Photo of The Month – Mar 2009

Gunslingers

Picture contributor: Clay Johnson

Three kids, two in make-shift cowboy apparel, leaning back against the back of a 1950's car. The two cowpokes are aiming their capguns at the camera. The "civilian" boy in the center, who apparently doesn't have a weapon, is just aiming his empty fist. — Gunslingers

Ken, the ringleader

Girls didn’t mess with cap busters much, but boys did. For just pennies, you could buy a roll of ammunition that would last for, oh, ten minutes of loud, acrid fun. And your six-gun was usually inscribed with the name of Tom Mix, The Cisco Kid, Matt Dillon or some other current movie or TV hero.

This photo was made in 1957. That’s Steve Johnson in the center and Ken Hamrick on the right. Steve is the son of J.D. and Pauline Johnson; Ken’s parents are Robert Z. and Margaret Scruggs Hamrick.

The little owlhoot on the left is unidentified, as is the locale. A clue is the car, which belonged to the Johnsons, who lived on 2nd Avenue West. (The Hamricks lived nearby on Main Street.)