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🎙️ This episode, we delve into a dark and unsettling chapter of Colorado history — the era when the Ku Klux Klan created a shadow government that infiltrated Denver’s City Hall and eventually reached the State Capitol.

We explore the societal and economic conditions that made it possible for a secret terrorist group of the 1870s to be born again in 1916 as a fraternity— and how, by the 1920s, they seized power with the aid of Freemasons, Woodsmen, and other fraternal organizations

But the so-called Invisible Empire wasn’t invincible. We break down how internal corruption, scandals, and rising public opposition brought the Klan’s Colorado reign to a swift and dramatic end.

Discretion Advised: sensitive topics

#WesternHistory #ColoradoHistory #DenverHistory
#BenjaminStapleton #JohnGalenLocke #BrownPalaceHotel #TabletopMountain
#PhilipVanCise #PhilHGoodstein #LindaGordon

Sources:

The second coming of the KKK : the Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s and the American political tradition

By Linda Gordon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34082146-the-second-coming-of-the-kkk

In The Shadow of the Klan: When the KKK Ruled Denver 1920-1926

Phil H. Goodstein

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2158055

Stapleton accused of paying off history museum to remove family’s KKK past from exhibit

By: Madeleine Schmidt

https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2018/04/stapleton-kkk-past-paying-off-history-museum/8585/

“Murder Wasn’t Very Pretty”: The Rise and Fall of D.C. Stephenson

By Abbott Kahler

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/murder-wasnt-very-pretty-the-rise-and-fall-of-dc-stephenson-18935042/

Woodrow Wilson: “It is like writing history with lightning.” Quote or No Quote?

By: Joe Coohill/Professor Buzzkill

https://professorbuzzkill.com/2017/08/30/qnq-29/

Colorado Under the Klan

By James H. Davis

https://www.historycolorado.org/story/2023/12/06/colorado-under-klan

The Klan in Charge: They Said It Couldn't Happen Here, but It Did

By Alan Prendergast

https://www.westword.com/news/gangbuster-kkk-klan-denver-mayor-da-van-cise-stapleton-16438675

Ben Stapleton Joined Ku Klux Klan for Political Power, Historian Says

By Conor McCormick-Cavanagh

https://www.westword.com/news/ben-stapleton-used-kkk-to-gain-power-in-denver-11727640

Episode photo from Westward

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In this episode, we’re taking a break from murderous outlaws and lawmen to bring you along to three strange roadside attractions in the West! 🛣️✨

📍 Marcelo gives us the spooky scoop on the Museum of the Weird in Austin, Texas 🦎🔮
📍 Mason explores the quirky Desert View Tower in Jacumba, California 🏜️🌬️
📍 Jess ties it all together with the eerie tale of the infamous Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada 🤡🏨

We hope you’ll join us and enjoy the strange ride! 🚗💨

If you like what you hear, don’t forget to leave a review ⭐ or a like ❤️ — preferably both! It helps us a lot! 🙌

#DesertViewTower #MuseumOfWeird #ClownMotel #RoadsideAttractions #OffbeatMuseums #WesternHistory 🧭🎧

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In Part 2 of our two-part deep dive, we follow Tom Horn in the final violent years of his life—the killing of 14-year-old Willie Nickell and the subsequent trial that sealed Horn’s fate. Was he truly guilty, or the victim of a setup fueled by fear, politics, and the powerful cattle barons he once served? We examine facts, the confessions, and the myths that still spark debate over a century later. This episode dives into Horn’s final days, the public spectacle of his execution, and how his story became one of the West’s most enduring legends.

Whether you see him as a ruthless enforcer or a scapegoat of a corrupt justice system, Tom Horn remains one of the most enigmatic figures of the Old West.

🪓 Justice or Injustice? You decide.

#TomHorn #TrueCrimeHistory #OldWest #AmericanHistory #WildWestLegends
#FrontierJustice #CowboysAndDetectives #HistoryPodcast #TrueWest
#HistoricalFigures #WesternLore #Part2 #OutlawJustice #WesternMystery #PodcastNotes

Sources

Tom Horn in Life and Legend

Larry D. Ball

Tom Horn: Blood on the Moon : Dark History of the Murderous Cattle Detective

by Chip Carlson

Life of Tom Horn: Government Scout and Interpreter

by Tom Horn

The Crime Buffs Guide to the Rockies

By Ron Franscell

Outlaw Tales of Utah

Michael Rutter

Thanks so much for listening!!!!!

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Check us out with pictures on YouTube.com @ FalseSummitPodcast and like and subscribe !!!

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In Part 1 of this two-part deep dive, we explore the early years of Tom Horn—a man whose life straddled the fine line between legend and infamy. From his humble beginnings in Missouri to his roles as a scout, interpreter, cowboy, and Pinkerton detective, this episode lays the foundation for understanding how Tom Horn became both feared and respected across the American West.

#TomHorn #TrueCrimeHistory #OldWest #AmericanHistory #WildWestLegends
#OutlawStories #FrontierJustice #CowboysAndDetectives #HistoryPodcast #TrueWest
#PodcastSeries #HistoricalFigures #WesternLore #Part1 #PodcastNotes

🎯 Don’t forget to tune in for Part 2, where we unravel the trial, controversy, and final days of Tom Horn.

Sources

Tom Horn in Life and Legend

Larry D. Ball

Tom Horn: Blood on the Moon : Dark History of the Murderous Cattle Detective

by Chip Carlson

Life of Tom Horn: Government Scout and Interpreter

by Tom Horn

The Crime Buffs Guide to the Rockies

By Ron Franscell

Outlaw Tales of Utah

Michael Rutter

Thanks so much for listening!!!!!

Like, subscribe, leave a review, wherever you can!!!

Check us out with pictures on YouTube.com @ FalseSummitPodcast and like and subscribe !!!

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In this episode, Marcelo and the gang uncover the remarkable story of Saint Patrick’s Battalion, a group of mostly Irish, catholic immigrants who fought for Mexico during the Mexican American War (1846–1848). Led by John Riley, these soldiers switched sides, driven by religious persecution, mistreatment, and solidarity with fellow Catholics. We explore their motivations, battles, and ultimate fate, shedding light on a little-known chapter of history.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from all of us at False summits!!!!

🎧 Listen now!

#SaintPatricksBattalion #MexicanAmericanWar #IrishHistory # MexicanHistory #Westernhistory #HistoryPodcast #ForgottenHistory #JohnRiley # #IrishImmigrants #Podcast # Irish American history #WildWestHistory #BatallóndeSanPatricio #SaintpatricksBattalion

Sources:

Miller, Robert Ryal. Shamrock and Sword: The Saint Patrick's Battalion in the U.S.-Mexican War. University of Oklahoma Press, 1989.

Hogan, Michael. The Irish Soldiers of Mexico. Fondo Editorial Universitario, 1998.

Stevens, Peter F. The Rogue's March: John Riley and the St. Patrick's Battalion, 1846–48. Brassey's, 1999.

Minster, Christopher. "Biography of John Riley." ThoughtCo, 2019, https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-john-riley-2136191.

"During the Mexican-American War, Irish-Americans Fought for Mexico in the 'Saint Patrick's Battalion'." Smithsonian Magazine, 2019, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/mexican-american-war-irish-immigrants-deserted-us-army-fight-against-america-180971713/.

"John Riley | A Continent Divided: The U.S.-Mexico War." UTA Libraries, https://libraries.uta.edu/usmexicowar/node/6590.

"Heroes or Traitors? Writing the Story of the Saint Patrick's Battalion in the Mexican-American War." Literary Hub, 2022, https://lithub.com/heroes-or-traitors-writing-the-story-of-saint-patricks-battalion-in-the-mexican-american-war/.

"The Untold Story of John Riley, Leader of the St. Patrick's Battalion." The Guadalajara Reporter, 2023, https://theguadalajarareporter.net/index.php/columns/columns/michael-hogan/59626-the-untold-story-of-john-riley-leader-of-the-st-patrick-s-battalion.

Thanks so much for listening!!!!!

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Check us out with pictures on YouTube.com @ FalseSummitPodcast and like and subscribe !!!

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Follow us on Instagram and bluesky @ false_summits_pod
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In this episode, Marcelo leads gang to explore the exploits of Samuel E. Chamberlain’s tell all book My Confession: Chamberlain’s vivid, violent, and horrific memoir of his time as a soldier and drifter on the Texas-Mexico border provided historical details and characters—most notably the enigmatic Judge Holden. Chamberlains accounts would have an influence author Cormac McCarthy’s brutal philosophical masterpiece Blood Meridian. Tune in for a deep dive into history, myth, and the shaping of one of American literature’s greatest novels.

Contact Warning: graphic depictions of violence. Listener discretion is advised.

My Confession: The Recollections of a Rogue By Samuel Chamberlain– This unpublished memoir, written c.1855-1861

The Storming of Monterrey” (Sept 1846) (Chamberlain, Samuel E.

Samuel E. Chamberlain by William Goetzmann

The Scalp Hunt in Chihuahua—1849” by James Kirker

John Joel Glanton, Lord of the Scalp Range” – 1962 article by Ralph A. Smith

#Podcast #BloodMeridian #SamuelEChamberlain #MyConfession #JudgeHolden #CormacMcCarthy #WesternHistory #LiteraryInfluences #AmericanLiterature #BookDiscussion #WildWest #TrueHistory #FrontierLife #ClassicLiterature # Arizona History #Mexican history

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In this episode, Marcelo tells the tale of Joaquín Murrieta, a Mexican-born 49er who became a symbol of resistance during the California Gold Rush. Dive in with us as we try to separate fact and folklore by examining his early life, the injustices he faced, and his transformation into a legendary outlaw. Was he a ruthless bandit or a folk hero fighting for the oppressed? Did he ever exist? Take a listen and find out for yourself.

Resources:

Life And Adventures Of Joaquin Murrieta: The Celebrated California Bandit

by Ridge, John Rollin

Life and Adventures of the Celebrated Bandit, Joaquin Murrieta: His Exploits in the State of California

by Paz, Ireneo

Joaquin Murrieta and His Horse Gangs

BY Frank F. Latta

Credits:

Hosted by Jess Leigh, Marcelo Aguilar, and Mason Orlando

Script written by Marcelo Aguilar

Produced and edited by Mason Orlando

Thanks so much for listening!!!!!

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In this episode, Mason tells the fascinating story of Charles Hatfield, a man who claimed to have the ability to make it rain. Known as the “moisture accelerator,” Hatfield’s alleged rain-making abilities had been sought after by a western communities desperate for water in the early 1900s. According to him, his secret chemical compounds and techniques could bring rain to drought-stricken areas. One of his contracts may have resulted in a disastrous flood in Southern California.

Resources

When San Diego Hired a Rainmaker a Century Ago, It Poured

Christopher Klein

https://daily.jstor.org/charles-hatfield-rainmaker/

A Brief History of Pluviculture

Clark C. Spence

https://www.jstor.org/stable/40487683?mag=charles-hatfield-rainmaker&seq=1

Hatfield the Rainmaker

Barbara Tuthill

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1520588?mag=charles-hatfield-rainmaker&seq=1

The Great Flood of 1916

by Steve Schoenherr

http://sunnycv.com/history/exhibits/flood.html#05

Melbourne, the Rainmaker

By Nebraska State Historical Society

https://history.nebraska.gov/publications_section/melbourne-the-rainmaker/

When the U.S. Government Tried to Make It Rain by Exploding Dynamite in the Sky

By, Katie Nodjimbadem

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Check us out with pictures on YouTube.com @ FalseSummitPodcast and like and subscribe !!!

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