One of the best things about CAScity has always been the folks who don’t just enjoy the Old West—they help keep its history and traditions alive.
One of those folks is Santee, a longtime member of the CAScity Forum Hall and the man behind the Arizona Ghostriders YouTube channel. Santee regularly shares his videos with our forum community, so we figured it was high time we returned the favor and gave the Arizona Ghostriders a little room on the CAScity front page.
In his latest episode, Santee takes a look at the new adaptation of Little House on the Prairie—but naturally, he looks at it through the eyes of somebody who knows a thing or two about the period.
The new series begins in 1869 near Independence, Kansas, and Santee digs into how well the production captures the era, from the look of the settlement and the portrayal of pioneer life to the clothing worn by the characters.
And that’s where things get particularly interesting.
Santee has a unique perspective on the subject. Where he works was used for the Mankato scenes in the original 1970s Little House on the Prairie television series, and some of the original costumes left behind by Michael Landon’s production are still there today.
So when Santee and wardrobe supervisor Rene Clutier start examining the historical accuracy of the new production’s costumes, they’re bringing a little more to the conversation than your average television reviewer.
For the most part, the new Little House earns high marks. The women’s clothing is particularly well done, while eagle-eyed history buffs may spot a few liberties—including a split riding skirt that’s a little ahead of its time, modern-style shirts, and the occasional cowboy hat that looks more mass-produced than 1869.
Santee also gives credit to the production for its portrayal of the Osage people, including the use of Indigenous actors and the Osage language, as well as for capturing the hardships, community, and pioneer spirit at the heart of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories.
Most importantly, despite having grown up with the Michael Landon version that means so much to generations of viewers, Santee isn’t interested in simply declaring that the old one was better.
There aren’t nearly enough period Western productions being made today, and he’s rooting for this one to succeed.
So are we.
Give Santee’s latest Arizona Ghostriders episode a watch above. And if Old West history, firearms, Hollywood Westerns, period clothing and the occasional historical rabbit hole are your kind of thing, pay the Arizona Ghostriders YouTube channel a visit and give a fellow CAScity cowboy a subscribe.
We’ll see Santee—and hopefully you—back at the CAScity Forum Hall.