"Cowgirls, Women of the Wild West" Book

By Elizabeth Clair Flood, photography by William Manns. With a foreword by Dale Evans. Hardcover book.

This book pays tribute to the women of the frontier. The 224 pages are filled with over 450 color photos and historic images, the spirit, lore and relics of these colorful cowgirls is for the first time accurately depicted. As cowgirls moved into the limelight in the 18901s, chapters cover their contributions to Wild West shows and early rodeos. Other sections of this book depict the cowgirl in advertising and calendar art, plus exciting sections on Hollywood cowgirls and growing up western. Queen of the Cowgirls, Dale Evans wrote the foreword for this colorful look at cow-girls from the 1890's to 1950's. The book contains over 450 color photos of cowgirls, historic images, advertising art and artifacts.

The author documents the exciting life of girls growing up western on the plains of the frontier. Ranch life for young girls roping and riding alongside their cowboy brothers and fathers is detailed. Chapters covers the development of specialized horse equipment and riding outfits adapted for these early daughters of the prairie. As cowgirls moved into the limelight in the 18901s, chapters cover their contributions to wild west shows and early rodeos. As with the wild and woolly cowboys they rode with, they became flamboyant characters and celebrities.

The cowgirl became a mythical figure as she was portrayed in early Hollywood movies. This book unravels the cowgirl myth and portrays her as she really was. How the early rodeo and wild west show performers became the first cowgirl movie stars is explained. Major film stars such as Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford are featured as glamorous cowgirls for both film and TV. Another section of the book depicts the cowgirl as an American icon. She is shown in advertising, calendar art and portrayed as the girl of the golden west and rodeo stars. The book wraps up with a look at cowgirls on dude ranches and western romance.