Hollywood taught us that Old West banks got cleaned out about once a week. Historians who combed the records of the frontier states from roughly 1859 to 1900 found the real number of successful bank robberies across the entire era. What was it? More than 600 — about one a month Around 200 Fewer than a dozen Exactly 47 None Two men face off at high noon on a dusty street, hands hovering over their holsters, and the fastest draw wins. How often did that classic quick-draw showdown actually happen in the Old West? Weekly in the bigger cattle towns Almost never — historians can barely document a handful Only in Texas, where dueling stayed legal A few hundred times a year at its peak None In 1856, ships began unloading a very unusual cargo at the Texas coast, bound for a new Army post at Camp Verde. It was an official U.S. War Department experiment for conquering the Southwest deserts. What came off those ships? Seventy-five camels A herd of African elephants Steam-powered wagons from England Two thousand Russian sled dogs None October 26, 1881: the most famous gunfight in American history erupts in Tombstone, Arizona Territory — Wyatt Earp, his brothers, and Doc Holliday against the Clantons and McLaurys. Roughly how long did the legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral actually last? About 30 seconds Nearly 20 minutes A little over 5 minutes On and off for two hours None Forget the weathered, middle-aged gunslinger of the movies. The real cowboys driving longhorns up the trails from Texas to the Kansas railheads were mostly a different breed. Which description fits the typical trail cowboy? A retired Civil War officer in his forties A teenager or young man earning about $25 to $40 a month A wealthy rancher's son working for free A hired European mercenary on seasonal contract None Stumper. On August 2, 1876, in Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, Wild Bill Hickok broke his own rule and sat with his back to the door during a poker game. Jack McCall shot him from behind, and the cards Hickok held became forever known as the "dead man's hand." What was he holding? Four queens A royal flush in spades Two pair — black aces and black eights Three kings and a pair of twos None Time's up
