Clarence E. Mulford created the Hopalong Cassidy series in the early 1900s.

To insure that his stories were factually correct, he spent hours in target practice with his two Colt revolvers.

He began his writing career in Brooklyn, New York, but needed more target practice space so relocated to the rural countryside of Fryeburg, where this photograph was taken about 1930.

He is quoted as saying, "Never include anything in a novel that can't be proved."