This photograph, dated 1883, shows a gathering of famous Old West characters all in one place – at Hunter's Hot Springs, Montana. Shown left to right are: 1. (Unidentified) 2. Wyatt Earp (standing) 3. Theodore Roosevelt (seated) 4.) Doc Holiday 5. Morgan Earp (brother of Wyatt Earp – standing) 6. "Liver Eating" Johnson 7. Butch Cassidy (standing) 8.) Sundance Kid (seated) 9. (Unidentified) 10. Bat Masterson 11. (Unidentified) 12. Harry Britton 13. (Unidentified) 14. Judge Roy Bean 15. Ben Greenough. The Gathering "Sketches and historical photos of the structure confirm this was taken at Hunter's Hot Springs, but in 1886 rather than 1883 confirmed by pictures of a dated renovation". "An 1886 date makes the photo's accuracy believable. In 1886 Theodore Roosevelt was on a hunting trip in Montana ; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were in fact working within a day's ride of Hunter's Hot Springs; and "Liver Eating" Johnston made frequent visits to the springs area".
I don’t know. Doesn’t sound likely considering the areas where they operated. I ‘d be most suspicious of the claim.
You're not alone, Bill. But the location has been confirmed as Hunter's Hot Springs, by pictures of a dated renovation and the date, being 1886, rather than 1883. "An 1886 date makes the photo's accuracy believable. In 1886 Theodore Roosevelt was on a hunting trip in Montana ; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were in fact working within a day's ride of Hunter's Hot .Springs; and "Liver Eating" Johnston made frequent visits to the springs area". I agree that some of the names may be wishful thinking, but no one really knows for sure. It is not a doctored photograph.
I agree Bill. In that day and time, such a gathering would take a long time arranging as mail was by Pony Express. Then many would have to travel long distances to get to Montana. Montana seems like an inconvenient place for such a gathering. While I can believe some of them may have been there together, I would be willing to bet south-central Texas Judge Roy Bean wasn't. I have never read where he traveled out of Texas that much. I can't imagine Doc Holliday being there since he died 1887 from TB and was sick with respiratory illness since 1873 when he developed a cough. While 1886 might make the photo believable for some, it sure makes it very questionable for Doc Holliday in my opinion. Also, the spelling of Holliday as Holiday raises another question of the credibility of the "experts." Later footnote: According to Montana history experts, the photo is of local men that dressed and looked similar just for the photo. As John said, Morgan Earp was murdered in 1882.
Who Are Those Guys? Here are their real Identities! "Apart from the name "Harry Britton" and the location "Hunters Hot Springs, Montana," the handwritten notations are erroneous". Here are their real Identities! (link)
Looking at those men reminds me that my dad always wore a fedora. He had a nice one he wore to work, and a crap one for the off-hours. No matter their class of the men in that pic, their heads are all covered.
I'd say that someone, back before the internet, went and pulled our collective leg, by adding the phony names!
From that link: The group photo may be a Masonic gathering and suggests the object held in Wright's hands (Man #2) might be a gavel, which would be used to call a Masonic meeting to order. Five of the men positively identified in the group photo thus far were indeed Freemasons.
History of Hunter's Hot springs, Montana: Notes from the road: Hunter’s Hot springs: ghosts of hot springs past (link) The small building at the center could be the place where the picture was taken? (before the railing was there)
It's gone?????? That sucks. I'd already grown attached to the place. The stuff that's built these days is crap. Zero personality whatsoever.