Pioneering Women

A six shooter makes all men and women equal. Agnes Morley not only coined this phrase, but also backed it up by carrying a gun. While many women in the Wild West did not carry a gun, Morley’s quote represented the brave spirit of all pioneering women. Early expeditions to the unexplored West included women, such as Sacagawea, who helped Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific. As Americans settled the West, women took on important roles as ranchers, teachers, homesteaders, miners, outlaws, and reformers. From Calamity Jane to Carry Nation, author Jeff Savage examines the amazing women pioneers of the Wild West.