Bob Dalton always had ambitious plans. He claimed he would "beat anything Jesse James ever did - rob two banks at the same time in broad daylight." On October 5, 1892, the Dalton Gang put this daring plan into action. The goal was to rob C.M. Condon & Company's Bank and the First National Bank in Coffeyville, Kansas.
Bob was one of 12 siblings and led the Dalton Gang since 1891. Together with three of his brothers, he robbed banks, stagecoaches and trains, preferably in Kansas and Oklahoma, from that time on.
This ride, however, became his last.
The heated discussion between Bob and Emmett
Bob had planned the whole robbery, but Emmett was against it. He had attended school near Coffeyville in Robbins Corners and knew many people there. He feared that some of his friends might get hurt. Bob assured him, however, that there would be no shooting.
Everything should be over before anyone would notice what had happened.
Condon Bank, Coffeyville, Kansas, ca. 1890
The unexpected difficulties
Bob's plan was to have the gang tie their horses to a post behind the Condon Bank that was protected by brick walls. However, they had not visited the town in several years, and the hitching post had been removed during road work. Bob did not allow Emmett to check out the town in advance out of fear that he would be recognized. When they arrived, Bob had to act quickly and instead decided to hitch the horses in an alley across from the bank to the west, near the town jail. This alley is known today as Dalton Alley.
Coffeyville, Kansas, in ca. 1906
The tragic bank robbery
On the morning of October 5, the gang emerged from the alley on the Coffeyville square. A storekeeper cleaning the sidewalk noticed Bob, Emmett, and even Grat, who was wearing a fake mustache, and ran into his store. In closed formation, the five crossed Walnut Street from the alley to Condon Bank, holding Winchester rifles close to their legs. Meanwhile, news of the robbery spread quickly through the town:
Also, road work was being done at the time. One of the workers at the site recognized the gang and began shouting, "The Daltons are robbing the bank!"
The bloodshed
While Emmett and Bob entered the First National Bank and forced teller Thomas Ayres to open the safe containing gold and cash, an American Express agent opened fire with his revolver. Bob and Emmett returned fire. They went out the back door, taking both guns and sack bags with them, while grabbing two bank employees with them for protection.
The end of the Dalton Gang
While the Daltons were approaching the horses, Town Marshal Charles T. Connelly came through the livery stable into the alley and ran toward the square without the bandits behind him. Grat then shot him dead. John Kloehr, who was still in the barn, shot Grat shortly after he had spotted him. In the midst of the gunfire, Bob was hit in the head and heart and killed instantly. Powers attempted to get on his horse, but was also hit and killed by gunfire from the store as he tried to hoist Bob onto his horse.
Dalton Gang, memento mori 1892
The fate of the survivors
Emmet Dalton after the shootout
Emmett Dalton suffered 23 gunshot wounds but survived. Bill Dalton and Bill Doolin, who had stayed several miles away with extra horses to help the gang escape, later learned of their fate.
For a time, Bill Doolin and his associates worked under outlaw Henry Starr and hid about 75 miles northeast of Kingfisher, from where they made several raids. Doolin, Newcomb, and Pierce visited the Daltons' mother in Kingfisher to comfort her after the death of her sons.
Brothers Lit and Bill Dalton were also visiting their mother, and Doolin suggested they join his group to avenge their brothers.
Bill Dalton agreed and participated in several robberies, but Lit, declined. Henry Starr was arrested in 1893 and tried at Fort Smith.
Emmet Dalton's mug shot, after his arrest.
Emmett Dalton was sentenced to life in prison at the Kansas State Penitentiary in Lansing, Kansas. After 14 years, he was pardoned and moved to Hollywood, California, where he spent his life as a real estate agent, author and actor.
He married Julia Johnson in 1908 and devoted himself to writing, among other things.
In 1931 he published the book "When the Daltons Rode" , which he wrote together with Jack Jungmeyer Sr. a journalist from Los Angeles. It was filmed in 1940 as a movie of the same name with Randolph Scott, Kay Francis and Brian Donlevy - Emmett Dalton was portrayed by Frank Albertson.
Dalton died in July 1937 at the age of 66. His widow died in 1943 at the age of 73. They are both buried in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.
The store - Old-West-Outfitter - of Wolfgang Oidtmann resumes business
Dear western enthusiast and reader of the Beaver Creek Pioneer,
in agreement with Mrs. Christina Oidtmann, the wife of the late Leather Maker Wolfgang Oidtmann, we would like to share some important information with you today:
Wolfgang Oidtmann's store, also known as Slim's leather workshop "Old West Outfitter", is still located in 40323 Düsseldorf, Aachener Straße 113, and is being continued by his wife.
In the usual style, various high-quality leather goods and jewelry are offered for sale in the store, including unique one-of-a-kind pieces handmade by Wolfgang Oidtmann. If you are interested in these extraordinary pieces, Mrs. Oidtmann will be happy to assist you personally.
She told us the following:
We continue to take orders for custom leatherwork of all kinds, be it holsters, belts, bags, biker accessories and more.
Our workshop service also offers leather repairs again.
The store is open for our customers from Thursday to Saturday from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Of course, it is also possible to make an appointment as desired.
— Christina Oidtmann
You can reach Mrs. Oidtmann by phone under the number 0211 - 393879 or by cell phone under +49 171 380 82 66. Furthermore, there will be the possibility to contact her again by using the homepage: old-west-outfitter.de
Note: At the moment this page is unfortunately not accessible, but Mrs. Oidtmann has assured us that visits will be possible again soon!
We are extremely pleased that Mrs. Oidtmann is continuing the work of her dear departed husband and thus making an important contribution to the Old West scene. In this occasion, we would like to express our support and feel committed to share this happy news with you.
We wish Ms. Oidtmann and your team all the best, may the legacy of Slim's Old-West Outfitter continue for many years to come!
With warm regards, Chet McCay & Colton White - Beaver Creek Pioneer
Unfortunately, the year 2023 also begins with a very sad message that we can hardly grasp.
Wolfgang Oidtmann, a wonderful man, beloved husband and cherished father, has left us forever after a long and serious illness at the age of 76 (June 21, 1947 - Jan. 11, 2023).
With "Slim" - as he was fondly called among hobbyists - the scene has lost one of the last "old masters"! In his Düsseldorf store "Slim's Lederwerkstatt" he made Old-West replicas as a Leather-Maker with finest craftsmanship for decades.
His inexhaustible spectrum of different leather work, almost left no wish unfulfilled. His clientele not only included western enthusiasts, sports shooters, hunters and collectors, but also many people from the "biker scene", who had their motorcycle seat decorated with one or the other motif.
Farewell to a good friend
Today we say goodbye to Wolfgang, a true authentic with significant expertise; a person who passionately loved his hobby; a craftsman who always presented us with grandiose work; a remarkable friend who enriched every hobby gathering.
It wasn't until December 2021 that Wolfgang published his report here in the Beaver Creek Pioneer An Old West Outfitter in Portrait, allowing a look behind the scenes.
He still had many good ideas that he wanted to share with us and was full of energy.
But unfortunately, fate had other plans.
The gap that Wolfgang now leaves behind makes us speechless and touches us sincerely. We have to say goodbye to a good friend, and this makes us extraordinarily sad.
It is not easy for us to find the right words. We continue to carry Wolfgang in our hearts and would like to give him a permanent place here - among like-minded people and friends.
Rest in Peace old friend. We will always remember you!
I have gone away from you, only for a short moment and not far at all. When you come to where I have gone, you will wonder why you were crying.
Another year has passed in the Valley of the Beavers. We look back on 2022 with very mixed feelings. There were times when we laughed a lot and had a good time together. But there were also some tears running down our cheeks, because we lost a few good friends this year.
They all reminded us that the time we are allowed to spend here on earth is fleeting and that it is up to us to make the most of it.
Therefore, we want to remember all the good times we had with all our friends with pleasure and once again recall the beautiful hours we had with them in 2022.
What follows is our little retrospective on the year 2022!
Shooting of the commercial for Sack's Distillery
Even before our annual spring clean-up, we came together in January because we were tackling a special project. A "moonshiner" came to Beaver Creek Valley with a special request: The filming of a commercial for a new gin creation.
Marcel Völkel of Sack's Distille visited Beaver Creek Valley to work with Panorama Video Production on a new spot!
read more
The annual "spring cleaning" in Beaver Creek Valley.
As always, spring 2022 was used by us to keep our Beaver Creek Valley in its beauty. As with any spring, there is initially some necessary cleanup to be done so we can all indulge in our beautiful hobby. Unfortunately, our latitudes do not experience the cold and therefore dry winters, which is why it is mainly damp during the winter months. Unfortunately, the untreated wood used in our constructions cannot withstand these conditions for long, which is why repair work is necessary for most years.
For us, the perfect opportunity to get back together and work on our collaborative "Beaver Creek Valley" project!
This year, the first meeting was already scheduled for the end of April. For this, the premises should already shine again in full splendor!
The Rendezvous of the Trappers and Indians - Kick-off 2022
Towards the end of April we rang in the hobby season on Beaver Creek Valley! The outfits were dug out of the closets, because the TRP invited to the internal meeting of the trappers and Indians, where our members were allowed to prove themselves in a small "trapper course"!
Of course, we didn't want to miss out on food and so we came up with the idea of preparing "Campfire Rabbit" - which, by the way, turned out great! Of course, we won't withhold the recipe from you and will publish it in the Beaver Creek Pioneer at some point in the future.
Small excursions with the members of TRP
But 2022 not only stood under the "American flag". Together with our members, we also met outside Beaver Creek Valley and spent hours together. The program included a visit to the outdoor museum in Perschen and a medieval market in the town of Bärnau.
The Freilandmuseum Oberpfalz is a place of preservation and teaching by telling the story of the region and the people who live and have lived there. The lively museum offers events throughout the year about the rural life of the past.
The impression that you get here, remains almost unforgettable. We were able to learn a lot about the history of our region on this day, had a "Mordsgaudi" in addition to a rustic snack in the authentic beer garden and can recommend a visit there at any time!
Another "non-American" highlight was our visit to the History Park Bärnau. Once a year the historical town of Bärnau in the Upper Palatinate organizes a medieval spectacle. We took this as an opportunity to learn more about another chapter of our history. Afterwards we visited the authentic historical park Bärnau.
There you can find three time windows:Â An early medieval village of the 8th/9th century, a motte (tower hill fort) and a stave church of the 11th century. Furthermore, there is a settlement of the High Middle Ages, segmented into a rural homestead and various townhouses from the 12th/13th century.
We were very fascinated by what has been created here, on the approximately 11 hectares of landscaped grounds. This makes the Bärnau History Park the largest medieval archaeological outdoor museum in southern Germany. You can't help but be amazed, just like in the previously described outdoor museum in the Upper Palatinate. A great day!
Cowboy-Gathering in June 2022
At the end of June, another meeting was on the agenda: The Cowboy Gathering. This small gathering was themed around the cattle herders. On a sunny summer afternoon we met and ate together as well as chatted about an era long gone by.
We had the opportunity to take some great photos and spend some quality time in Beaver Creek Valley.
Day visit at the Bavarian Rangers
After the two-year Corona break, our friendly neighboring club "Bavarian Rangers" invited us again to their legendary country festival. As in the years before, we gladly followed the call.
In addition, Chet ran his "blanket sale" which was again gladly accepted by the guests and also by the hobbyists. Besides delicious food, cool drinks, and the bands with their "hand-made music", it was again a successful and appealing get-together of like-minded people for everyone involved. In 2023 we will be there again - promised!
Our highlight of the year 2022: The Authentic Camp
As every year so far, our Authentic Camp took place again - a topic that of course cannot be missing in the TRP Review 2022! This year with unspeakably high temperatures and the highest forest fire danger level we recorded since 2018. So this year we were only allowed to operate our campfires with an exceptional permit - all other fires had to be kept in closed stoves.
We had the opportunity to grow together even more. Where otherwise small individual fires burned, all participants now came together at a central fireplace. We cooked together, sat together and made the best of the situation!
We also took the opportunity to visit the Longhorn Ranch and learned valuable knowledge, not only about Longhorns, but also about the production of whiskey and other fine spirits!
In addition, Marcel Völkel from Sack's Distillery visited us again and provided the gin for the authentic cocktail evening, which probably some will not forget so quickly!
Follow us into the cocktail evening! Together with Sack's Distillery we held an authentic cocktail evening in Western style according to the Bartender's Guide by Jerry Thomas.
read more
As always, there was plenty of time for great photos, authentic music and just a good time among friends!
Thanksgiving in Beaver Creek Valley
In fall 2022 we came together for the last time this year to celebrate Thanksgiving in a small group. The mood in Beaver Creek Valley was cheerful and we celebrated together with good music.
But we also noticed the obvious harbingers of winter. The warm days had passed and we rounded off the 2022 hobby season in a cozy atmosphere.
What might 2023 bring?
As we look forward to 2023, we plan to enjoy life at Beaver Creek Valley to the fullest and make every moment a special one. What exactly we're going to do is yet to be seen at this point, but let us tell you: We have a lot in store!
Together with our loyal friends of the TRP, we have the chance to look forward even in dark times, to draw new strength and thereby create new things that we want to tell each other about at campfires even years later.
When a movie cowboy finally stops at a saloon to wet his dry throat after his long ride through the dusty wasteland, the order is usually obvious. In this scenario, the cowboy wouldn't even have to say what he'd like to drink; after all, it's written on his face: That's right, we're talking about whiskey!
Besides the usual beer, it appears to be pretty much all that the ladies and gentlemen consumed back then - if you believe the Hollywood myths.
It is true, of course, that whiskey and also beer made up a significant part of the alcohol supply of the time, but of course this wasn't all that the West had to offer.
In the book "Bartender's Guide - How to mix drinks" by Jerry Thomas from 1862, we discover a completely new world, of which many are surprised that it should have already existed at that time: Cocktails - in the widest imaginable variations!
Cocktails were certainly not found on every cattle trek, but they certainly existed in the cities, preferably in establishments where the noble society went in and out.
The book provides a very good compendium of recipes - reason enough for us to take a closer look!
Cocktails with the gins from Sack's Distillery
In January, Marcel Völkel, owner and operator of Sack's Distillery from Weißenstadt, visited us to shoot a new commercial for his new Illegal Outlaw Gin. Without further ado, we asked Marcel if he would like to offer his fine stuff for a cocktail evening in Beaver Creek Valley - which he eventually did!
Marcel Völkel of Sack's Distille visited Beaver Creek Valley to work with Panorama Video Production on a new spot!
read more
So we used our Authentic Camp in August 2022 to treat our guests with something special! We equipped Marcel and his partner Bea with authentic clothes and prepared everything for an unforgettable evening: Cocktails in the Wild West!
Authentic cocktails from 1770 - 1876
Then, in the late afternoon, "M.J." presented his liqueurs, spirits and gin and invited to a tasting. The Wild West had never experienced anything like this before - drinks to be tasted and for free on top of that! The spectacle was musically accompanied by the "Beaver Creek Valley Ramblers"! The mood was cheerful and merry - a nice prelude to the authentic cocktail evening to follow!
The Cocktails
While the tasting of the spirits and liqueurs was already a highlight, the following cocktail evening will remain unforgettable for many. This was ensured by our bartenders M.J. and Colton, as well as the barmaid Bea! On the cocktail menu of the newly established "Jolly Beaver Bar" were four cocktails to choose from.
During the evening, a new creation was created for one of our guests, which we would like to share here: Born was the "King Gin Fizz" – dedicated to our good friend, the "King"!
The King Gin Fizz
4cl Gin
2cl lemon juice
1cl Maraschino liqueur
2cl sugar sirup
Carbonated water
Berries
3-4 twigs of fresh mint
Add all ingredients (except the mineral water) to a shaker filled with ice and shake for about 15 seconds. Strain the contents of the shaker into a highball glass filled with ice and fill up with the mineral water. Garnish with berries and mint.
To the King!
An unforgettable day comes to an end
As is well known, even such beautiful days come to an end. We hope that we were able to serve a new favorite cocktail or two and would like to thank M.J. and Bea who made this wonderful day possible as well as helping to create it.
Maybe there will be an opportunity to repeat such a great day again next year. In any case, we would be very happy about it!
We were deeply shocked to receive word that Dietmar Kügler, the owner, publicist, and distributor of the Magazine of American Studies, has passed away.
Dietmar Kügler - * June 4, 1951 †December 3, 2022
With his profound expertise, he has inspired all those interested in North American studies for over 50 years. He wrote down his knowledge in more than 60 books, as well as articles and essays, and published in the Magazine of American Studies until the very end.
In addition to his literary works, Kügler also offered historically focused trips to America.
Our thoughts are with his wife Karen and his family in these dark hours.
When you enter Beaver Creek Valley through the large wooden gate, you are immersed into another world. A sheriff stands on the porch overlooking the terrain, a cowboy heads to the chuck wagon to secure his portion of the freshly made stew that was just simmering over the campfire. In the background, you can hear the blacksmith working an iron and a banjo player plays his lonely song.
You get the impression that you are right in the midst of the Wild West, which has apparently come back to life - thanks to the performers who have taken on this historical period and authentically portray their roles here in Beaver Creek Valley!
But they are not the only ones living a dream in Beaver Creek Valley - others have the idea to use this scenery for themselves and their ideas, too!
So did a "moonshiner" from the countryside who approached us to do something out of the ordinary in Beaver Creek Valley.
Beaver Creek Valley is like a western movie set where all the performers can re-live their dreams in a historically accurate way.
How a Gin Enthusiast Came to Beaver Creek Valley
So today we want to tell you about an unusual shoot for a commercial, for which Robert came up with the idea. Robert is a good friend of TRP and studied media technology and media production with a master's degree.
In his company, the Panorama Videoproduktion, he turns the ideas and dreams of his clients into reality - a little piece of Hollywood for everyone, so to speak.
Robert had an assignment ready to go, which he described as requiring "Western-style" realization.
So what better place to do it than Beaver Creek Valley?
And as it happens in the film business, this would have to be done very soon, of course, since the spot was also to be distributed very quickly. The shooting date was therefore set for January 2022.
Robert's client at that time was the operator of a distillery from the Fichtelgebirge, whose tradition dates back to 1864: Marcel Völkel fromSack's Distillery in Weissenstadt
The owner and manager of Sack's Distillery in Weißenstadt - Marcel Völkel
Marcel contacted Panorama Videoproduktion, as his new gin creation "Outlaw" from the series of "Illegal Gins" was to be presented in a promotional film.
As a gin lover, this was already Marcel's third gin creation, in addition to the already existing varieties "Bandit" - with real vanilla from Madagascar - and the "Rebel" - a culinary firework of woodruff and lemon.
An Outlaw does not abide by any laws. Especially not the Illegal Gin "OUTLAW", which simply disregards the rules of mass production and mass taste. He knows only a fine individual taste. Be curious about a unique gin pleasure. Real gin impresses with a pure and rounded touch of juniper. Therefore, this unfiltered gin from our distillery contains only fresh and natural ingredients.
The names are of course very fitting for the "Western genre", which is why we were happy to help produce the commercial. We also liked the idea of supporting a regionally located business.
So we dressed up, polished our revolvers and got ready for an exciting day of shooting on set: "Beaver Creek Valley"!
Cast and Plot: The Actors and Storyline of the Commercial
Marcel Völkel – M.J. Morningstar, Outlaw BossAndreas Niemczyk - Zach, M.J.'s right hand manWerner Schmidt – Chet McCay, U.S. Marshal in Beaver Creek ValleyRobert Neuber - producer and camera operator
Outlaw boss M.J. Mornigstar" is imprisoned in the Beaver Creek Valley jail. "Zach", his most trusted associate, one night decides to free his boss. But can he get past the watchful eyes of U.S. Marshal "Chet McCay" without getting into a shootout?
Pictures of the movie
It's hard to believe that behind a 30-second commercial, there's a whole day's work.
Here are a few impressions of the shooting day:
The Shooting Procedure on Set: Beaver Creek Valley in January
First, every single scene was discussed with the protagonists before shooting began. You can certainly imagine that not everything goes as our cameraman would have liked. It happened that a scene had to be repeated many times. For example, the light or the setting didn't fit, there were things in the picture that didn't belong there, the movements were too impetuous or too awkward, and there were smiles where a serious expression was desired.
In addition, the camera had to be rebuilt for each new shot, whether outdoors or indoors.
For the final scenes, we had to wait for evening to capture the campfire setting properly and authentically.
It all happened on Sunday, January 23, 2022. It was a typical winter day for our area; it was freezing cold, wet and the terrain accordingly muddy. But it was magnificent and we are glad we were there!
Such an interesting and exciting day is not experienced too often. Despite the wetness and cold, the shoot with Sack's Distillery was great fun. In the end, we drove home in the middle of the night - frozen to the bone - but satisfied with the result.
For over 150 years, Sack's Distillery has been producing fine spirits and spirituous beverages. Marcel, the current owner and operator continues this tradition.
He produces F.U.K. gin and Feuerwasser for the renowned metal band Hämatom.
By now the distillery can look back on several awards, including the "Company of the Year" awards in 2021 for Bavaria and in 2022 for Germany.
Marcel was in front of the camera again for the Oberfranken-TV. For the cooking show "Einfach Lecker" he provided tasty tips for fine digestifs after dinner.
On Instagram and Facebook Marcel shares news and updates about the distillery!
Besides M.J. is guitarist and founder of the post-apocalyptic metal bandWasteland Clan
Zach Volcanic - aka Andreas Niemczyk In his professional life he is a mechanical engineer and material scientist, in his spare time he is the bass player of the post-apocalyptic metal band "Wasteland Clan".
With Sack's Distille we had another highlight in 2022: The tasting of authentic cocktails straight out of the Wild West!
The Beaver Creek Pioneer will be reporting on this shortly!
Social etiquette in everyday life, Arizona territory circa 1870.
Article contains unpaid advertising
Reading time: approx. 4 minutes.
Saturday, April 03, 2022
Social manners in the United States of America during the founding period were primarily shaped by English influences.
In addition, there were the rules and habits brought by other European immigrants, especially French, German, in the northeast also Dutch, and in the southwest Spanish or Mexican.
While some religious immigrant groups tried not to mix their native customs with others, for the vast majority of Americans it was precisely the breaking away from the traditional and embracing the new that made life in the U.S. so appealing.
The photography studio Maull & Polyblank from London provides some contemporary photographs of the fashion of the time.
The following overview comes from the Arizona territory and reflects etiquette in the Wild West circa 1870.
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This and other interesting facts in the book!
In his new book Spotlights On American History(DE), author Wolfgang Horst Reblinsky highlights special events in American history that are not found in every history book in a total of 45 chapters.
The book's motto is:
"Behind American history are people and behind those people are their stories."
In a short video clip, we've summarized the Arizona Territory's etiquette rules for you. Rancher Chet McCay takes his future wife Gill out to dinner at Beaver Creek Valley's Frontier Tavern.
The rules of etiquette in the Wild West in an overview
Walking as a couple
The lady walks on the right hand or arm of the gentleman. The hands should be at least at hip level. The lady's right hand lifts the dress slightly off the ground. The gentleman's left hand rests at his side or on his back.
Exiting a vehicle
A lady does not leave a vehicle (e.g. carriage, railroad carriage) until her gentleman or an attendant has opened the door for her and can assist her in getting out. The door is not opened until the gentleman is confident that there is no danger to the lady outside the vehicle (riffraff, traffic, upturned dirt, etc.).
Entering / leaving a building or room
When entering or inside a safe building, the lady has the right of way. When entering an unsafe room, e.g. a foyer or restaurant, and always when leaving a building, the gentleman goes first, secures and then holds the door open for the lady; the lady does not push behind the gentleman but waits until he has secured the door.
On the staircase
If it is not possible for a couple to walk up or down a staircase side by side (the lady leaning on the gentleman's right arm), the following applies: The lady goes up first, the gentleman one step behind her. The gentleman goes down first, the lady one step after him. Reason: If the lady steps on the hem of the skirt and stumbles, the gentleman can catch her.
Greeting / Farewell
At that time, one would greet the gentleman first and then the lady. To greet a well-known, familiar lady, an implied kiss on the hand by the gentleman is customary. If the lady is not so familiar, it is appropriate to shake hands and nod to indicate a bow. A lady in the same situation will extend her hand and make a slight curtsy. When saying goodbye, the same applies.
At table
The seating order is that the lady always sits to the right of her companion.
If one has already taken a seat at the table and other table neighbors join in, then the gentleman stands up to greet, the lady remains seated.
If a lady wants to get up from the table, she signals this to her companion. The gentleman rises and moves her chair to the side; when she sits down, he adjusts the chair. If the lady is alone, a table neighbor takes over this activity out of courtesy and deference.
The gentlemen should always endeavor to take care of the wellbeing of the ladies. Drinks are always brought to a lady's table by a gentleman if they are not served by a waiter.
If the food is not served, the ladies can choose their food from the buffet and take it with them or the gentleman accompanies the lady, plates her choice and carries the plate to her seat.
If something falls to a lady, there should always be a gentleman who feels honored to pick up the item.
To be continued...
In the next part of the series "With Fan and Colt - Etiquette in the Wild West", we devote ourselves to festive balls and also go into the secret fan language of the ladies!
Wolf H. Reblin – Beaver Creek Pioneer
About the author
Wolfgang Horst Reblinsky
a.k.a.
Mr. Wolf H. Reblin, Esq., Arizona Justice of the Peace
He has been involved for many years with both the history of American colonization and the era between 1920 and 1980.
He practices his historical representation as a justice of the peace in the Arizona Territory circa 1870 as Wolf H. Reblin along with his wife Eliza B. (Holl) Reblin.
Reblinsky, Wolfgang: Spotlights On American History - (Be)Merkenswertes aus der amerikanischen Geschichte, 2021, 1st edition, tredition GmbH, pp. 79-81.
In 2020, when we first reported in our article "Corona does not stop at the Wild West", everyone knew about the extreme situation in terms of health. As a precaution, we had not even invited people to our summer camp at that time. All subsequent events in 2020, such as Thanksgiving or the Christmas party, were also cancelled due to Corona. And let's be honest, nobody really expected that we would have to fight the pandemic for such a long time. Even in December 2021, the spook was far from over; quite the contrary, we are heading for another extremely difficult situation in 2022.
By now, we live in a crazy world that turns everything upside down. Let's just consider the two words "positive" or "negative". We always associated the word "positive" with something desirable or enjoyable! When we thought of a positive person, in most cases we meant a cheerful, optimistic person. The opposite of this is a negative person, a rejecting, gloomy person, so to speak.
However, in our minds something has changed: If people are positive today, they are sent into quarantine, are isolated and we first think of something bad! On the other hand, if the test is negative, people are allowed to participate in central life - something pleasant, in other words.
We at least intend to look positively to the year 2022 and assume with a wink that our readers know what we are talking about.
The TRP Review of 2021 - A Glance at the Past
2021 at least looked a bit brighter than the previous year. We at least have erased 2020 from our personal calendars.
The initially negative aspect was the fact that we again had to miss out on our dear guests and friends of the TRP. Again, the well-being and health of each and every one had top priority. The consequence of this was once again that everything took place within a small number of members. After endless discussions with the authorities and in compliance with all Corona regulations, we were then allowed to host a small internal event.
Positive, as we think, and that's exactly what we want to tell you about! About the beauty of our premises, about the inexhaustible opportunities for hobby, about the "hard working-days", the wonderful summer on Beaver Creek Valley, about the autumn rendezvous and our Thanksgiving feast!
Simply join us here in our 2021 TRP retrospective and imagine what next year could hopefully look like for everyone.
Water: A good servant but a bad master
Unfortunately, the Corona pandemic does not also send the bad weather into quarantine. And so, in 2021, the floods caught us ice cold as well. The persistent rainfall in January caused our two rivers that flow around the property to swell and burst their banks. A flooding of our premises was the result and as so often in the past years, it caused considerable damage.
This not being enough, the rain also had to open up another construction site.
The never-ending water from above, showed us significant leaks in the roof of our tavern. The water literally poured from the ceiling into the saloon. As in the Old West, we put all kinds of containers under the dripping spots to catch the evil as best we could. Fortunately, Beaver Creek Valley was still in hibernation. So we were able to determine the weak spots and it was now clear to us, the tavern would need a new roof in spring.
From that point of view, it also had something good! Just imagine us, sitting together in the tavern during our main camp on a warm summerly rainy day and get to feel some "refreshing" rain from above. Quite authentic, but honestly we think that not everyone would enjoy that.
Normally, the Heidenaab is about 4m wide.
When these photos were taken, the water was already withdrawing!
The arrival of spring in Beaver Creek Valley
After that long rain, however, came the sun! It may have taken a little longer in 2021, but ultimately spring drove out winter and brought nature back to life. This was one of the most beautiful moments for us in Beaver Creek Valley.
Come closer and join us as we witness spring arriving in Beaver Creek Valley.
Hard ranch work - easier today than back then
Almost like every year, we also started 2021 by cleaning up the damage left by the spring storms that hit the valley of Beaver Creek. It was several years ago that our dancing lodge also became victim to a storm.
These pictures are from early spring of 2018, however they are a constant reminder that especially at the beginning of the year there is always work that we inevitably have to do.
By spring 2021, only a few trees were damaged. Fortunately for us, they fell on the neighboring meadow. Thank God, they did not cause any further serious damage. Nevertheless, the fallen trees called for a day of work. We felt responsible for restoring the hay meadow of our good neighbor.
On some days, a premise like this doesn't only bring all kinds of fun with it; sometimes we also have to lend a hand. But we are happy to do that as well!
We think it's good to look back on the work we've done and looking upon Beaver Creek Valley shining in a clean slate again!
Tower construction in the fort of the "American Fur Trade Company"
Before every pleasure, our Lord and Savior put the sweat!
We decided to add an outlook tower to the existing fort of the American Fur Trade Company. To realize the idea, part of the rampart had to give way. The trappers' refuge was thus unprotected from enemy attack for some time - so there was a need to hurry with the construction of the tower.
But all the hardworking hands have contributed to fixing the fort's origin. Now the fort has an additional observation tower and therefore stylistically completes the appearance of our beautiful Beaver Creek Valley.
So the next trapper rendezvous can finally come!
Trappers' Rendezvous in Spring 2021
So, just in time for the trappers' spring rendezvous, the Fur Trade Company fort had just been completed. Even though we were only allowed to immerse ourselves in that time in a small group, we had a lot of fun!
The weather was excellent and the mood thoroughly pleasant. Besides good food, all kinds of entertainment and good conversations about the historical time, it was all there. Of course, we hope that by next year at this time, many more trappers will come and celebrate with us into spring.
Here are a few pictures from these carefree days. We are looking forward to maybe having more participants in spring 2022!
Together under a new roof - Making the tavern waterproof (again)!
The vague idea of a new tavern roof at the beginning of 2021 had to be realized before the summer camp in August. Almost all members of the TRP agreed to help on this project.
First, the construction materials were organized. After the preparation work, which took a lot of time and effort, the next phase could be initiated. So we were able to add a new, rainproof "hood" to our tavern on a beautiful sunny day. All in all, this was a very labor-intensive but triumphant day. In the following weeks the necessary small tasks were done and our project could finally be finished well in time for the summer camp.
At this point we would like to express our gratitude to all helpers and supporters once again. Special thanks to our sponsor "Manni", both for his voluntary commitment and his helping hands.
Some photos of the collaborative work are shown below.
Now our "gem" is waterproof and is waiting for all of us to come together again under one brand new roof.
All on one roof, so we can sit together under one roof!Only those who eat well can work well. Thank you Birgit for the great food!
Operation with heavy machinery: Removing old burdens
Around 2017, we had the idea to convert an old cooling trailer into a mobile workshop. Unfortunately, we could not put this into practice for various reasons. Since the wagon, which was already purchased at the time, took up a lot of crucial space and was not exactly an eye catcher, we decided: The darn thing has to go!
After a long time back and forth, we had found a buyer. Unfortunately, our trailer was no longer roadworthy and so we had to find a somewhat bigger transportation option for it. Finally, the buyer arrived with heavy machinery, so that he could take the thing on its journey home. With united efforts and help from the neighborhood, the trailer was finally loaded and transported away. I can tell you that it was an exciting afternoon. And all that just before our summer camp. But see for yourself:
Internal Authentic Camp in 2021: A TRP summer tale!
Our summer camp last year, was an internal camp - which was held only with members of the TRP. However, it was one of the best we had in Beaver Creek Valley. It was a great time. If you would like to learn more, quickly check out our blog post Authentic Camp 2021 – Modest but Great! There you can see the fantastic impressions. Here are a few pictures to refresh your memory.
The fort of the Fur Trade Company with new defense tower, briefly under flag of the "Royal Canadian Mounted Police"!
The interior of our Outdoor Tavern: Dry, waterproof and in a new glance.The Texas Ranger - Company D visiting Beaver Creek Valley.The Law of Beaver Creek Valley - our law enforcement officers keep law and order.Gill and Chet McCay in front of their ranch house!
A look inside the ranch house of the McCay family!
Three Cowboys of the Beaver Creek Valley Ranch.
October 2021 - A time travel to Pullman City in the Harz
Usually once or twice a year we are visiting our friends in the far away Pullman-City-Harz. For us, it's a welcome opportunity to catch up with old buddies and also meet new faces.
But this year, the tragic death of Pullman City manager Wolfgang Hagenberger overshadowed the usually so joyful gatherings.
Nevertheless, we would like to share a few impressions with you. Perhaps we will meet there again in 2022 for the spring rendezvous of the trappers and Indians.
Cowboys from different ranches meet in Pullman CityTexas Longhorn Cattle in the Main StreetBarndance Gang Live-MusicGill & Chet McCays General StoreOld West Outfitter “SAM”Meeting with the cowboys of the "General Houston Ranch Texas"The last glance back! Pullman City, we will return!
Fall Rendezvous on Beaver Creek Valley
We inevitably brought our desire for more western-hobby in 2021 with us from Pullman City. Motivated, we therefore decided to spontaneously organize another internal autumn rendezvous.
Immediately after our trip, we therefore implemented this idea. Due to this last-minute decision, not everyone was able to follow the invitation, and so our second internal mini-camp was held.
We didn't have a lot of activities lined up for this gathering, but rather enjoyed a simple get-together. The interesting conversations and cooking together topped off the day. Afterwards we concluded the day with fun and good spirits in our tavern - that' s all you can ask for.
Yes, there is something: Our good friends of the TRP should not be missing next year. Maybe you enjoy the photos and you will be there next year.
Thanksgiving - A TRP Tradition Returns in 2021
The kick-off for our first TRP Thanksgiving celebration actually took place in November 2010. Due to many many cancellations because of the Christmas parties already running in parallel at that time, we simply moved this Thanksgiving day to February 2011. Already in 2020 we reported about our Thanksgiving celebrations in our blog post "Thanksgiving - Background of a Tradition".
In 2021, we could proudly look back on 10 years of TRP Thanksgiving events and many guests. We gladly remember, because each event was a highlight in itself!
Only the event in 2019 was held within a private group and, as everyone knows, the celebration in 2020 had to be cancelled altogether due to the Corona pandemic. All the more we were happy to receive the go-ahead from the authorities for this year. The event was allowed to take place under 3G in conformity with Corona regulations. In addition, we were able to invite guests to this private celebration again after a long time.
Unfortunately, the OK from the authorities came relatively late for the event. As a result, our invitation could only reach some of our friends in time. Even though it was again a relatively small festivity, we had a lot of fun and also excellent food!
Community! A reason for celebration
In keeping with our TRP tradition, all who attended were welcomed by Chet. After a short review of the year 2021 and an outlook for 2022, there followed the honoring of our birthday "kids" who were celebrating a anniversary birthday! All of them received a surprise with a small gift.
Chet congratulates the birthday boys: from left to right: Jakob - 10, Albert - 70, Dutchman - 60
Then the legendary roast turkey was dished up, prepared by our Albert Boone! We do not want to withhold from you what a treat that was!
To get the body going again after the rich meal, we held a "turkey shooting contest". Don't worry, we didn't shoot at real birds. Everyone was allowed to fire three shots at a paper target. Afterwards, the winner also didn't get a live bird, but a "food basket"!
The winners from left to right: 1st place - Robert our photographer, 2nd place - Charly, 3rd place - Sam Waite
Most of the evening we were musically entertained by the family band led by Ron Kelly. At this point again many thanks to Ron, Tanja and Achilles. Also the Two-Rivers Band "Sons of Erin" played some Irish ballads.
All in all, it was a very pleasant evening, with great conversations, fiery entertainment, great atmosphere, fantastic food, varied music and never-ending good mood. Now we only hope that this festivity can be repeated next year. But if so, then preferably within the large family circle - in other words, with our dear friends!
The end springs from the beginning - floods at the end of 2021
The way our year started, it unfortunately ended again. Water as far as the eye could see and no end in sight. Of course, this also meant that there was a lot of work ahead for spring 2022. But the maintenance of the terrain is also part of our hobby. We have set ourselves the goal - for ourselves and of course for our guests - to always present grounds with a wow effect. We also want to live up to this intention.
And with that, we close our TRP Review 2021. Corona has significantly shortened the times we were allowed to meet. But even if that was the case, we made good use of the time we had and can look back on an overall "satisfying" 2021 hobby year.
But what would a review be without an outlook? We also have many thoughts for 2022 and strongly hope that we can realize them.
An outlook on the year 2022 - normality or further states of states of exception?
It is now March 2022, the Corona pandemic is still present and Europe is under the shadow of a war in Ukraine. Many of the current developments are very rapid and we all do not know what is still to come.
Of course, we too cannot walk through the world with blinders on and look away from it all, because that would simply be wrong. What we can do, however, is stand together as a community in these difficult hours and pursue a common cause. While we have the opportunity to escape the daily grind with Beaver Creek Valley, we also have the opportunity to stand together in community among good friends.
We have a lot planned for 2022! Of course, the realization of these plans depends on the ongoing pandemic not throwing a spanner in the works again.
For spring, we are planning a small "Spring Gathering" - an invitation will be sent out in due time.
Furthermore, we intend, as far as possible, to create a hobby meeting with various topics on Sundays of each month. Also for this we will send personal invitations.
At Easter and Whitsun we also want to visit other camps. We sincerely hope that our neighboring hobby friends will also be able to organize gatherings again.
In summer we will have our big mixed camp again. We hope to welcome many of you to this event. We will announce the rules and regulations as soon as possible. You will also find the date in our calendar. Unfortunately, there will not be an open-door day this year - for well-known reasons. As you are used to, you will receive a personal invitation for the event.
For the autumn rendezvous we hope for a lively participation this year. You will find the date in time here in our calendar.
Last but not least, we want to end the year 2022 with our Thanksgiving Feast. Again, our goal is to have many hobbyists visit us as in years past.
Now we only hope that our plans for 2022 can also be realized and that everything will come true as we wish from the bottom of our hearts. We look forward to a lively and interesting hobby year in 2022, and we would be very happy if you respond to our call and let us welcome you once again with the words:
Welcome to Beaver Creek Valley!
Chet McCay & Colton White – Beaver Creek Pioneer
Photos by: Chet McCay, Gill McCay, Colton White, Robert Neuber, Tom Müller
The new year 2022 was only a few days old when sad news reached us, causing misunderstanding, anger and great sadness among us.
Peter Jakob Klein, an admirable man, loving husband and beloved family man was laid to rest at the age of 73 (01.10.1948 - 29.01.2022) much too early.
Best known on the Western scene as "Marshdillion", he was not only a very well-read and knowledgeable hobbyist, but also a good friend.
The western hobby was his life
Already at the age of 13, Peter discovered his "love for America" and the "Wild West". Already at that time he established contacts with Sheriffs from Texas, Arizona, Wyoming and Utah. They thanked him by sending him original police badges. This laid the foundation for his interest and fascination with "The Real Old West". In the 70's he began to travel the USA and met countless other interesting people. Among them were world-famous "Leather Makers", protagonists of the "Living History" and Western hobby scene and of course real cowboys, just to name a few.
He kept in touch with his friends until the very end.
Journalist with heart and soul
Peter worked as a journalist for the German WDR and wrote there, among other things, about his travels in the USA in the 80s, 90s and 2000s. He wrote many authentic reports for the Western scene, for example on the topic "Geronimos Gunrig" - "Born Free" in the magazine "Visier", issue 9/2012! Already at that time, we as Two Rivers Privity had the honor to work together with Peter and supplied photos for this article, besides more.
For many years Peter was also associated with the reconstructed western town "Fort Lubbock". He regularly documented the development of the town in the Kölner Stadtanzeiger (Cologne City Gazette) and of course actively pursued "Living History" there.
Farewell to a good friend
With Peter, we lose a true authentician with invaluable knowledge and a love of the hobby that very few share these days. With much joy and enthusiasm, he most recently wrote several reports here in the Beaver Creek Pioneer and did our community a great service. In his article "Let's Talk About Hats - About a cowboy's sanctuary", he wrote about the cowboy hat and what an essential role the headgear played for cowhands of that time and still does today.
He was full of beans and still had many ideas that he wanted to implement together with us. A visit to our beautiful Beaver Creek Valley was also planned again on his part, since his last trip to us was quite some time ago. We were therefore very much looking forward to seeing Peter again.
The fact that Peter passed away, this finality with which we now have to live, is very moving, makes us unspeakably sad and we are sincerely sorry.
Prior to his surgery, Peter was working on another report for the Beaver Creek Pioneer. "Let's Talk About Hats - Volume 2" will be about the restoration of an old "Movie-Town" hat. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Klein for agreeing to publish Peter's last article. We hereby wish to honor his work and firmly believe that this would have been in his best interest as well.
It is not easy for us to find the right words. We continue to carry Peter in our hearts and would like to give him a permanent place here - among like-minded people and friends.
Rest in Peace old friend. We will always remember you!