We often think of men as the leaders of the old west. However, women had a large role in bringing up the west as we know it today. The west provided far more opportunities for women than life in the east did at that time.
Annie Oakley may be the most famous American wild west cowgirl. Oakley was originally named Phoebe Ann Moses and was born in 1860 in Ohio. After her father’s death, Oakley was sent to live with an abusive family she referred to as “the wolves.”
Calamity Jane, originally named Martha Jane Cannary, was born in Missouri in 1852. During her family’s five-month wagon trip moving further west, 13-year-old Martha spent most of her time learning from the other men on the journey.
Velma Bronn Johnston, also known as “Wild Horse Annie,” was born in 1912 in Nevada. At the age of 11, Johnston became disfigured after being treated for Polio and spending months in the hospital.
There are countless other women that made an impact on the history of the wild west. However, these three famous women cowgirls’ legacy still continues down to this day.