There are few wild west icons as timeless as the gunslinging lawman and notorious gambler who became the legend named Wyatt Earp. Known for his fabled life and the shootout at the O.K. Corral, his story has been ingrained into generations of Americans since, making him a household name even today. His frontier exploits and fight against the forces of evil and nature alike have been turned into myth, but when all the smoke cleared, Wyatt Earp was simply a man from Monmouth, Illinois who knew his way around a six shooter.
Born in 1848 to Nicholas and Virginia Ann Earp, Wyatt wasn’t always the deadliest gunman of his day. He was the fourth of eight siblings and he carried with him a reputation of someone who never stayed in one place too long. This was in no part due to cowardice or anything of the sort, rather, he fancied himself a gambler quite often and roaming from one booming town to the next suited him.
He was also a lawman though, and a damn good one at that. It was this pursuit of justice that would most directly contribute to his legacy today. Before arriving at his fated destination of Tombstone, Arizona, Wyatt tried to join his brothers in the Civil War, but given he was too young at the time he was forced to return home. By 1869, he had become a local constable in Missouri, but he wouldn’t stay there for long. After a brief marriage that left him a widower he traveled the frontier with others like Doc Holliday, and eventually made his way back to his brothers in Arizona when Tombstone became a booming town due to silver mining in the area.
30 Shots in 30 Seconds at the O.K. Corral
What would happen in Tombstone, Arizona would be etched into the history books and help to catapult Wyatt Earp into the legendary status we know him as today. Carrying his classic six shooter with a chip on his shoulder for those with ill intent, Wyatt joined his brothers Virgil and Morgan alongside Doc Holliday to stand up against the Clanton gang at the O.K. Corral. The group represented law and order in one of the toughest towns of the wild west, and through rumors circulated of their own intentions, there was no denying what the group stood for when the bullets started flying on October 26th, 1881. Wyatt Earp earned his place in history that day, with what stories say were 30 shots in just 30 seconds. His gunslinging abilities helped Wyatt put an end to the fight without even so much as a scratch. The rest, as they say, is history.
There may be more tales of gunfights in the west than you can shake a stick at, but few captured the interest of Americans like the O.K. Corral. Wyatt Earp is a timeless icon of the American wild west and his name has lived on with stories in literature, TV and film ever since. His legacy was simply destined to be carried on from the start. In 1931, the biography Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshal written by Stuart N. Lake was published and it quickly became a bestseller across the nation. Even Wyatt Earp himself seemed to understand this sentiment, as he attempted to get the silent film industry interested in his story. While it wouldn’t take off until much later, Hollywood has since treated his name with reverence. Wyatt Earp has been portrayed by actors like Kevin Costner, Burt Lancaster and Kurt Russell, helping to make him a household name for generations to come.
A Legacy is Born
Myths and legends aren’t born overnight. Americans everywhere throughout history have connected with the story of Wyatt Earp because of what he represents. The epitome of wild west virtue, he is an icon of justice at a time when that meant being quicker on the draw and more accurate than the gun across from you. He represents ideals that stand the test of time as good triumphs over evil, law and order prevails over chaos, and what it means to not back down from a fight. He may have been a gambler and had a penchant for exaggeration, but his legend is born of his achievements combined with our own desire to hold onto a time so unique to who we are. He is the archetype for what we mean when we say frontier justice, the type of man behind the guns that won the west and the folk hero we still tell tales of.
As we explore what it means to be a timeless icon of the wild west, Wyatt Earp will hold true as a legend among legends, where few can compare. Amidst all of the history books and Hollywood stories, he is a man who earned his place in history with a revolver at his side.
Now, Heritage Manufacturing has captured the ideals of the wild west that were instilled in Wyatt Earp himself. The American quality and style born of his era is reborn in the 12” Rough Rider .22 LR revolver with wood engraved grips and interchangeable cylinder allowing you to shoot .22 WMR ammo. It’s a wheel gun that pays tribute to Wyatt Earp and the gunslingers of the wild west while delivering on the firearm performance that even a lawman from 1881’s Tombstone, Arizona would depend on.
The Timeless Icon
He was a gunslinger and a gambler, but also an upholder of the law and loyal family man. Wyatt Earp defines the timeless wild west icon and all the complexities of a time that continues to captivate us all. Put the legacy of one of the frontier’s greatest in your hand today with the Heritage 12” Rough Rider .22 LR and celebrate an icon that’s as timeless as the revolver.
