Calamity Jane

Wild Woman of the West

How Martha Canary earned the nickname “Calamity Jane” depends on who you trust. According to her own account, Captain Egan named the daring cowgirl Calamity Jane when she prevented his own calamity, scooping him onto her horse as he fell from his own after being shot. According to various townspeople, the nickname referred to the calamity she caused wherever she went – a Wild West ruffian – or her warnings to brazen men that to bother her would be to “court calamity.”

Calamity Jane was recognized as a friend of the Wild West’s most famous fighters, including Wild Bill Hickok and General George Custer, and as a valiant fighter herself. Her fame was amplified by her storytelling abilities, unusual masculine style, and compassion for the sick and less fortunate.

Though the truth of her accounts is disputed, Calamity Jane’s story-telling ability is timeless. In 1893, she captivated crowds at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, and in 1901 she performed at the Pan-American Exposition. Her colorful stories live on as tall tales today.

Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net