Meet the Legends: The Wild West Characters Behind Our RV Sites

Every Site Has a Story

At Stage Stop Campground, we didn't want to just number our sites. We wanted each one to have a personality — a little bit of history and a little bit of fun. So we named every RV site after a legendary figure from the Wild West, and every tent site after a legendary Native American leader.

Whether you're parked at Jesse James or pitching your tent at Geronimo, here's the story behind the name on your site.

The Outlaws

The ones who lived fast, rode hard, and made their own rules.

Jesse James

"Outlaw. Legend. Missouri's most famous son."

Born right here in Missouri, Jesse James and his brother Frank led one of the most notorious gangs in American history. They robbed banks, trains, and stagecoaches across the Midwest for over 15 years. Jesse became a folk hero in his own time — some saw him as a Robin Hood figure, though the truth was a lot messier. He was killed in 1882 by a member of his own gang looking to collect a bounty.

Billy the Kid

"Young gun. Outlaw icon. Gone too soon."

Henry McCarty — better known as Billy the Kid — was just 21 when he was shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881. In his short life, he became one of the most famous outlaws of the Old West, involved in New Mexico's Lincoln County War and credited with killing eight men (though legends put the number higher). His youth and charm made him an enduring figure in Western lore.

Butch Cassidy

"Brains of the bunch. Leader of the Wild Bunch."

Robert LeRoy Parker took the name Butch Cassidy and built the Wild Bunch into one of the most successful outlaw gangs in the West. They pulled off a string of bank and train robberies across the Rocky Mountain states in the 1890s. When the law closed in, Butch and his partner the Sundance Kid fled to South America. What happened next is still debated — but the legend has never faded.

Cole Younger

"Tough as nails. Rode with the James gang."

Cole Younger was a Confederate guerrilla during the Civil War before joining up with Jesse James for a decade of bank and train robberies. He was captured after the disastrous Northfield, Minnesota raid in 1876 and spent 25 years in prison. After his release, he toured with a Wild West show and even gave lectures warning young people away from a life of crime.

Sam Bass

"Texas train robber. Short career, long legend."

Sam Bass went from Indiana farm boy to Texas outlaw in just a few years. He's best known for robbing a Union Pacific train in Nebraska in 1877, making off with $60,000 in freshly minted gold coins — one of the biggest train heists of the era. His outlaw career lasted barely two years before he was killed in a shootout with Texas Rangers in 1878, but that was enough to cement his place in frontier legend.

Belle Starr

"The Bandit Queen of the frontier."

Myra Maybelle Shirley — known to the world as Belle Starr — was one of the few women to earn outlaw fame in the Old West. She associated with Jesse James, the Younger brothers, and other notorious figures. She was convicted of horse theft and spent time in federal prison. Belle was murdered under mysterious circumstances in 1889, and her killer was never identified. The newspapers called her the "Bandit Queen," and the name stuck.

John Wesley Hardin

"The deadliest gunfighter in the West."

John Wesley Hardin claimed to have killed 42 men, and while the real number was likely lower, even conservative estimates make him one of the deadliest gunfighters of the era. He killed his first man at just 15 years old. After spending 15 years in prison, he studied law and passed the bar — though his violent ways eventually caught up with him. He was shot in the back of the head in an El Paso saloon in 1895.

Sundance Kid

"Butch's right hand. Quick draw, quicker smile."

Harry Alonzo Longabaugh got his famous nickname after serving 18 months in jail in Sundance, Wyoming. He became Butch Cassidy's closest partner and a key member of the Wild Bunch. He was known as an excellent marksman and — unlike many outlaws — was reportedly well-mannered and well-liked. He and Butch fled to Argentina together, and their ultimate fate remains one of the great mysteries of the Old West.

The Lawmen

The ones who wore the badge and held the line.

Wyatt Earp

"Lawman. Gunfighter. Survivor of the O.K. Corral."

Wyatt Earp is probably the most famous lawman in American history, thanks largely to the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, in 1881. That 30-second shootout — where Wyatt, his brothers, and Doc Holliday faced off against a group of cowboys — became the defining moment of the Wild West. Wyatt survived every gunfight he was in and lived to be 80 years old, dying peacefully in Los Angeles in 1929.

Pat Garrett

"The man who got Billy the Kid."

Pat Garrett was a former buffalo hunter and bartender who became sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, with one mission: bring in Billy the Kid. He tracked Billy down and shot him in a darkened room at Fort Sumner in 1881. The killing made Garrett famous but also controversial — some saw him as a hero, others as a man who shot an unarmed friend. He wrote a book about it, tried ranching, and was himself murdered in 1908 under disputed circumstances.

Bass Reeves

"The real Lone Ranger. First Black U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi."

Bass Reeves was born into slavery, escaped during the Civil War, and went on to become one of the greatest lawmen in American history. As a U.S. Deputy Marshal working out of Fort Smith, Arkansas — not far from where we are now — he arrested over 3,000 felons and was never wounded in his 32 years of service, despite countless gunfights. He was a master of disguise, an expert tracker, and by all accounts a man of complete integrity. Many historians believe he was the real inspiration for the Lone Ranger.

Wild Bill Hickok

"Sharpshooter. Showman. Legend of the plains."

James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok was a scout, soldier, spy, gunfighter, lawman, and showman — sometimes all at once. He served as marshal in Abilene, Kansas, and his reputation as a sharpshooter was legendary. He toured briefly with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show before heading to Deadwood, South Dakota, to try his hand at gold prospecting. He was shot in the back of the head during a poker game in 1876, holding what became known as the "Dead Man's Hand" — aces and eights.

The Legends

The ones who became larger than life.

Annie Oakley

"Little Sure Shot. The greatest sharpshooter who ever lived."

Phoebe Ann Mosey — Annie Oakley — could shoot a dime tossed in the air at 90 feet. She grew up in poverty in Ohio, taught herself to shoot to feed her family, and went on to become the star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show for 17 years. Sitting Bull himself gave her the nickname "Little Sure Shot" after watching her perform. She advocated for women's rights and taught thousands of women to shoot, believing every woman should know how to defend herself.

Calamity Jane

"Frontier woman. Sharpshooter. Force of nature."

Martha Jane Canary earned her famous nickname through a life lived on her own terms. She dressed in men's clothing, claimed to have scouted for General Custer, and was a fixture in the rough mining towns of the Black Hills. She was tough, hard-drinking, and fiercely independent — but also known for nursing the sick during a smallpox outbreak in Deadwood. She asked to be buried next to Wild Bill Hickok, and she was.

Doc Holliday

"Dentist turned gunfighter. Wyatt's most loyal friend."

John Henry "Doc" Holliday was a dentist from Georgia who headed west after being diagnosed with tuberculosis. He became a gambler, a deadly gunfighter, and Wyatt Earp's most trusted friend. He stood with the Earps at the O.K. Corral and never hesitated when the bullets started flying. Despite his reputation for violence, he was well-educated and well-spoken. He died of tuberculosis in a Colorado sanitarium in 1887 at the age of 36, reportedly saying, "This is funny" — surprised to be dying in bed instead of with his boots on.

The Native American Leaders

Our three tent sites honor legendary Native American leaders whose courage and resilience shaped the history of this land.

Geronimo

"Apache warrior. Unyielding spirit."

Geronimo was a Bedonkohe Apache leader who fought for decades against both Mexican and American expansion into Apache lands. His name became a battle cry, and his resistance made him one of the most recognized Native American leaders in history. He led the last major Native American fighting force to formally surrender to the United States, in 1886.

Sitting Bull

"Holy man. Chief. Defender of the Lakota way of life."

Sitting Bull was a Hunkpapa Lakota holy man who united the Sioux tribes in their resistance to U.S. government policies. He is best known for his role in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, where his vision of soldiers falling into camp came true. He later toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show before returning to his people. He was killed in 1890 during an attempt to arrest him on the Standing Rock Reservation.

Crazy Horse

"Warrior. Visionary. Heart of the Lakota resistance."

Crazy Horse was an Oglala Lakota war leader known for his courage in battle and his dedication to preserving his people's way of life. He was instrumental in the victory at the Little Bighorn and fought in many other engagements against the U.S. Army. He never signed a treaty, never lived on a reservation by choice, and no confirmed photograph of him exists. He was killed in 1877 at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, at about 37 years old.

QR Codes Coming Soon

We're working on physical signs for each site with QR codes that link to these stories. When you pull into your site, you'll be able to scan the code and read about the legend behind the name. Keep an eye out for those on your next visit.

Which Legend Will You Stay With?

Whether you're drawn to the outlaws, respect the lawmen, or admire the legends, every site at Stage Stop has a story worth knowing. Book your stay and find out which one is yours.