Are you familiar with the California Gold Rush? This unforgettable time in the old west began in 1848, attracting many men and women from all over the world to get a chance to dig up some gold. The growing population had very few women at the time. Still, eventually, a lot of other opportunities started growing for women in the area, which then attracted more to go to California.
The women you see in the photo took part in the search and brought their husbands along with them for the gold. If they couldn’t arrive with their families, they would have to search for gold on their own. Other popular aside from gold panning involved cooking, housekeeping, washing clothes, dancing, and acting.
Fannie Porter
In the Old West, outlaws and brothels were always good together, but that wasn’t the case for Fannie Porter. What did she do, you may ask? Well, you’ll never believe this, but Porter was an ex-streetwalker. But, she was always respected by many criminals for her sincere and warm attitude. Of course, being a lady of the night, discretion had always been practiced, which is why she won over a lot of outlaw hearts.
She never turned in her customers and was always popular among members of the Wild Bunch gang. One of her frequent clients was Butch Cassidy, Kid Curry, and the Sundance Kid. Other than her reputation, she even brought in more girls to join in on the fun. They all got involved with the outlaws. Laura Bullion, who is shown in the photo, was a Wild Bunch Member and has even been said to have worked at the brothel for a while.
Big Nose Kate
Other than the outlaws we have already mentioned in this list, like Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid, and Jesse James, did you know that there were also quite a few outlaws back in the old west that was female gunslingers? Yup! You read that right! Let’s take Big Nose Kate, for example; she wasn’t just an outlaw but also Doc Holliday’s wife. She helped him escape from jail by setting the entire establishment on fire.
Another well-known female outlaw was Calamity Jane. She first started out as a part-time streetwalker who liked to wear men’s clothing and performed in wild west shows. As for sharpshooters, we have the legendary Pearl Heart, Lillian Smith, who was just 15 years old, and Mary fields, also known as “Stagecoach Mary,” who wasn’t afraid to try anything dangerous or, to say the least, start a fight out of nowhere. Talk about women of power, huh?
Old Tasacosa, Northern Texas
The popular belief is that being a cowboy was just as easy as getting a drink at the bar, riding a horse, or getting into a brawl. That's likely partly true. In this photo, we see a bunch of cowboys enjoying a drink and a quick chat with the bartender at the Saloon. This was in the year 1907 in Old Tasacosa, Northern Texas.
Back then, going to the saloon was a way to let off some steam and relax. Maybe play some poker, drink, and negotiate cattle. Like the establishments we have today, some saloons were open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and were not just popular among cowboys, but it was also a sweet spot for gold diggers, soldiers, travelers, and, believe it or not, lawyers. Certainly looked like the place to be!
Bob’s Saloon
As we mentioned, saloons were a popular go-to place back in the old west. One of the most popular establishments located in Jordan, Montana, in the early 1900s, was Bob’s Saloon. In this photo, we see a group of cowboys just taking a breather outside the saloon in 1904. The photo was taken by LA Huffman.
The owner, Robert Leavitt, was a cowboy, too, and was also one of the first settlers in Jordan. It makes you wonder what these guys would do inside a saloon all day. Many western saloons offered their clients various types of entertainment, which included dancing, card games, dice games, and bowling. Have you ever watched saloon scenes on TV? It’s pretty accurate. Other than the live entertainment, there were also piano players and theatrical skits. Cool!