True Tales of Old-Time Kansas: Revised Edition

by David Dary

"Authentic history, delightfully told" is the way Ray A. Billington, renowned historian of the Old West, described this collection. David Dary, award-winning chronicler of life on the frontier plains, is at his entertaining best in these thirty-nine episodes, sagas, and tales from Kansas's vigorous, free-spirited past. Many of the stories appeared in Dary's True Tales of the Old-Time Plains, but that book, out of print for several years, focused on the Great Plains in general. This new edition, revised and with additional stories and a new title, pulls together tales about people, animals and events in what is today Kansas, including the old territory of Kansas (1854-1861) that stretched from the Missouri River westward to the summit of the Rocky Mountains.

Many of the tales capture the romance, excitement, and adventure of the Old West, while others have the tempo of a quiet life surrounded by the immensity of the plains and prairies. There are well-known Bill Cody, the Dalton gang, the Bloody Benders, William Clarke Quantrill, Abraham Lincoln, and Frederic Remington, who once owned a Kansas sheep ranch and later was a silent partner in a Kansas City saloon before he became a well-known artist.

And there are stories, too, about little-known characters such as Prairie Dog Dave Morrow, who made his living capturing live prairie dogs. Dary relates tales of lost treasure and sudden riches, of outlaws and "jayhawk" raiders, of massacres and heroics. A generous number of illustrations help bring the tales to life.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1984

Reviews

[MKF · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have stood in front of the case housing Comanche at KU and was glad his story was included. That was one of the few stories I actually knew found in this book while the rest were new. I loved reading stories about my home state that has failed to make many of the history books.

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Dary authored “True Tales of Old-Time Kansas” in 1979 with a revised edition published in 1984. This wonderful book recounts the history of Kansas’ early Western history through adventure stories related to the Santa Fe Trail, Native American-encounters, buried treasures, and lawlessness with a flair reflecting national events and tragedies. Darcy’s award winning journalistic writing style and captivating storylines are spellbinding. (P)

[Bumex 4Breakfast · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was nice. This was fun. This was good.

[Cws]

KAN-Dar

[Alex L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ive finished this book twice already its relly good