Stories

The iron horse! The steam locomotive changed America—from passenger travel to transporting goods. A complex invention—see how it works in this INSP blog.

Western Stars and Fatherhood These men were Hollywood stars—and dynamite Dads! Funny, friendly, full of wisdom and happy to share adventures with their children, these actors of stage and screen never forgot their most important…

Ronald Reagan stars in Cavalry Charge (AKA The Last Outpost). Reagan loved horses and the cavalry. Did you know he was in the cavalry? INSP blog by Henry Parke.

Willie and Bill and ‘The Red Headed Stranger’  By Henry C. Parke “When I recorded the Red Headed Stranger album,” in 1975, Willie Nelson wrote, “I had in mind doing a Red Headed Stranger movie to go along with…

Fascinating Facts About Stars in My Crown By Darlene Cah What goes on behind the scenes is often as dramatic as what happens on the screen. Joel McCrea stars in Stars in My Crown, but…

Where Legends Still Roam the Plains By Reagan Johnson Nestled between the Snowy Range and the Laramie Range, you’ll find a gateway to the past and a portal to endless outdoor adventure in Laramie, Wyoming.…

Where Rails and Cowboy Tales Meet By Reagan Johnson Cheyenne, Wyoming, is a city that epitomizes the spirit of the Old West—so it’s no surprise so many Western fans make the pilgrimage to its borders…

Where TV Legends Come to Life By Reagan Johnson Nestled on the scenic shores of Lake Tahoe, Nevada, the Ponderosa Ranch is a legendary Western locale brought to life by the beloved TV series Bonanza.…

Where the Sun Never Sets on History By Reagan Johnson Perched on the banks of the Colorado River, Yuma, Arizona, is a vibrant town where history and adventure converge under the desert sun. Known for…

The Frontier’s Most Notorious Town by Reagan Johnson Steeped in the lore of the Old West, Dodge City, Kansas, is a town where history and legend are deeply intertwined. Known for its rough-and-tumble past, iconic…

Stars in My Crown—One of Joel McCrea’s Favorites By Henry C. Parke Today, the beautiful Thousand Oaks ranch of movie stars Joel McCrea and Frances Dee is The Joel and Frances McCrea Ranch Foundation, operated…

An Elkhorn Historical Mashup What did the real Theodore Roosevelt look like as a young man? How about his nemesis, the cunning Marquis de Morès? Drag the slider on the photos from side to side to…

The Roosevelt Menagerie By Darlene Cah An avid outdoorsman, Theodore Roosevelt is someone you’d expect to have many horses and dogs in his life. But during his years in the White House, it’s estimated that…

Where Culture and History Paint the Desert By Reagan Johnson Santa Fe, New Mexico stands as a testament to both the ancient and the new. It’s a place where centuries-old adobe buildings meet cutting-edge art…

Western Stars Who Are Great Hollywood Moms By Maria Schulz They’re not just stars from the big and small screens—they’re also devoted mothers! These strong, determined women managed to handle all the pressures of stardom…

INSP exclusive interview with Chris Mulkey star of the Western Far Haven! Mulkey talks about his love of Westerns, working with Bruce Boxleitner, Martin Kove...

Desi Two Hats … Or Making a Matzo Western with Gregory Peck By Henry C. Parke “I grew up at the Del Mar racetrack. Well, I grew up on a farm. When my parents were…

Rory’s Daughter—Athena Marcus Calhoun By Henry C. Parke As his daughter, Athena, will tell you, Rory Calhoun “was tall, dark, and handsome with blue eyes. He was the matinee idol. He may not have been…

A sit down with Elkhorn executive producer Gary Tarpinian By Jay Coffin Gary Tarpinian has always had a fascination with Theodore Roosevelt, and he’s thrilled that he’s finally found a way to tell the story…

Where the Frontier Shaped a Nation’s Destiny By Reagan Johnson Nestled in the rugged badlands of western North Dakota, Elkhorn Ranch evokes the enduring spirit of one of America’s most dynamic figures, Theodore Roosevelt. This…

From a vengeful gunslinger (The Bravados) to an outlaw with a big heart (Billy Two Hats), Gregory Peck is a versatile actor. Explore his many roles.

Sam Elliott, Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges, Keith Carradine—actors who played lawman, gunslinger, showman, and Old West folk hero, Wild Bill Hickok.

Get Ready for the Elkhorn Experience What picture comes to mind when you think of Theodore Roosevelt? The stodgy 26th president of the United States? The colossal mustachioed stone portrait sculpted into the granite facade…

Some Are Good. Some Are Up to No Good… When young Theodore Roosevelt arrives in the Badlands of Dakota Territory, where he plans to build his cattle ranch, he discovers the lawless and unforgiving frontier…

Theodore Roosevelt, aka T.R.—8 little-known, fascinating facts about the cowboy who eventually became the President of the United States.

Theodore Roosevelt: Cowboy, Conservationist, and President Born small and sickly, Theodore Roosevelt grew into a big, burly man who chose to live an exuberant life—whether as the father of six children, a cattle rancher in…

What makes a Western villain so mean? Meet the bad guys we love to hate! Bruce Dern, Jack Palance, Lee Marvin—actors who played notorious Western villains.