Women Who Ruled the Wild West
I've loved listening to the missing Gunsmoke episodes I've been adding to RUSC over the past week or so, and I can see from the RUSC charts that you guys and gals have been too!
Along with the tales from our favorite Marshal in Dodge City, we've all heard the legendary names of the American West, back when shootouts and bank robberies were daily news in the morning paper. Jesse James, Wild Bill Hickok, and Butch Cassidy became well-known after gaining such notoriety during their days in the late 1800s.
But there were also several notorious female outlaws and equally renowned crack shooters in the wild west...
Annie Oakley
Born Phoebe Ann Mosey, Annie Oakley was one of the best sharpshooters in her day, who first gained recognition at the young age of 15 when she won a shooting contest against Frank Butler, who later became her husband. The two eventually joined the famous Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and she became a household name. Known as "The Little Sure Shot of the Wild West" due to her small size, Annie Oakley continued to wow her audiences and set incredible shooting records even into her 60s.
You can listen to several stories on RUSC about Annie Oakley.
Calamity Jane
Born Martha Jane Cannary, Calamity Jane was one of the most well-known frontierswomen in her day, and a close acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok after the two met when Jane settled in Deadwood, South Dakota. She had previously earned her nickname after working for the military and being engaged in numerous battles with the Native Americans, and was renowned for her sharp-shooting, whiskey-swilling and her habit of wearing men's clothes. Later in her life, she appeared in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show as a storyteller, but passed away at 51, most likely due to her struggle with alcoholism.
You can listen to several stories on RUSC about Calamity Jane.
Belle Starr
Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed Starr was one of the most notable American outlaws in the old west. Following the Civil War, she married Jim Reed, and quickly turned to a life of crime. 'Belle' was a crack shot, and was known throughout the west for being stylish, dressed in black velvet, riding sidesaddle and carrying two pistols. After becoming involved with a Cherokee Indian family known for horse thievery and crime in the Indian Territory, she married Sam Starr, but both were eventually killed by gunshot. Belle's ambush remains an unsolved murder to this day.
You can listen to a couple of tales on RUSC about Belle Starr.
There were, of course, several more legendary women in the wild west, such as:-
Lottie Deno, who was a notorious gambler, known for her masterful poker skills around Texas, and who also inspired the character of Miss Kitty Russell on Gunsmoke.
Mary Fields, known as Stagecoach Mary, was one of the toughest and bravest women in American history. She was born into slavery around 1832 and freed after the Civil war, and earned the nicknamed "Stagecoach Mary" for her speed of delivery and reliability. She was also known for being fearless in the face of stagecoach thieves and is rumored to have fought off a pack of wild wolves!
Lillian Smith, a trick shooter who joined Buffalo Bill's show when she was just 15 years old. She was the rival of Annie Oakley and became known as the "the champion California huntress".
Laura Bullion, who was best known for being a member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch gang, and who was involved in the Great Northern train robbery, which led to her arrest in 1901.
Eleanor Dumont aka Madame Moustache, who was one of the most notorious gamblers of her time, especially during the California Gold Rush.
Pearl Hart, a Canadian outlaw who committed one of the last recorded stagecoach robberies in the American West.
Rose Dunn aka Rose of Cimmaron, who rode with the infamous Wild Bunch gang, and was even involved in a shootout along with the gang against a group of U.S. Marshals. Although she eventually settled down and left her outlaw life, she remains a legendary figure of the Wild West.
I don't know about you, but I'd much rather listen to the old time radio stories of these notorious ladies' lives, than have been right there in the wild west encountering them face to face!
Happy listening my friends,
P.S. There are lots more Gunsmoke episodes to come on RUSC, so make sure to keep popping back to listen!