Tag Archives: Annie Oakley

today’s birthday: Billy the Kid (1859)

Billy the Kid (1859)

Billy the Kid, who went by the name William H. Bonney and whose real name may have been Henry McCarty, was an infamous outlaw and murderer who roamed the American West from his teenage years until his death at the age of 21. The young fugitive was captured and jailed several times but escaped each time until he was finally killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Although rooted in history, the story of Billy the Kid has developed into a popular legend. Why is his gravesite enclosed by a steel cage? More… Discuss