Biggest Legends of The West in One Photograph: Fake or Real?

Ran across this image of some of the most amazing legends of the west taken together in 1883 at Hunters Hot Springs in Montana.

In this photo are some of the most iconic and notorious Lawmen and Outlaws of the American west. If it seems unbelievable that they could have been in the same place at the same time for this photo, that’s because it is. Here are some facts:

  • Wyatt Earp 1848 – 1929 : Lawman involved in the famous gunfight at the OK Corral in 1881.
  • Morgan Earp 1851 – 1882: Brother of Wyatt and also a lawman. Was with Wyatt at the OK Corral. Though he survived that incident and an amubush in 1882, he was shot while playing billiards on March 18th 1882.
  • Doc Holliday 1851 – 1887: While not a law man, Holiday was a friend of Wyatt Earp and assisted him at the OK Corral. Holiday was a gambler, gunfighter and dentist. Despite his reckless ways, he died of tuberculosis in bed with his boots off in Glenwood Springs Colorado.
  • Teddy Rosevelt Unknown: While Teddy Roosevelt (1858 – 1919) was alive in 1883 and president of the US from 1901 – 1909, he was a New York State Assemblyman, historian and writer at the time of this photo. He didn’t leave for his adventures in the Dakotas until the death of his mother and wife in 1884. But Teddy Rosevelt is in this photo and I can’t find anything on him.
  • Liver Eating Johnson 1824 – 1900: A naval man turned gold miner turned woodhawk, Johnson was about the right age in 1883 to have a big white beard, but he was, “described as a large man, standing around six feet tall and weighing over two hundred pounds.” So this doesn’t appear to be him.
  • Butch Cassidy 1866 – ??? : Robert LeRoy Parker would have been just 17 in this photo. Which is vaguely plausible. Though he later became a notorious outlaw, that wasn’t until after about 1889 when he assisted in robbing the San Miguel Bank in Telluride, CO.
  • Sundance Kid 1867 – ???: Harry Alonzo Longbaugh was only 16 in 1883 an not known to have met Butch Cassidy until after Cassidy was released from prison in 1896.
  • Bat Masterson 1853 – 1921: Buffalo Hunter, U.S. Marshall and Army Scout, Masterson served with Wyatt Earp in Kansas. Masterson was in Dodge City, Kansas during 1883 for the Dodge City War, so it is unlikely he was in Montana for this photograph.
  • Harry Britton: Unknown. He very well could have been there.
  • Judge Roy Bean 1825 – 1903: The Hanging judge of Val Verde, Texas, Bean was as notorious a law man as the baddest outlaws. While he was a judge in Texas in 1883, it’s possible he could have made a quick trip to Montana.
  • Ben Greenough: Unknown

I say this photo is a fake, to more specifically, that the hand written caption is fake. I still might buy a print though.

Source:OLD WEST 1883 Gathering Wyatt Earp Butch Cassidy POSTER | eBay.

10 comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Hi Mike,

    Your research certainly debunks the authenticity of this photo as a representation of most of the named individuals, so it’s curious to me why you would consider buying the print. 

  • According to my extensive 3 minute research, Teddy was 5’10” and Butch was 5’9″ so unless there is something wrong with the quality of the picture “Teddy” would be about 6’4″ (and “#1″ would be about 4’8” and weigh about 98 lbs).

  • Yes Morgan died in 1882 but you have to figure that the Walmart photomarts were kind of slow with processing back then. Plus this proves that Doc Holiday did enjoy wearing Doc Martens.

  • Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp
    Morgan Seth Earp
    Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, Jr.
    John Henry “Doc” Holliday
    John “Liver-Eating” Johnson
    Robert Leroy “Geo.” (George) Parker “Butch Cassidy”
    Harry Alfonzo Longabaugh “The Sundance Kid”
    William Barclay “Bat” Masterson
    Phantley Roy “Roy” Bean, Jr., the Judge

  • First of all, being a western historical buff, I am preoccupied with anything of “western” nature. That includes any photos of historical value. Secondly, no reputable LAWMAN would be in a gathering with OUTLAWS back in the day, much less take a picture with them. Most outlaws were in jail or deceased at this time (1883) .. By nature, the only group photos were such at conventions, etc by LAWMEN ASSO’s.. I hardly doubt they would “invite” someone WANTED at the time to their meetings..

  • For the scoop on Hunter’s Hot Springs and this photo, check out the video athttps://youtu.be/1w4IQVN9BaE

  • For the scoop on Hunter’s Hot Springs and this photo, check out the video athttps://youtu.be/1w4IQVN9BaE