The Summer of 1876 with Mandi and Chris Wimmer

The Summer of 1876 with Mandi and Chris Wimmer

The summer of 1876 was a key time period in the development of the mythology of the Old West. Many individuals who are considered legends by modern readers were involved in events that began their notoriety or turned out to be the most famous ― or infamous ― moments of their lives. Those individuals were Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Wild Bill Hickok, and Jesse James.

The Summer of 1876 weaves together the timelines of the events that made these men legends to demonstrate the overlapping context of their stories and to illustrate the historical importance of that summer, all layered with highlights of significant milestones in 1876: the inaugural baseball season of the National League; the final year of President Ulysses S. Grant’s embattled administration; the debut of an invention called the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell; the release of Mark Twain’s novel “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer;” and many more.

Contextualizing these events against the backdrop of the massive 100th anniversary party thrown to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, The Summer of 1876 is the ultimate exploration and celebration of the summer that defined the West.

About the Author

Growing up watching Gunsmoke and touring museums and ghost towns during summer break, it’s no surprise the co-owners, a brother sister duo, created a media company specializing in American History with Legends of the Old West and Infamous America as their flagship shows. 

Chris Wimmer is a storyteller. He is the writer, host and producer of Legends of the Old West and Infamous America podcasts. He is a published author and award-winning journalist who also spent 14 years working in Hollywood’s film industry. He combines his experience in screenwriting and journalism to produce informative and entertaining podcasts. 

Mandi Wimmer is a producer and businesswoman. She produced mega events for gubernatorial and presidential campaigns before moving to Arizona to be the Director of Events for Super Bowl XLII. She ran the events departments for Arizona Super Bowl XLIX, Houston Super Bowl LI and wrote the NFL Bid with a small team to secure Super Bowl LVII for Arizona. Between Super Bowls she served as the Deputy Director of the Arizona Centennial Commission and Foundation. She was excited to transition her production and business expertise to create Black Barrel Media 

Book availability information will be updated soon

Event Details

Friday, February 2, 2024 | 2:00 – 3:30 P.M.
FREE for Western Week!

Programs and times are subject to change.

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