wild women

World’s Champion Roper, America’s Greatest Horsewoman, Queen of the Range, and the first woman whoever roped steers competitively with men, Lucille Mulhall held the top spot in contests and vaudeville for twenty years.  Cowboy, actor, and humorist Will Rogers, Lucille’s friend and teacher, called her the world’s greatest rider.   “Born in the saddle,” her family...

Business for matrimonial publications increased substantially whenever stories of successful mail-order connections were made.  Editors for periodicals such as Matrimonial News and the New Plan Company shared happy ever after tales with daily newspapers in hopes they would print the romantic adventures of correspondence couples.   Several such stories appeared in newspapers like the Waterloo Daily...

Annie Gayle was considered one of the prettiest, most ambitious girls in Akron, Ohio in 1883.  Her eyes were large, her features were well proportioned, and her desire to go West was her number one aspiration.  She was well on her way to achieving her goal when she accepted the proposal of a man living...

“I am fat, fair, and 48.  5 feet high.  Am a No. 1 lady, well fixed with no encumbrance:  am in business in city but want a partner who lives in the West.  Want an energetic man that has some means, not under 40 years of age and weight no less than 180.  Of good...

“Middle-aged bachelor sought.  Prosperous 130-pound rancher with full head of hair, keen eyes, and no false teeth desires life companion.  The lady enjoys indoor and outdoor activities and holds deeds to property valued at $10,000.  Dudes need not apply.” This no-nonsense cowgirl personal ad placed by Miss Ellen Callahan in 1887 edition of Hoof and...

In July 1927, Pearl Matlock, assistant manager of the Fred Harvey Company advertising department, helped organize train travel for more than 1,000 delegates of the Business and Professional Women’s Club.  The career women were making their way from New York to Oakland, California, for the national convention.  The train made stops along the way to...

The creation of the railroad system in the United States is a stirring story of American initiative and enterprise.  Every conceivable obstacle stood in the way of the railroad’s success.  An apathetic public jeered at early efforts to provide rail transportation; it was difficult to convince them that it was safe or would make a...

While attending college in Pennsylvania, Mary Lawser was part of a group comprised of several accomplished female artists.  They were known as the Philadelphia Ten. Among the members was a talented painter and sculptor named Mary Louise Lawser.  Like Mary Colter, Mary Lawser was hired by a major rail line company to help promote westward...