Cowgirls in History - Horse Lover's Math (2024)

Did you know there is a museum that is totally aboutcowgirls? The Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texasholds over 5,000 objects in their collection,over 6,000 historic and modern images of women honoured by the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and other historic cowgirls, and alibrary containing over 2,000 books and serial titles.

The Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas.

The librarycontains works documenting the history of women as pioneers, ranchers, and performers and their impact on the American West. The collection spans over 150 years of history from the mid-nineteenth century to works created in more recent times.

1. Do you know when the mid-nineteenth century is? What year marks the middle of the nineteenth century?

Every year, the month of March is celebrated as Women’s History Month. This is a perfect time to find out about some of the amazing women who have been named to theNational Cowgirl Hall of Fame.

We’ve created the timeline below showing just a fewof the over 200 women honourees. Download and print out the timeline. Use landscape orientation with the long side of the page at the top and bottom. Some of the questions will ask youtoenter dates on the timeline.

Click to enlarge

The timeline shows the birth years (in red) for eightwomen who have been voted into theNational Cowgirl Hall of Fame. There’s two more but you’ll befilling those in yourself!

2. How many centuries are shown on the timeline?

3. What are the timeline increments?

Math Talk – increment: The process of increasing in number, size, or quantity through a series of regular consecutive additions. In this case, each line on the timeline marks off a set number of years. The number of years between each line is the increment.

Sacagawea with Lewis and Clark at Three Forks.

Sacagawea

Sacagawea was a member of the Shoshone tribe and the only woman to accompany the 1802-6 Lewis and Clark expedition into the Louisiana Purchase territory. With them she traveled thousands of miles from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean. Sacagawea acted as interpreter and guide. Her help was most important when she persuaded the Shoshone to supply horses and guides to the expedition so they couldreach the Pacific. Her guidancealso allowed the company to pass safely through an area known for intertribal warfare. She died in1812.

4. In what year was Sacagawea was born?

5. How old was Sacagawea when she died?

Esther Hobart Morris, the first female Justice of the Peace in the United States.

Esther Hobart Morris

Recognized asa civil rights leader, Esther foughtfor women’s suffrage (the right to vote). Her efforts helped make it possible for women to vote in the Wyoming Territory in 1869. Her successthere set a course for women’s right to votein the rest of the United States. Finally, fifty-one years later with the passage of the 19th Amendment, allAmerican women wonthe right to vote.

Estherbecame the United States’ first female justice of the peace in 1870 and represents Wyoming in the National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington D.C., as an important person in Wyoming history. She is remembered as a true pioneer for women.

6. In what year was Esther Hobart Morris born?

7. Show on the timeline the year in which Esther became the United States’ first female justice of the peace.

Profile shot of Annie Oakley taken in New York between 1902 and 1904.

Annie Oakley

Have you heard of Annie Oakley? She’s one of the most famous women in the history of the American Westand eveninspiredamusical, Annie Get Your Gun! Annie became an international legend in her own lifetime based on her shooting skills. Born into poverty in Ohio, Annie taught herself to shoot to help feed her family. A shooting contest against future husband Frank Butler put her on the road to stardom.

Mary Jane Colter

Mary Jane Colter was one of the few female architects of her era. Eleven buildings she designed are on the National Register of Historic Places and five of these buildings have been designated National Historic Landmarks.At the time Colter began her career, architectural styles in the United States were mainly based onEuropean ideas. She was one of the first architects in America to turn toward more natural, local design influences.

10. Mary Jane Colter was born nine years after Annie Oakley. Indicate on the timeline the year Mary was born.

Bright Angel Lodge at the Grand Canyon National Park’s south rim, designed by Mary Jane Colter.

Mary Jane went to design school in San Francisco when she was a teenager. After graduatingshe began a fifteen-year career as an art teacher at a high schoolin Minnesota.

In the summer of 1902, she was contacted to work as decorator onher first Harvey Houseproject, beginning her long careerwith the company as designer and architect. Harvey House was a chain of restaurants, hotels, and other tourism basedbusinesses built alongside railroads in the western United States. If you’ve been to the Grand Canyon you’ve probably seen some of her buildings!

For the next four decades, often working in rugged conditions, Mary Jane completed more than twenty projects for Harvey House, including a series of landmark hotels and commercial lodges throughout the Southwest.

11. How many years did Mary work for the Harvey company as an architect and designer?

Bernice Walsh McLaughlin showing her record jump of 6’ 2” on “Smoky” at the Calgary, Alberta Spring Horse Show, 1911 Courtesy National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Fort Worth, Texas

Bernice Walsh McLaughlin

Bernice won the Canadian Rodeo Champion High Jump contest in 1911, setting a new record. According to the book, Buried Treasures: Famous and Unusual Gravesites in New Mexico History, she cleared 6’2” on ahorse named Smokey.

She was a natural horsewoman, winning numerous jumping contests and relay races. Raised doing ranch work, she and her husband homesteaded in New Mexico. After he died, Bernice managed to keep the ranch and increase its size and success.

She was a devoted horse woman to the very end. At 93, Bernice asked that her son-in-law drive his stagecoach by her hospital window so she could see the horses before he drove them in a local parade. A book has been written on her life entitled, Prairie Trails of Miz Macby Rhonda Coy Sedgwick.

12. In what decadewas Bernice born?

13. Indicate the year Bernice and Smokey won the Canadian Rodeo Champion High Jump contest on the timeline.

Margie Roberts Hart, winner of Ladies Bronc Riding at Cheyenne, Wyoming, 1941 Courtesy National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Fort Worth, Texas

Margie Roberts Hart

Margie was one of the top women bronc riders from the 1930s through the 1950s. Shebroke horses for her father and neighbours while still in grade school! As a teenager she rode in the summertime for the Clyde Miller Wild West show, coming home each winter to attend high school.

She rode steers and bucking horses and developed a trick riding act that took her all over the country. One of her innovations in trick riding was the dive, in which she leaned rigidly far out over a running horse’s neck at an almost impossible angle. Her ability to ride rough stock led to winning the Ladies Bronc Riding Championship at Cheyenne in 1941 and a career as a trick rider. Retiring from rodeo, Margie worked with horses much of the rest of her life. She was also an accomplished artist.

Horse Talk – rough stock: Rough stock events are those in which cowgirls andcowboys ridebucking broncs and bulls. Each cowgirl and animal pair is scored by two judges, and both rider and mount earn points based on level of skill shown in their ride.

14. In which century was Margie born?

15. Indicate on the timeline the year Margie won the Ladies Bronc Riding Championship at Cheyenne.

Polly Burson trick riding, circa 1950s Courtesy National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Fort Worth, Texas

Julie Krone

As a girl growing up, nothing but racing held Julie’sinterest; she always knew she wanted to be a jockey. She began her career exercising horses at Churchill Downs and was racing in a year. Eventually earning over $80 million in purses, Julie made more than 3,500 trips to the winner’s circle.

In 1993, Julie became the first woman jockey to win a Triple Crown race when she rode Colonial Affair to win the Belmont Stakes. In 2000, she was the first female jockey inducted to Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. Julie retired on April 18, 1999 as the top female jockey in the history of horse racing.

20. In what year was Julie born?

21. Indicate on the time line the year Julie became the first female jockey inducted to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame.

Despite these accomplishments, what matters more to Julie is the fact that she was able to provide an example. “Athletes tend to be known for their success,” she said. “But I would rather have some little girl say, ‘Oh, Julie Krone fell down, but she came back. She wasn’t afraid.’”

If you watch horse racing on TV sometimes you mightsee her—because now she works in television broadcasting as a race analyst!

Stacy Westfall

Stacy is a professional horse trainer who specializes in reining. She was the first woman to compete in and win the “Road to the Horse” competition.

One time in a competition, she accidentally dropped a rein while in a traditional reining competition on her mare, Can Can Lena.Amove that normally results in disqualification, thisgave her the idea to test herself with a new challenge. She then began to perform bridleless in freestyle reining, a form of reining competition where exhibitors design their own routines and perform to music.In 2006, she won the American Quarter Horse Congress Freestyle Reining competition on the black mare, Whizards Baby Doll, riding both bridleless and bareback!

The video of this ride went viral on the internet and brought Westfall to the attention of the non-horse world.

22. In what year was Stacey born?

23. Indicate on the timeline the year Stacey and Whizards Baby Doll won theAmerican Quarter Horse Congress Freestyle Reining competition.

Would you like to watch the video of her ride?

So, what does it take to be a cowgirl? You’ve read about Sacagawea’s amazing life and adventure,Esther Hobart Morris’s fight for women’s right to vote, and Mary Jane Colter’s innovative and timeless building designs. Why are they included in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame? It’s clear—you don’t have to ride horses to consider yourself a cowgirl.

Perhaps Dale Evans, a member of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame herself, explainsit best,

“Cowgirl is an attitude, really; a pioneer spirit, a special American brand of courage. The cowgirl faces life head on, lives by her own lights and makes no excuses. Cowgirls take stands. They speak up. They defend the things they hold dear. A cowgirl might be a rancher, or a barrel racer, or a bull rider, or an actress. But she’s just as likely to be a checker at the local Winn Dixie, a full-time mother, a banker, an attorney, or an astronaut.”

So—you can be a cowgirltoo.

Cowgirls in History Answers:

1. Do you know when the mid-nineteenth century is? What year marks the middle of the nineteenth century?
Answer: The nineteenth century started in 1801 and ended in 1900. Therefore, 1850 marks the middle of the nineteenth century.

2. How many centuries are shown on the timeline?
Answer: A century is one hundred years. Three centuries are shown on the timeline.

3. What are the timeline increments?
Answer: This timeline was created using 5 year increments.

4. In what year was Sacagawea was born?
Answer: Sacagawea was born in 1788.

5. How old was Sacagawea when she died?
Answer: 1812 – 1788 = 24. She was only 24-years-old!

6. In what year was Esther Hobart Morris born?
Answer: She was born in 1814.

7. Show on the timeline the year in which Esther became the United States’ first female justice of the peace.
See timeline answers below.

8. In what year was Annie born?
Answer: 1860

9. Indicate the year Annie joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show on your timeline.
See timeline answers below.

10. Mary Jane Colter was born nine years after Annie Oakley. Indicate on the timeline the year Mary was born.
See timeline answers below.

11. How many years did Mary work for the Harvey company as an architect and designer?
Answer: There are ten years in a decade. Mary worked for four decades with the Harvey company. 4 x 10 years = 40 years. Mary worked forty years for the Harvey company.

12. In what decade was Bernice born?
Answer: Bernice was born in the decade that started in 1890 and ended in 1900.

13. Indicate the year Bernice won the Canadian Rodeo Champion High Jump contest on the timeline.
See timeline answers below.

14. In which century was Margie born?
Answer: Margie was born in the 20th century.

15. Indicate on the timeline the year Margie won the Ladies Bronc Riding Championship at Cheyenne.
See timeline answers below.

16. Polly was born three years after Margie Roberts Hart. In what year was Polly born?
Answer: Looking at the timeline, Margie was born in 1916. 1916 + 3 = 1919. Polly was born in 1919.

17. Indicate the year Polly won the Golden Boot award on the timeline.
See timeline answers below.

18. In what year was Temple born?
Answer: 1947

19. Indicate the year Temple earned her doctoral degree in animal science on the timeline.

20. In what year was Julie born?
Answer: 1963

21. Indicate on the time line the year Julie became the first female jockey inducted to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame.
See timeline answers below.

22. In what year was Stacey born?
Answer: 1974

23. Indicate on the timeline the year Stacey and Whizards Baby Doll won the American Quarter Horse Congress Freestyle Reining competition.
See timeline answers below.