Creating Wyatt Earp: the man, the myth, the legend

Abstract

Wyatt Earp created and manipulated his own legacy by circumventing the history books and taking his story straight to the people. Throughout his life he garnered the proficient physical skills that allowed him to survive and thrive in the many boomtowns of the American West. His broad frontier knowledge and capitalistic mindset provided a plethora of opportunities in a wide array of western occupations such as gambler, lawman, miner, saloon operator and boxing referee, earning Wyatt millions of dollars in his lifetime. Lastly, his recognition of popular culture’s fascination with the West granted him the escape from strict academic scrutiny by giving him the chance to dictate his own narrative. This thesis examines Wyatt Earp’s life, ups and downs within the larger context of boomtowns and big cities, gunfights and prizefights in the Wild West. My research builds on the historical analysis of Casey Tefertiller, the modern authority on Wyatt Earp, as well as historians Roy Young, Gary L. Roberts, Bob Boze Bell, Andrew Isenberg and Stuart N. Lake, the mythmaker of Wyatt Earp. The Wild West is part of American culture and a better understanding Wyatt Earp’s life offers new perspective on the pursuit of the American Dream in the western United States.