The Wild Women of the West

04/16/2023

Thank you Susan Dean Elrod for the following...

02/02/2023

"Bandit Queen" Belle Star in Fort Smith Arkansas
Belle Starr, the "Bandit Queen" herself grew up in Missouri and primarly spent her youth in a private all-girls school. There, she learned to read and write, but her brother taught her how to ride a horse and handle weapons. It wasn't until after her family moved to Texas where she settled down in 1866.

After her husband passed away she went on to become a horse thief who had a knack for evading authorities. After a short marriage in 1882, she got back to her horse thieving ways and spent a little time in jail. After a few months she was released and then hooked back up with her crew. She went back to her life of crime before she was ambushed in Arkansas and passed away on the trail.
**Photo and text courtesy of Susan Dean Elrod.

08/22/2021

What a fun evening!! The un-official reunion of the Wild Women of the West (and our Roadies) at Dirtwater Springs was a laughter-filled three hours of food, libations, and love. A 'butt' cake was made and enjoyed as dessert (it was German chocolate), and conversation flowed as easily as the drinks. Truly, the best bunch of friends (more like family) on the planet! ❤ ❤ ❤
And yes, as I took pictures, someone (who will remain nameless...ROBERT), took a picture of MY butt... LOL
Gosh I LOVE this group!

08/19/2021

All right ladies! Reunion THIS Saturday, Aug 21, 2021 at Dirtwater at 6PM. Let Nancy know that you're coming...! THX
~Calamity

08/14/2020

Annie Oakley, the famed American sharpshooter and star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, was born on this day in 1860. Oakley was born in a log cabin in rural Ohio and began shooting and hunting at age eight to collect wild game to help support her widowed mother and siblings.

From a young age she performed shooting acts at circuses and shows and, over time, Oakley became one of the first global superstars renowned worldwide for her incredible skill. One of her most famous feats was splitting a playing card, edge-on, and filling it with holes before it hit the ground at 90 feet using a .22-caliber rifle.

Oakley championed women's right to education, as well as taught an estimated 15,000 women how to shoot for purposes of hunting, exercise and recreation. As she once said, "God intended women to be outside as well as men, and they do not know what they are missing when they stay cooped up in the house.”

For an excellent biography to introduce children to this remarkable trailblazer, we highly recommend "Who Was Annie Oakley?" for ages 8 to 12 at https://www.amightygirl.com/who-was-annie-oakley

She is also one of several inspiring role models featured in the picture book "My Name Is Not Isabella: Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream?" for ages 4 to 8 at https://www.amightygirl.com/my-name-is-not-isabella

For a fun Annie Oakley Costume for everyday dress-up or Halloween for ages 7 to 14, visit https://www.amightygirl.com/annie-oakley-costume

To introduce young readers to many real-life, historic cowgirls, we also recommend "The Cowgirl Way: Hats Off to America's Women of the West" for ages 9 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/the-cowgirl-way

Oakley is also one 32 trailblazing women featured on the "Women Who Dared Building Block" set for ages 2 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/women-who-dared-blocks

For stories of both real-life and fictional girls and women who, like Annie Oakley, confronted gender discrimination in a multitude of forms, visit our "Gender Discrimination" section at http://amgrl.co/1jdxKIy

Thanks to the National Women's History Museum for sharing this image!

08/11/2020

Photos of member Bonnie Ghormley, as both Calamity Jane and Belle Starr, circa 1982/1983, courtesy of her nephew James Calhoun. Thank you for sending them in James!

03/01/2019

Good evening ladies of the Wild Women of the West! Deb Weiss here! I was just informed that Sarah Rafael just called Amy, and she said that she will be in town March 17 & would like to see the WWW she knew. Perhaps we can get together late afternoon somewhere!? Suggestions...? Thanks!

03/01/2018

The thoughts and prayers of the Wild Women of the West go out to one of our members, Marie Durbin-Pendergast, today. Her husband Kenny has passed away.

04/09/2017

02/14/2017

Good morning WWW Ladies... The Circle C Stables will not be having an entry in the Lost Dutchman Days Parade this year (Beth is getting married, and has a lot of planning on her plate), so if you were planning on riding in the parade (we were invited to accompany their entry if they entered), please note that this event has been cancelled. THX!

01/31/2017

Traces of Texas reader Carol Vaughan generously shared this remarkable photo. On the back is the inscription " Program of Mrs. Frieda Saunders Class." Carol's maternal grandmother, Robbie Brown Miller, is in the middle. The photo was taken in Gatesville, early 1900s.

Look how they are dressed! Look how cute they all are! Thank you, Carol. This is an absolutely sensational image.