How Good Were They?
James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok came to be known as the “Prince of Pistoleers.” Born on an Illinois farm in 1837, he seemed destined from the outset to be a lawman rather than a farmer.
As a young boy, Hickok practiced shooting with a pistol until he became highly proficient in its use. He subsequently left home to seek out a means of livelihood that would capitalize on his abilities.
He came to be known as the “Prince of Pistoleers.”
Hickok became one of the best-known figures associated with the American West. His life and reputation provide a lens through which to examine the period’s frontier culture and mythology.
Museum publication: This history feature is drawn from the Cody Firearms Museum newsletter, preserving its spring 2003 publication context.
Further reading is available from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.