All The Single Ladies: Women Pioneers of the American West

This informative exhibition tells select stories from the trailblazing lives of unmarried women in the 19th century, who were homesteaders, Harvey girls, boarding house owners, teachers, madams, prostitutes, and entertainers. All the Single Ladies: Woman Pioneers of the American West demonstrates how these women brought a richness and vivacity to the fabric of life in the emerging American West. Tales of the long-ago Wild West portrayed women in one of two stereotypical ways: the seductress or the wholesome farmer’s wife. In reality, the experiences of early pioneer women were far more diverse. While it is true, most women who moved west were married and traveling with husbands and families, many maverick single women sought another path to pursue their dreams of freedom from strict Victorian norms, adventure, and opportunity.

Exhibition made possible by a grant from AZ Humanities.