Valentine

History

Valentine is a lively, muddy livestock town nestled in the Heartlands. Its history is tied to the cattle trade, serving as a key hub for livestock auctions and a stop for cowboys driving herds to market. Its rough, frontier atmosphere is evident in its muddy streets and boisterous saloons, which are frequently the site of brawls and other disputes.

The town's wooden buildings and dusty appearance suggest it is a relatively new settlement, still in the process of being built up. Despite its seemingly lawless feel, the town contains all the necessary amenities, including a butcher, a gunsmith, a doctor, and a hotel. The presence of a railway station also connects Valentine to the broader network of commerce and travel, signifying the progress of civilization. The town's atmosphere is often seen as a reflection of the "Wild West" in its final days, a place where a mix of traditional frontier life and modern influences converge.

Some local legends speak of a "curse" on Valentine, though the exact nature of this curse is up for debate. There are mentions of a past massacre of a Native American family, which some believe haunts the town. Another interpretation is that the curse is a metaphor for the greed and bad luck that seem to follow those who settle in or pass through, a fate that many of the town's inhabitants and visitors experience.

Locations

• Abernathy Carpentry Shop (ACS)

  • Owner: Caleb Abernathy

  • Description: A cozy shop filled with the scent of wood and sawdust, featuring tools, stacks of lumber, and half-finished projects showcasing Mr. Abernathy's craftsmanship. It has wooden shelves with hand tools, neatly stacked lumber, and workbenches cluttered with furniture and carvings.

• Amos Levi Blacksmith & Farrier (ALBF)

  • Owner: Amos Levi

  • Description: A very large, classic barn-style building with a gambrel roof and weathered, vertical wood siding, run by Amos Levi. It serves as the town's primary stable and blacksmith, offering a wide range of equestrian services, including the sale and stabling of horses, as well as blacksmithing services for creating and repairing metal goods, with a focus on horseshoes and wagon parts.

• Barber Shop

  • Owner: Quentin Fern

  • Description: A dedicated barber shop located within the main saloon, offering shaves, haircuts, and grooming services to patrons. It provides the convenience of a cleanup without having to leave the establishment. The station boasts a rustic, weathered barber's chair wrapped in faded leather upholstery. The foot-pedal hydraulic lift, framed by iron accents, stands in front of a large, handcrafted mirror, its wooden frame adorned with intricate carvings reminiscent of the old West. Next to the chair, a charming, distressed wooden cabinet holds an array of vintage hair tonics, gleaming razors, timeworn scissors, and well-loved shaving mugs.

• Bob's Butcher Stall

  • Owner: Bob Mattice

  • Description: A quaint open-air butcher stall established before 1898, Bob's Butcher Stall is known for its rustic charm and high-quality meats. The stall is adorned with hanging cured meats and a wooden counter where Bob, a jovial butcher, serves locals and travelers alike, sharing stories and recipes while offering cuts of fresh game and livestock.

• Valentine Doctor’s Office

  • Owner: Ben Calloway

  • Description: This establishment is the sole medical practice in the town of Valentine, providing care for frequent injuries and ailments. The doctor also sells a variety of patent medicines and health tonics, while secretly running an illicit back-room business with local outlaws. The two-story wooden building on the main street has a professional sign and a large ground-floor window that displays neat rows of medicine bottles and medical instruments, giving an impression of a respectable practice.

• Gunsmith (VGS)

  • Owner: Ralph Dalton

  • Description: The gunsmith, a key figure in town, offers services from selling weapons to custom repairs. Located on main street in a two-story dark-painted wooden building with a sign depicting a rifle, it draws cowboys, ranchers, and outlaws alike. The shop's large display window showcases firearms.

• J.W. Smith and A.J. Mackey Law Office

  • Owner: J.W. Smith and A.J. Mackey

  • Description: A standard, small-town office building located directly west of the gunsmith.

• Keane's Saloon

  • Owner: Ned Keane

  • Description: A weathered two-story wooden building with a false front and peeling faded paint. The large 'KEANE'S SALOON' sign dominates the facade, with a covered porch featuring wooden railings and signs for 'LIQUOR' and 'HOT FOOD.' A second-story balcony overlooks the muddy main street of Valentine.

• Post Office

  • Owner: None listed

  • Description: A small, functional counter located inside the Valentine Station where mail can be sent and received.

• Saints Hotel (SHV)

  • Owner: Arnold Dunn

  • Description: This hotel is the main place for rooms and board in the busy livestock town. It serves travelers, ranchers, and anyone looking for a bed, offering more comfort and privacy than saloons and bunkhouses. The two-story wooden building on Valentine's main street has a covered boardwalk, second-floor balcony, and large windows. Its frontier-style facade, marked 'Saints Hotel,' shows signs of wear and activity.

• Sheriff's Office (VSO)

  • Owner: Sheriff Malloy

  • Description: The Sheriff's Office maintains law in this tough town, led by Sheriff Malloy. It handles peacekeeping among ranchers, cowboys, and outlaws, serving as the deputies' base, jail, and bounty post. This two-story wooden building is located prominently on the main street. The facade is painted a practical dark color, with a covered front, and 'SHERIFF' in large letters above. A bulletin board next to the door is covered with wanted posters and public notices.

• Smithfield's Saloon (SSV)

  • Owner: Cliff Douglas

  • Description: This is the primary and most boisterous social hub in the town of Valentine. It serves drinks, simple meals, lodging, and games of chance, and is notorious for its full-scale brawls, attracting everyone from ranchers to outlaws. The establishment is a large, two-story wooden building with a classic false front, featuring batwing doors, a covered boardwalk, and a second-story balcony. The sounds of a player piano and rowdy patrons spill out onto the muddy street.

• Stagecoach

  • Owner: None listed

  • Description: A simple, covered station for the stagecoach line, providing transport to other locations.

• Traveling Magic Lantern Show

  • Owner: None listed

  • Description: A large tent set up in the town, drawing visitors with a magic lantern show and the opportunity to find a Nettie Palmer cigarette card inside.

• Valentine Auction House & Livestock Yards (VAH/VLY)

  • Owner: None listed

  • Description: This busy complex on town's edge is the main hub for cattle, horse, and livestock trade. The air is thick with animal sounds, smells, and commerce, making it a vital, if rough, part of the local economy. The ground is muddy with manure. A central auction ring, often covered, is the focus during sales, surrounded by sturdy fencing, gates, and ramps, with livestock noises and shouts of drovers and auctioneers. The Auction House, a large, roughly circular wooden structure, hosts lively auctions and fosters community among farmers and traders.

• Valentine Church (VC)

  • Owner: None listed

  • Description: The Valentine Church is the spiritual heart of the town of Valentine, offering services, weddings, and funerals for locals. It provides a quiet place for contemplation and community amid the chaos of the frontier, with a cemetery for the deceased. This wooden church, built in a simple, traditional style, is painted white with a tall steeple housing a bronze bell. Its main entrance has large, red double doors, and it features tall, arched windows under a well-maintained shingle roof.

• Valentine Savings Bank (VSB)

  • Owner: Mrs. Crabtree

  • Description: This bank serves as the financial backbone of the surrounding ranches of New Hanover, managing deposits, loans, and the safekeeping of valuables. Its significant cash reserves make it a prime target for outlaws, adding an element of danger to its operations. This respectable single-story brick building stands out among the wooden structures, featuring tall arched windows and a grand entrance with stone steps. A professionally painted sign hangs above the door, reinforcing its image of security and permanence.

• Valentine Station

  • Owner: None listed

  • Description: This station is the key railway hub for the bustling and often rowdy livestock town of Valentine in New Hanover. It serves as the primary point for passenger travel, mail services, and the shipment of smaller freight, connecting the remote cattle town to the wider world. A standard, single-story wooden railway station building, painted in the livery of the national railroad company, though showing signs of wear from the elements and the constant traffic of a busy frontier town. A long, covered wooden platform runs alongside the tracks, often bustling with passengers, and a prominent sign clearly identifies it as 'Valentine Station.'

• Worth's General Store (WGS)

  • Owner: Jacob Worth

  • Description: Worth's General Store is the sole provider of goods and provisions at the remote Wallace Station in the Big Valley region of West Elizabeth. The store caters to travelers passing through on the train, as well as the few local homesteaders and workers in the surrounding wilderness. A simple, single-story wooden building located directly adjacent to the Wallace Station platform. The structure features a plain gabled roof, a covered front porch, and a weathered sign, reflecting its role as an isolated outpost.