By Alan B. Combs

Margaret Hamilton played Almira Gulch and her alter ego the Wicked Witch of the West in the classic movie, “The Wizard of Oz”. What is little known is that Ms. Hamilton played the same evil-natured plains character, Almira, in a western about Kansas during the extreme drought.

Her family became knowns as thieves and they hid out in the dry river beds. Thus, they became known as dry gulchers.