Wyatt Earp: The Blueprint for the Wild, Wild West

Kenna Armstrong
Dr. Campbell
HIS 108: US History Since 1865
April 5, 2019
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The Wild West has been a point of fascination for historians and filmmakers alike. It is a

place of mystery and romance highlighted with intense fights and once in a lifetime adventures.

However, recent documents have reframed the Wild West into a much more milder west. Where

did the idea of gun-slinging bandits and daily robberies come from? Many say it was the over

exaggeration of tall-tales that have been passed down over the years, but there is one aspect that

grew from a sheriff born in the Midwest. Wyatt Earp’s career, vices, and lasting legacies

provided the framework for today’s interpretation of the Wild West.

On March 19, 1848, Wyatt Earp was born in Monmouth, Illinois. He was the fourth child

out of eight and had a close connection with his brothers. He was rebellious and determined to

forge his own path from his early teens. Like many young American boys at the time, he

attempted to run away with his older siblings and join the Union Army; however, his father was

always able to locate him.1 After his father relocated the family members not in the army to

California, Earp learned many skills that would benefit him in his later endeavors and joined

Virgil2 as a stagecoach driver. He learned the lands and eventually settled in Lamar, Missouri for

a while. However, the death of his wife of less than a year turned him towards a new way of life.3

By March of 1871, Earp had committed his first felonies. He stole horses from Indian

territories and was arrested for associating with prostitutes between Peoria, Illinois and Wichita,

Kansas.4 Despite his record and crossing paths with the law on numerous occasions, he joined

the police force of Wichita to begin his career in the public. Taming the cowboys of the area, he

moved onto Dodge City, Kansas. In the late 1870s, Earp migrated to the Black Hills as a part of

1 Amy Tikkanen, “Wyatt Earp: American Frontiersman,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, Britannica.com, last
modified February 8, 2019, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wyatt-Earp.
2 Third oldest Earp child
3 “Wyatt Earp: American Frontiersman,” Encyclopaedia Britannica.
4 “The Life of Wyatt Earp,” American Experience, PBS.org,
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/wyatt-earp-life/; “Wyatt Earp: American Frontiersman,”
Encyclopaedia Britannica.
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the gold rush.5 Returning to Doge, he had befriended the infamous dentist, Doc Holliday, and

was a renowned gambler, lawmaker, and leader of vices.

In the 1880s, Earp and his posse headed for the southwest to gain riches in the silver rush

after hearing advice from Virgil. Earp continued his law career, but his main income came from

working in saloons. It is in Tombstone that his war against cowboy posses begins.6 After Ike

Clanton made threats against the Earp family in 1881, the two posses faced off in a deadly fight.

The shootout at the OK Corral solidified the role of Earp’s family in shaping American folklore.

Three members of Ike’s clan were killed, and Morgan,7 Virgil, and Doc Holliday of Earp’s posse

were wounded. Earp walked away with no injuries but not without consequences. Ike’s reports

lead to Doc Holliday’s and Earp’s arrests, but they eventually went free with no charges despite

the three deaths.8

OK Corral became a legend, and Earp’s reputation soared. He was made the United

States’ Deputy Marshall and achieved nationwide fame. However, his brothers became targets.

Virgil was shot and injured at the same time Earp was appointed, and Morgan was killed in

March of 1882. Earp and associates searched for the attackers and killed two men in the process,

which sent Earp on the run from the law.9 Traveling the west with his new wife, ex-prostitute

Josephine Marcus, they finally settled in California where Earp rekindled old pastimes including

boxing, mining, and gambling with horse races. He remained a law enforcer on the side for extra

income. After moving around sporadically and maintaining his status as a key figure in the Wild

West, Earp died in Los Angeles on January 13, 1929.

5 “Wyatt Earp: American Frontiersman,” Encyclopaedia Britannica.

9 “Wyatt Earp: American Frontiersman,” Encyclopaedia Britannica.

His legacy was historically documented in an autobiography that was not well received at

the time and a biography that he aided in writing.10 He was the key feature in many films, as well

as the gunfight at the OK Corral. Although it has been proven that Earp embellished many

writings and accounts, the impact had already been made to forever influence American media

surrounding the Wild West. Using primary newspapers from the late 1800s, one can compare the

media’s ideas about Earp with today’s stereotypes about the West and see how his life swayed

how people depict the Wild West over the next century.

Modern films centered on the Wild West involve staples such as the bandits, bank

robbers, rascals, and a powerful sheriff. A recent analysis of the true West revealed its tame side,

but Hollywood is still clinging to the wild troupes. Earp himself was an assistant on many film

sets for many movies in the original western genre. Renowned actor and director, John Wayne,

credits Earp as being the main inspiration for his law enforcement characters.11 One can argue

that Earp was the mold for personas well beyond the that of the cop and the robber.

The July 16, 1900 issue of the Scranton Tribune told of Earp engaging in a gunfight at his

own saloon. While it was during a transitional period in Earp’s life, where he was not employed

as a police officer, he was still seen as a prominent member of society. The newspaper calls Earp

the, “Arizona Bad-Man” and claimed that he was quarrelsome after liquor.12 He was a very

defensive person and known to show his strength. In this particular incident, Earp “reached for

his gun” after fighting with a customer, but the other man was faster and managed to shoot Earp

in the arm before he could draw his own weapon.13 Showing the dark side of Earp’s personality,

the Scranton Tribune article targeted his reputation as a sharp shot and quick decision maker. In
10 The most infamous case of this was the biography by Stuart N. Lake. Like the autobiography, it was not
well received at the time of release because of his involvement.
11 “The Life of Wyatt Earp,” American Experience.
12 “Wyatt Earp Shot at Nome: The Arizona Bad-man Not Quick Enough With His Gun,” The Scranton
Tribune, July 16, 1900, morning edition, (Library of Congress, image 1).
13 The Scranton Tribune, July 16, 1900, morning edition.
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this situation, Earp reflected the side of power and grandeur in the Wild West. He had spent his

early year in the township “bullying” citizens, and in a time of tension, he flexed his power but

was not able to produce the results. These actions are a model situation for filmmakers to base a

mid-level clash between the protagonist and the saloon based stock character.

However, there were many points in his career that he was considered the hero. The

Dodge City Times from July 7, 1877, hailed his charisma and ability to bring criminals to justice.

The residents of Dodge City credited him with saving the town and hoped that he would come

back to serve on the police force once again.14 This praise and revere are standard in the case of a

western hero. An article like this showed Earp’s good side and the power that he had to do good

in communities.

It was traits such as his “quiet ways of talking” and an easy confidence with a gun that

made him an American icon of the period.15 Factors in the personality of a law enforcer in classic

western films are steady, stoic features and a charisma that draws people in. The townsfolk root

for them or live in fear depending on their standing. Earp was the embodiment of this

phenomenon and that legacy lives on in many characters from over the decade.

Tales of Earp’s influence and actions were not contained to the West. The Lewiston

Teller of Lewiston, Idaho detailed him and his brother’s stints as vigilantes and lawmen. It

dubbed Wyatt Earp the “wise” brother.16 The article even goes as far as to credit them with many

stagecoach robberies from over the years. However, the key resource in this newspaper was its

depiction of Earp. It featured a three-quarter profile of the bad-man, highlighting key factors

such as his large handlebar mustache and clean-cut, slicked-back hair.17 He was sharply dressed

14 “Personal.” Dodge City Times, July 7, 1877. (Library of Congress, image 4).
15 Dodge City Times, July 7, 1877.
16 “Look at His Phiz: Wyatt Earp a Bad Man and He Knows It,” Lewiston Teller, March 4, 1897, (Library
of Congress, image 6).
17 Lewiston Teller, March 4, 1897.
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but has a cold look. One can clearly see how directors and later artists based the stereotypical

Wild West sheriff on his image, yet the menace of his decisions and business endeavors paved

the way for corrupt villains and settings.

No document encompassed Earp’s legacy, good and bad, better than his own obituary.

Published in the Los Angeles Times on January 14, 1929, the town of his death, the headline

read, “Tamer of the Wild West Dies.”18 The obituary detailed Earp’s life covering his endeavors

and misadventures. It noted that his brother, Morgan, died defending Wyatt’s name and Virgil

was injured in the same practice.19 His many gunfights, whether he participated or refereed, were

included, adding to the depth of his character. A majority of towns he tamed ended up “running

like clockwork” after receiving his treatments.20 Earp was not afraid of killing locals if they were

inhibiting progress or the root of corruption. He is the reason Wild West history is the way it is.

His obituary presented Earp in what was perhaps the most authentic light. Unlike the

autobiography and collaborative works, he had no direct input in the contents of the article.

Instead, it is an accumulation of opinions and interpretations of the public, a Herodotus

approach. The author does not shy away from the corruption within Earp, commenting on his

“chilly eye” while refereeing the gunfight in Oakland.21 According to the paper, he dressed like a

“capitalist” in later life while running many businesses spanning from racehorses to mines.22

It was this combination of capitalism and calmness, business and battles that summarized

the aesthetic of the Wild West, and as evidence showed, Earp was the catalyst. Citizens loved his

power but feared his shot. They relied on his unorthodox tactics to save their towns, but he relied

18 “Tamer of Wild West Dies: Wyatt Earp, Picturesque Gun-Fighting Marshal of Frontier Days, Passes
Without Boots On,” Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1929, (ProQuest Historical Newspapers).
19 Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1929.
20 Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1929.
21 Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1929.
22 Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1929.
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on the freedoms given to him by the wide open land. He was able to disappear while still making

a name for himself. Like the Wild West, he was grand and callous, full of vices but the enforcer

of virtue. He took part in the gold and silver rushes and thrived when surrounded by his posse.

From the first time he ran away, he began to establish his legacy. Earp had such a complex

characterization that was embellished over the years through tall-tales and his own

manufacturing that one can be certain that his life and personality shaped how the Wild West is

represented.

Bibliography

“Life of Wyatt Earp, The.” American Experience. PBS.org.

“Look at His Phiz: Wyatt Earp a Bad Man and He Knows It.” Lewiston Teller, March 4, 1897.
(Library of Congress, image 6).

“Personal.” Dodge City Times, July 7, 1877. (Library of Congress, image 4).
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“Tamer of Wild West Dies: Wyatt Earp, Picturesque Gun-Fighting Marshal of Frontier Days,
Passes Without Boots On.” Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1929. (ProQuest Historical
Newspapers).

Tikkanen, Amy. “Wyatt Earp: American Frontiersman.” Encyclopedia Britannica.

“Wyatt Earp Shot at Nome: The Arizona Bad-man Not Quick Enough With His Gun.” The
Scranton Tribune, July 16, 1900, morning edition. (Library of Congress, image 1).