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GeographyHere's a map of the West covered by most western movies.
Sometimes, you can click on a state to go there!! Click here to compare population density of these and other states. The Early West.As Americans began to move west, some of the Midwest represented the western boundaries of our civilization. This was the condition in the 1800's (and before) so we have stories, songs and movies about the states just west of the Mississippi. Missouri was the home of Jesse James and his gang's raids into neighboring states are the stuff of history!! He robbed his first train in Adair, Iowa (1873) and the town now celebrates that fact with a festival -- "Jesse James Daysl!" Northfield, Minnesota was a long way from MO -- and movies and festivals still celebrate his raid (1876) Arkansas. My great-granddaddy Beane took his Quapaw bride from Arkansas to Oklahoma in 1873, making him one of the earliest "Sooners." "Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker presided in Fort Smith (1875-1896) and sent US Marshals like Rooster Cogburn, Bill Tilghman and Heck Thomas out after bad outlaws. Fort Smith will be the site of the new Federal Marshall's museum. Kansas As the railroad moved across Kansas, cowboys brought herds of cattle up from Texas. A series of towns along the railroad (and now, along I-70) were notable "Cowtowns." Kansas is pretty much dreary flat farmland, but the towns have festivals celebrating their place in history. Oklahoma was Indian Territory until the Land Rush of 1889. Earlier, the famous cattle trails crossed Oklahoma and provided a lot of cowboy action! In Colorado, a ranch is any place you raise horses or cows. In Oklahoma, anything less than 40,000 acres is a Farm! So, everyone looks like a sure-nuff cowboy, but they call themselves farmers. Texas is traditionally western, but I have a lot of qualifications here. California? California was certainly the Wild West in the early days. Think of Zorro. Think of McCabe & Mrs. Miller! The first land rush was to California after gold was discovered in 1848 and it became a state in 1850. Many movies, of course, were filmed in California. California is full of "Drugstore cowboys", and most "real" Westerners are basically scornful and refer to it (and the Northwest) as "the left coast." But in the early days, it was pretty wild. Alaska
The Modern West"Westerners" now live in the following states The DakotasMontanaIdahoWyomingColoradoNevadaArizonaNew Mexico
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It shows all of the states west of the Missisippi.