2020-6-30 · The era recognized as the Wild West didn''t officially begin until 1865, according to Vintage News.The period began with a literal bang. As History describes, 1865 saw the first Wild West showdown, in which gambler Davis Tutt bet on himself to beat "Wild Bill" Hickok and lost his life. But for prospectors, the West was plenty wild long before Hickok busted a cap in Tutt''s butt.