A Land of Cowboys and Indians

Frontierland was built upon the legendary stories and romanticized history of the Old West... a land of exploration and adventure, of danger and excitement, of expansion and discovery.  It's based on the childlike notion of how the West was won--ignoring the real messiness of Manifest Destiny and focusing on the folksy encounters of heroic figures like Davy Crockett and Sam Houston and other rugged icons.  Those encountered would be the Native Americans who had settled the continent thousands of years before Europeans arrived.  Historically, sometimes the interactions were peaceful and supportive, but many times, they were violent and destructive.  Disneyland's story of the frontier sanitizes that harsh reality, carving out scenic locals and rustic moments that take guests back to their younger innocence.  That's what makes the parks so appealing.