STILL KNOWN TODAY AS A "DEAD MAN'S HAND.
" ONE PLACE IN THE U.
S.
WHERE SUCH A DEADLY POKER GAME IS UNLIKELY TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE WAS UTAH, WHERE GAMBLING HAS BEEN ILLEGAL EVER SINCE THE STATE WAS SETTLED BY THE MORMONS.
HOLLY MORRIS VISITS CIRCLEVILLE, UTAH, TO CHECK OU THE BACKGROUND OF ONE OF THE WILD WEST'S MORE SURPRISING OUTLAWS.
HOLLY MORRIS: MORMONS PRIDE THEMSELVES ON BEING A LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE, SO IT'S IRONIC THAT THE NOTORIOUS WILD WEST OUTLAW BUTCH CASSIDY, IMMORTALIZED IN THE MOVIE "BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID," WAS ONE OF THEIR MOST FAMOUS MEMBERS.
BUTCH CASSIDY WAS BORN GEORGE LEROY PARKER IN 1866.
HE WAS A GOOD MORMON BOY, UNTIL SOMETHING WENT SOUTH AND HE LIVED HERE IN THIS CABIN.
I'M MEETING A RELATIVE OF HIS HERE, A GUY NAMED BILL BETINSON.
[KNOCKS.]
.
BILL? BILL: YES? HOLLY MORRIS: HI.
BILL: HI.
HOLLY MORRIS: I'M HOLLY.
BILL: I'M BILL.
HOLLY MORRIS: THANKS FOR MEETING ME HERE.
BILL: COME ON IN.
HOLLY MORRIS: OKAY, OH MY GOD THIS IS COOL! BILL: THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT LEFT BUT IT'S HOLLY MORRIS: IT'S SMALL, WEREN'T THOSE MORMON FAMILIES BIG? BILL: WELL, BUTCH CAME FROM A REALLY HUGE FAMILY, THERE WAS THIRTEEN CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY.
HOLLY MORRIS: ALL IN THIS CABIN? BILL: YES, THEY WERE SPREAD OUT BY A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO THEY WEREN'T HERE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
HOLLY MORRIS: HOW EXACTLY ARE YOU RELATED TO HIM? BILL: I'M ACTUALLY THE GREAT GREAT NEPHEW TO BUTCH, HIS REAL NAME WAS ROBERT LEROY PARKER, AND MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS A YOUNGER SISTER AND HER NAME WAS LULA PARKER BETINSON.
HOLLY MORRIS: YOU'VE GOT SOME STRONG BUTCH BLOOD IN YOU, HUH? I MEAN BILL: WELL I TRY TO OBEY THE LAW.
HOLLY MORRIS: YEAH, YEAH, OF COURSE.
SO HOW DOES ONE GO FROM BEING A HUMBLE FARM BOY TO BEING BUTCH CASSIDY? BILL: HE KIND OF STARTED RUNNING WITH THE WRONG CROWD AND MADE SOME BAD DECISIONS AND THEN HE HAD TO LEAVE THE AREA BECAUSE HE WAS WANTED FOR, THEY THOUGHT, FOR SOME STOLEN CATTLE.
HOLLY MORRIS: WHOA, GOT SNAKES AROUND HERE? BILL: NO SNAKES, BUT THA WAS A LITTLE MOUSE THERE.
HOLLY MORRIS: BUTCH CASSIDY WAS RENOWNED FOR ROBBING BANKS AND TRAINS WITH THE WILD BUNCH GANG THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHWEST.
HE FLED TO SOUTH AMERICA WITH HIS PARTNER SUNDANCE IN 1901, WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSEDLY KILLED IN A SHOOTOUT.
BILL: THESE OLD TREES ARE POPLAR TREES THAT HE HELPED HIS MOTHER PLANT AS A BOY.
HIS MOTHER HAD BROUGHT HIM UP TO BE A CHRISTIAN LAW-ABIDING PERSON AND HE CHOSE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE AND THA KIND OF BROKE HER HEART.
HOLLY MORRIS: AND WHAT'S THE FEELING NOW, THERE SEEMS TO BE A GENTLENESS ABOUT HIS LEGEND? BILL: WELL, WHAT SORT OF SETS HIM APART IS HE WASN'T THE TYPICAL BAD GUY THAT KILLED PEOPLE, HE WAS KNOWN TO NEVER HAVE KILLED ANYBODY HOLLY MORRIS: REALLY? BILL: YES, AND HE HELPED OUT PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY.
HOLLY MORRIS: HAD A LITTLE BIT OF ROBIN HOOD IN HIM.
BILL: HAD A LITTLE BIT OF ROBIN HOOD, YEAH.
I MEAN THERE'S STORIES OF HIM PAYING OFF THE MORTGAGES FOR WIDOWS AND HOLLY MORRIS: BU NOT WIDOWS HE WIDOWED, BECAUSE HE DIDN' KILL ANYONE, RIGHT? BILL: RIGHT.
ZAY HARDING: THE PLACE IN SOUTH AMERICA WHERE BUTCH AND SUNDANCE WEN INTO HIDING IN 1901 WAS EXTREMELY REMOTE CHOLILA, IN PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA.
I'VE MADE THE LONG JOURNEY THERE MYSELF TO VISIT THEIR HIDEOUT.
YOU CAN SEE WHY THEY CHOSE TO HIDE OUT HERE IN CHOLILA.
THE LAKES AND MOUNTAINS REALLY DO RESEMBLE UTAH.
THEY WOULD HAVE FELT RIGHT AT HOME.
ON THEIR 15,000 ACRE RANCH THEY REARED CATTLE AND SOON BECAME PART OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
HISTORIAN JUAN MOTOMALA IS AN EXPERT ON THEIR TIME IN ARGENTINA.
JUAN: THIS IS THE ORIGINAL HOUSE THAT BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID BUILT IN CHOLILA IN 1901.
THEY ESTABLISHED A FARMING COMMUNITY WITH LOTS OF LAND AND NOBODY KNEW THEIR PAST.
THEY CHANGED THEIR NAMES.
THEY WEREN'T BUTCH OR SUNDANCE THEY WERE ENRIQUE PLACE AND JAMES RYAN.
IN THIS WAY NOBODY KNEW THEM.
ZAY HARDING: BUT AFTER FIVE YEARS THEY WERE TRACKED DOWN.
JUAN: THEY SOLD UP EVERYTHING AND FLED TO CHILE AND THEN TO BOLIVIA.
WHERE THEY DIED, PEOPLE SAY THEY DIED.
ZAY HARDING: SO WHO ARE THEY TO YOU? WE'RE THEY HONEST MEN OR WERE THEY OUTLAW CRIMINALS? JUAN: THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC PERSONALITY.
THEY'VE NEVER KILLED ANYONE.
SO THEY ROBBED WITH GOOD METHODS AND DID IT WITH A SMILE BUT THE MONEY THAT THEY STOLE.
IT'S NOT TRUE THEY STOLE FROM THE RICH TO GIVE TO THE POOR.
AND THIS IS THE REASON THEY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY.
ZAY HARDING: BY THE TIME THA BUTCH AND SUNDANCE WERE KILLED IN A SHOOTOUT IN BOLIVIA, MOST OF THE WILD WEST ITSELF WAS NEARING THE END OF ITS DAYS, BECOMING TAMED.
THE REMOTEST PARTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, HOWEVER, STILL REMAINED SUBSTANTIALLY UNEXPLORED, THE WILD WEST'S FINAL FRONTIER.
TRANSFORMED BY THE GREAT KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH, I'M VISITING DAWSON CITY IN THE YUKON.
NOW A TOWN OF AROUND 1,800 PEOPLE, DURING THE GOLD RUSH YEARS DAWSON CITY WAS THE LARGES CITY NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO, WITH THE POPULATION REACHING 35,000.
DURING THE SIX YEARS OF THE GOLD RUSH THEY ESTIMATED ABOU A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF GOLD WAS EXCAVATED FROM AROUND HERE.
WELL, THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN.
IN 1896, THREE GUYS CAME HERE TO GO FISHING.
ONE OF EM SAW A GOLD NUGGE AND AS THEY LOOKED CLOSER THERE WAS SO MUCH GOLD HE SCREAMED OUT "BONANZA.
" WORD GOT OUT, THE GOLD RUSH STARTED AND THIS HAS BEEN CALLED BONANZA CREEK EVER SINCE.
WORD QUICKLY SPREAD AND JUST A YEAR LATER PROSPECTORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WERE HEADING STRAIGHT FOR DAWSON CITY IN SEARCH OF FAME AND FORTUNE.
IT WAS A TOUGH JOURNEY, OVER HIGH MOUNTAIN PASSES AND MANY PEOPLE DIED TRYING TO GET HERE.
AS IF THE MOUNTAIN RANGES WEREN'T ENOUGH, ONCE THEY GOT HERE THEY STILL HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS MIGHTY YUKON RIVER.
A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE STARTED OUT TO THE GOLD RUSH.
40,000 OF THOSE MADE IT HERE, AND ONLY ABOUT A HANDFUL STRUCK IT RICH.
THE GOLD RUSH ENDED IN THE EARLY 1900's, NOT BECAUSE THE GOLD RAN OUT, BUT BECAUSE ALL THE MOST EASILY ACCESSIBLE GOLD WAS ALREADY GONE.
TODAY PEOPLE ARE STILL MINING IN DAWSON CITY.
UP HERE THE GOLD IS LOOSE IN THE DIRT, NOT EMBEDDED IN ROCKS.
DAVE MILLER, SECOND GENERATION GOLD MINER IS SHOWING ME HOW TO SEPARATE THE GOLD FROM THE DIRT USING ONLY WATER.
DAVE: YOU CAN SEE HOW THE WHOLE TABLE IS SHAKING A LITTLE BIT.
ZAY HARDING: YEAH.
DAVE: THAT SORT OF SIMULATES A PANNING ACTION OKAY.
TO GET THE OBJECT IS TO GET THE GOLD IN OUR HANDS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
AS YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SOME GOLD EH? WE HAVE GOLD AND WE HAVE LINARITE.
ZAY HARDING: LOOK HOW TINY IS THIS.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GETTING EXCITED ABOUT FOLKS AND LOOK HOW TINY THAT IS.
THERE'S ALL THESE HUGE ROCKS, ALL THIS WORK, FOR SPECKS THIS BIG, THIS IS AMAZING TO ME.
AND THEN I MET SIMON MASON-WOOD WHO WEIGHS AND MELTS THE GOLD INTO BRICKS.
SIMON WALK ME THROUGH THIS, WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE? SIMON: WELL I'M MELTING DOWN RAW GOLD WHICH YOU SEE HERE AND IT'S TO GET THE IMPURITIES OUT OF IT, THE BLACK SAND, THE QUARTZ SPECKS YOU CAN SEE IN THE GOLD, AND TURN IT INTO A BAR FORM.
ZAY HARDING: YOU CAN SEE THE GOLD COMING OUT.
AND ALL THAT IS WORTH ABOUT 100,000? SIMON: WELL THA PARTICULAR ONE IS ABOUT, A LITTLE OVER $40,000.
ZAY HARDING: WOW.
SIMON: OKAY, HERE IT IS, FINISHED PRODUCT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED HERE.
ZAY HARDING: SOLID GOLD.
BONANZA.
SEE YA.
TODAY, ALTHOUGH PROSPECTORS ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR GOLD OUT HERE ON THE WILD WEST'S FINAL FRONTIER, FOR MOST PEOPLE THE WILD WEST LIVES ON ONLY AS ENTERTAINMENT EITHER AT THE MOVIES, OR BES OF ALL AT PROFESSIONAL RODEOS, WHICH SHOWCASE COWBOYS' GREATEST SKILLS.
PROVIDING A SPECTACULAR END TO OUR JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION ACROSS THE HISTORIC WILD WEST, I'M AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND BEST RODEOS, THE CALGARY STAMPEDE, WHICH HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING HUGE CROWDS EVERY YEAR SINCE 1912.
THE MAIN EVENTS OF THE STAMPEDE TAKE PLACE IN THE GRANDSTAND ARENA, BULL RIDING, CHUCK WAGON RACING, STEER WRESTLING, BRONCO RIDING AND EVEN THE KIDS GE INVOLVED, THEY'RE CALLED MUTTON BUSTERS.
KIRK MOORE IS EXPLAINING SOME OF RODEO'S FINER POINTS TO ME.
SO WHAT ARE WE WATCHING HERE KIRK? KIRK: WELL, WE'RE WATCHING STEER WRESTLING, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BULLDOGGING IN THE OLD DAYS.
AND YOUR COWBOY ON ONE SIDE HE'S GOING TO GET IN THE BOX BACK THERE, HE'S GOING TO NOD HIS HEAD, THEY'RE GOING TO RELEASE THE STEER OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE CHUTE AND HE'S GOING TO GO CHASE IT.
THAT WAS A GOOD ONE; IT'S A TRICKY LITTLE SPORT, I HEARD ONE FELLA SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON SOMEBODY WHO HADN'T SEEN IT BEFORE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE HANGING OUT YOUR CAR WINDOW, GO FORTY MILES AN HOUR AND THEN JUS GRAB THE NEXT MAILBOX YOU SEE.
ZAY HARDING: THE MOST FAMOUS EVENT OF THE RODEO ARE THE CHUCK WAGON RACES, THEY STARTED HERE, AND THE ONES IN CALGARY ARE THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
CHUCK WAGONS LIKE THESE HELPED COWBOYS LIVE THEIR LIFE ON THE RANGE, CARRYING COOK STOVES, FOOD AND TENTS.
EACH CHUCK WAGON HAS FOUR OUTRIDERS, WHOSE JOB ONCE THE RACE STARTS IS TO THROW THE CAMP STUFF INTO THE WAGON.
THE WAGONS AND HORSES DO A FIGURE OF EIGHT, THEY JUMP ONTO THEIR MOVING HORSES FROM THE GROUND, AND THEN OFF THEY GO AROUND THE TRACK.
THE RACES ARE REALLY ENTERTAINING, BUT CERTAINLY DON'T REFLEC HOW THE WILD WEST'S PIONEERS IN THE PAST ACTUALLY DROVE THEIR WAGONS UNLESS THAT IS THEY WERE BEING CHASED PERHAPS BY HOSTILE INDIANS! ALMOST AS SOON AS THE DAYS OF THE WILD WEST WERE OVER, HOLLYWOOD EMBRACED ITS FANTASTIC LEGENDS AND TO THIS DAY EMBELLISHES THEM TO TELL AN EVEN BETTER STORY.
WE ALL LOVE A GOOD WESTERN, RIGHT? AND FANCY PLAYING THE HERO.
JOHN WAYNE, MOVE OUT OF MY WAY! MAN: ALRIGHT YOU TWO, WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE? OUTLAW: YOU DON' GIVE US MUCH OF A CHOICE.
OUTLAW 2: I DON'T RECKON WE'LL GIVE YOU MUCH OF A CHANCE! ZAY HARDING: TIME TO CLEAN UP THIS TOWN! [GUNSHOTS.]
.
NARRATOR: STAY TUNED FOR A SPECIAL "GLOBE TREKKER" EXTRA.
ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY, SUBARU.
WOMAN: AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK.
WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE.
FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU, A PROUD SPONSOR OF GLOBE TREKKER.
MAN: YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOU THIS SERIES ON OUR WEBSITE.
PROGRAMS FROM THE GLOBE TREKKER SERIES ARE AVAILABLE ON DVD AND NOW ON DEMAND FROM GLOBETREKKER.
TV.
MUSIC FROM THE SERIES IS AVAILABLE ON CD, YOU CAN ALSO ORDER THE NEW GLOBE TREKKER ANNUAL FEATURING INFORMATION ON FESTIVALS, EVENTS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
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GLOBETREKKERTV.
COM ZAY HARDING: I MEET UP WITH ROSANO BOSCARINO WHO'S GONNA GUIDE ME THROUGH CAMUY'S COMPLEX UNDERGROUND NETWORK OF RIVER CAVES.
ROSANO: WE HAVE ALL THESE ALL THESE STREAMS COMING TOGETHER.
WE COME IN THROUGH [INAUDIBLE.]
3 RIVERS, THEY JOIN AND THIS IS THE LIMESTONE.
THIS IS WHERE THEY SINK AS A SINKING RIVER.
SO, WHEN IT RAINS UP HERE OR STORMS, THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS.
FLASH FLOODS OCCUR IN, LIKE, ONE FOOT PER MINUTE.
ZAY HARDING: THEY ONLY COME IN THE AFTERNOON? ROSANO: USUALLY FROM 3:00 UP, BUT WEATHER PATTERNS ARE CHANGING.
WE'VE HAD A FEW EARLIER ONES, SO WE HAVE TO ASSUME THE WORST.
ZAY HARDING: THE FEAR OF GETTING CAUGHT BY AFTERNOON RAIN MEANS WE CANT DELAY.
BUT EVEN SO, I NEED TO REPEL DOWN INTO THE 250 FOOT DEEP SINKHOLE THAT LEADS TO THE RIO ANGELES.
ROSANO GIVES ME A QUICK RUN-DOWN.
ROSANO: THIS IS THE REPEL RACK.
WITH THIS WE CREATE FRICTION SO WE CAN GO DOWN SAFELY, NOT FALL.
WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING DOWN 250 FEET! THAT'S LIKE A 25 STORY BUILDING.
ONLY THREE STEPS, THA MEANS THIS IS SO EASY! EVEN A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT.
THE FIRST ONE IS, GET INTO POSITION, WHICH CONSISTS OF SPREADING YOUR LEGS, LAY BACK AND HAVE FUN.
SO, YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE AWAY FROM THE WALL, YOU CAN SEE WHERE TO PUT YOUR FEET.
SEE? NOW YOU NEED TO GET PERPENDICULAR TO THE WALL, OKAY? DON'T GET TOO PERPENDICULAR, LIKE 90 DEGREES, LIKE, "OH, MY GOD!" LEAN FORWARD AND YOU'RE GONNA GET IN THE SHAPE OF AN "L.
" OKAY, SECOND STEP AND THIRD STEP WILL BE NATURAL BECAUSE AT THE BEGINNING, IT'S LIKE, "DO I PUSH, DO I PULL, DO I LOWER, DO I SQUEEZE?" "OH, MY GOD, I'M GETTING CONFUSED!" JUST DO IT, IT WILL HAPPEN.
ZAY HARDING: TIMES MOVING ON AND WE NEED TO HEAD UNDERGROUND.
TO GET TO THE TOP OF THE SINKHOLE LEADING INTO THE ABYSS, WE HAVE TO CROSS BY ZIP-LINE.
HERE I GO! WHOA! WHOO-HOO, DON'T LOOK! [LAUGHING.]
.
AH! [HIGH PITCHED VOICE.]
.
I'M GONNA TALK LIKE MICKEY ALL DAY NOW! [REGULAR VOICE.]
.
THAT WAS THE EASY BIT.
THE 250 FOOT DECENT TO COME IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
OH, MY GOSH.
THIS IS NUTS.
UH, MY HEART RATE IS GOING CRAZY.
I'M SWEATING, SHORTNESS OF BREATH I'M, I'M ACTUALLY A LO MORE SCARED THAN I THOUGH I WAS GONNA BE.
THIS IS NO JOKE.
WHOO-HOO-HOO, AH, THIS IS GORGEOUS.
THAT'S AN ADVENTURE.
[LAUGHS.]
.
MAN, I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA PASS OUT! STARTED TO GE LIGHT-HEADED HALFWAY THROUGH.
MY LEGS ARE NUMB.
AH! SO HOW DID I DO? ROSARO: OH, PRETTY GOOD, PRETTY GOOD.
YOU WERE FIGHTING GRAVITY.
ZAY HARDING: I WAS FIGHTING GRAVITY.
ROSARO: I SAW YOU, AT ONE POINT, YOU HAD LIKE THE DEATH GRIP.
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO LET GO OF THAT ROPE.
ZAY HARDING: YEAH.
ROSARO: BUT THAT'S NORMAL.
BUT YOU DID REAL GOOD.
SOME PEOPLE, THE FIRS TIME THEY COME DOWN, THEY PEE ON THEMSELVES.
[INAUDIBLE.]
.
ZAY HARDING: SO, WE'RE GOING INTO THE CAVE NOW? ROSARO: GOING INTO THE CAVE.
WE'RE GONNA GE WET, WILD AND DIRTY.
ZAY HARDING: ALRIGHT.
HEADING INTO THE MOUTH OF THE CAVE GOUGED OUT OF THE ROCK BY THE UNDERGROUND RIVER, IT LOOKS PEACEFUL ENOUGH.
BUT IT WOULD BE NO JOKE TO GET CAUGHT DOWN HERE AFTER A TROPICAL DOWN-POOR.
ROSARO: VERY SLIPPERY! ZAY HARDING: IT'S TIME TO TAKE THE PLUNGE AND SWIM OUR WAY IN AND OUT OF THE CAVERN BEFORE THE AFTERNOON RAIN ROLLS IN.
THE BATS ARE AT HOME HERE, BUT FOR US THE CAVERN IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO HANG ABOUT.
UNLIKE BATS, WE CAN' CLING TO THE CAVERN ROOF TO ESCAPE A FLASH FLOOD.
FINALLY, WE MAKE IT BACK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE.