Black Range Tales

by James A. McKenna, Shane Leslie (Introduction)

First published in 1936, Black Range Tales has become one of the classics of southwest Americana. In his inimitable style, "Uncle Jimmie" tells of prospecting, Indian fights, exploration, town life and all the characters from the early days of the Black Range, the Mogollons, and the rest of the Gila Country of southwest New Mexico. The result is alternately humorous, poignant, amazing or insightful; a singular look at the times. And most of all these tales are true, for by golly, James A. McKenna was there.

Genres: Nonfiction, American History, History

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1936

Reviews

[Rachel Nicole Wagner Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one that I will most definitely return to again and again. The storytelling, the character, and the voices that the author brings to each "tale," is truly remarkable. I definitely recommend it.

Xo,
Rach

[Patrick Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am surprised this book is in the catalogue. My copy is from a small press in Silver City (New Mexico, not Nevada) called High-Lonesome Books (what a great name). Originally ‘Black Range Tales’ was self published in 1936 at the suggestion of “Uncle Jimmie’s” friends as a record of his youthful stories and adventures during the height of the wild west. Since his initial publication of a few hundred copies this book has been shifted and re-published by a dozen different presses. My guess, is the book has always been in print because McKenna’s stories of Silver City life in the 1880’s is a classic rare first hand account unencumbered by proofreaders, ‘real’ back-east writers, editors or critics. It is written in simple, yet colorful, prose—as if your grandfather were telling stories around a campfire. And what stories they are!

The Black Range is a craggy mess of mountains in Southwest New Mexico from the Mexican Border north to the Plains of San Augustan (where, today, the Very Large Array spreads across the high desert). It was home to Butch & Sundance, Kit Carson, Billy the Kid, Geronimo, the Apache, Poncho Villa, Wyatt Earp and on and on. It’s a wild remote area even today, where every once in a while hikers go in, and never come out.

Silver City is still a quaint Wild West municipality, but most of the places mentioned in ‘Black Range Tales’ are now ghost towns—still around, you just have to look for them—often the roads are no more and you have to do some walking. But at the time McKenna writes, people traveled by horse or mule, railroads were just starting to be built, you could stake a claim, defend it, and sometimes get rich, most times not. There were gamblers, Injun fighters, outlaws, prostitutes, corrupt politicians, entrepreneurs, explorers, and rustlers. It is easy to forget sometimes, many of the depictions in Westerns (books and movies) were based on truth—only dustier and muddier.

Once while I was coming down out of the mountains after a trip to the cliff dwellings, I pulled off the road and walked along a stream until I came to some hot springs. They were wonderful. Much later, upon reading this book I discovered I had been bathing in the same springs McKenna used, and his cabin would have been near by. Damn. Next time, I’ll go looking for it. McKenna writes marvelous detail concerning the fussiness of every day life: where to get water, how to kill and preserve meat, how to barter for kitchen utensils, where to find natural roots and vegetables, how to keep the mule from wandering off, how to dig a mine, how to sniff out silver and tell gold from pyrite. There is also plenty of folk wisdom: picking friends, dispensing enemies, sizing up a good horse, choosing the best prostitute, guessing when not to shoot a bad musician, how to prevent a sore butt riding the stagecoach.

McKenna writes with the exuberance of a man who was there and partook the best life had to offer. You get the feeling he never tired of telling the stories from his misspent youth at the crucible of Western America in the 1880’s. We are so lucky he wrote them down.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down this is one of the best books yet read about the western frontier. I was working on a ranch in the shadow of Cooks Peak in the Black Range when I first discovered this book. As a result I was able to add depth to the work by experiencing many of the locations.

[Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most awesome. Very sorry it wasn't longer!!!

[Andrea Busse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the Tales.

Couldn't put it down during the Indian raids. May buy it for a Christmas gift. Great read. Thanks for writing it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally got around to finishing - a fun read if you are interested in the area or tall tales in general. And especially if you like the expression, “making a side leap at a rind of bacon.”

[Wayne Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good secondary source for the Lost Adams Diggings. The movie McKenna's Gold starring Gregory Peck is loosely (very loosely) based on this version of the Adams Diggings.

[Ted Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable tales of the mining days in the Black Range of New Mexico in the mid and late 1800’s. Some of the mining characters described are quite unbelievable but fun to learn about.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have six or eight books on the Gila Wilderness in Southwestern New Mexico, and I get them out in late spring when a Gila trip is perhaps in the offing. I think every time I open them to read that I am flogging a dead horse, but I always find something that I find interesting, and perhaps another canyon to trek. If you haven't been, plan a trip. Wonderful wilderness and some great rivers. With water in them. That is very rare lately.

[Mike Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting read

I’m gonna miss these stories of the old west. I guess I will read it again as they are all very interesting and I’m sure I missed some things.

[Daniel Patitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories the prospectors told along with vivid descriptions of the travelling and hardships they endured. A great read in the words of the miners.