• 2003
  • TV-G
  • 1h
Wild West Tech

Summary "Wild West Tech" was a documentary series for the History Channel that featured in depth interviews with historians and authors, as well as action packed recreations, to tell the story of the technology that drove the history of the American West. The series was created by Dolores Gavin (History Channel) and supervising producer Louis Tarantino. View more details

  • 2003
  • TV-G
  • 1h

Wild West Tech

Directed : Unknown

Written : Unknown

Stars : David Carradine Phil Spangenberger Roger McGrath Drew Gomber

All cast & crew

8.1

Details

Genres : History Western Documentary

Release date : Aug 18, 2003

Countries of origin : United States

Official sites : History Channel

Language : English

Filming locations : Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Production companies : Greystone Television

Summary "Wild West Tech" was a documentary series for the History Channel that featured in depth interviews with historians and authors, as well as action packed recreations, to tell the story of the technology that drove the history of the American West. The series was created by Dolores Gavin (History Channel) and supervising producer Louis Tarantino. View more details

Details

Genres : History Western Documentary

Release date : Aug 18, 2003

Countries of origin : United States

Official sites : History Channel

Language : English

Filming locations : Old Tucson - 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Production companies : Greystone Television

Photos

Phillip Gramm in Wild West Tech (2003) Phillip Gramm in Wild West Tech (2003) Wild West Tech (2003) Wild West Tech (2003) Wild West Tech (2003) Wild West Tech (2003) Wild West Tech (2003) Wild West Tech (2003) Steve Alexander in Wild West Tech (2003) Michael Keyes in Wild West Tech (2003) Wild West Tech (2003)

Episodes

View All Seasons
Episode 1 • Aug 24, 2003
Outlaw Tech: Pilot 1
This episode talked about the various methods used by outlaws (no one ever rode a horse up to a moving train and jumped aboard to rob it except in the movies) and new tools they used and the impact. This includes dynamite, smokeless gun powder, telegraph lines, and other items. There is also some discussion how the changing technology such as the telegraph, pictures on wanted posters,telephone, and finally the automobile was used against the outlaws and ended the romance of the outlaw.
Episode 2 • Aug 18, 2003
The Gunslingers: Pilot 2
The key to the west was the use of guns and their rapid development. The traditional quick draw gunfight was very rare in the west. If you wanted to shoot someone, you usually did it from cover or distance. The first recorded quick draw involved Wild Bill Hickock in Missouri in 1865. He was a fast and deadly accurate shooter. In 1836 the Colt Patterson revolver was introduced which started revolutionary changes in gun development. It played an important role in defending against Indians used bows and arrows which could be shot very fast and had developed tactics based on single shot guns that took time to reload. To produce the gun Colt created lathes, other tools, and used the assembly line to keep up with demand. Pistols changed rapidly for the next 30 years as technology improved. In 1854 the introduction of the self contained cartridge made repeating guns easier to develop and use. The Henry Rifle was the first practical repeating rifle introduced in 1860. It, too, had a major impact on battles with Indians. It was followed in 1873 with the Winchester which became the standard. Holsters also under went several advancements in the second half of the 19th century. However, wearing guns openly in town in the west was normally illegal. Instead, people carried small guns hidden in pockets and waistbands. Cowboys wore their guns openly as they were in the country. In the OK Corral shootout the Earp group wore hidden guns while the cowboys wore theirs in the open. John Wesley Hardin was one of the most prolific killers having killed his 40th man on his 21st birthday. The other gun that was popular due to its easier use was the shotgun used by Billy the Kid in his jail break.
Episode 3 • Mar 29, 2004
Cowboy Tech
Episode 4 • Apr 05, 2004
Execution Tech
Shows the execution technology used at the time, from hanging to electrocution, analyzing how they worked and what could go wrong.
Episode 5 • Apr 26, 2004
Western Towns
Although their remoteness limited the resources available in western towns, the resources they did have tended to be as modern as cities in the east. This program reviews the most critical technologies to western towns economic survival.
Episode 6 • May 03, 2004
Brothel Tech
The show covers aspects of the prostitution business in the wild west. It starts with the lack of women in the west relative to the number of men after the 1849 gold strike. Prostitutes worked at different levels starting at the top with brothels, saloon women, crib workers, and finally the street walkers at the bottom level. The poor working conditions of the women are covered along with the filthy state of their clients. Their strategic placement in red light districts along with how the red light name was derived from the rail workers red signal lanterns hanging outside the women's businesses. Perceptions of beauty or more importantly the lack of beauty standards of the day are covered. Treatments of the day for STDs are described along with the limited means to prevent them. Methods of birth control, abortion, and drug use are mentioned. The importance of prostitution as a key component of the economy of the times is stressed along with being one of the few livelihoods available to poor unmarried women of the west.
Episode 7 • Dec 31, 1969
Hunting Tech
Episode 8 • Dec 31, 1969
Military Tech
Episode 9 • May 10, 2004
Native American Tech
Episode 10 • May 17, 2004
Train Tech
The show covers the changes in the railroad industry from the 23 miles in 1830 to the 200,000 miles by 1900. It starts with a basic explanation of how a steam locomotive works and the dangers involved including boiler explosions. The various dangers faced by passengers in train travel including rail design, bridge collapses, exploding boilers, and burning train cars are detailed along with changes over time to reduce them. Dangers faced by railroad employees which include brakemen setting brakes by hand and holdup men robbing express man agents are covered. The show ends with the last classic train robbery in 1912 in Texas and how technology played a role in stopping it.
Episode 11 • May 24, 2004
Gambling Tech
Details about gamblers, gambling games, and methods of cheating in the west are described from the early days to its evolution toward the end of the 19th century. Gambling was an addition practiced by almost everyone in the west.
Episode 12 • Jun 07, 2004
Gold Rush Tech
Examines the technology used during the gold rush, namely the evolving of mining tools, as pumps, drills, elevators or cables
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