Calamity Jane

by Mclaird, James D.

• ISBN13: 9780806142517
• ISBN10: 0806142510
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-02-15
• Publisher: Univ of Oklahoma Pr

Summary

Forget Doris Day singing on the stagecoach. Forget Robin Weigert's gritty portrayal on HBO's Deadwood. The real Calamity Jane was someone the likes of whom you've never encountered. That is, until now. This book is a definitive biography of Martha Canary, the woman popularly known as Calamity Jane. Written by one of today's foremost authorities on this notorious character, it is a meticulously researched account of how an alcoholic prostitute was transformed into a Wild West heroine. Always on the move across the northern plains, Martha was more camp follower than the scout of legend. A mother of two, she often found employment as waitress, laundress, or dance hall girl and was more likely to be wearing a dress than buckskin. But she was hard to ignore when she'd had a few drinks, and she exploited the aura of fame that dime novels created around her, even selling her autobiography and photos to tourists. Gun toting, swearing, hard drinking-Calamity Jane was all of these, to be sure. But whatever her flaws or foibles, James D. McLaird paints a compelling portrait of an unconventional woman who more than once turned the tables on those who sought to condemn or patronize her. He also includes dozens of photos-many never before seen-depicting Jane in her many guises. His book is a long-awaited biography of Martha Canary and the last word on Calamity Jane.

Author Biography

James D. McLaird is Professor Emeritus of History, Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota. He is the author of numerous articles on western history and myth-making, focusing especially on South Dakota and the Black Hills.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction	p. 3
Princeton, Missouri, 1856-1864	p. 7
To Montana and Wyoming, 1864-1874	p. 18
The Black Hills Expedition of 1875	p. 31
With Crook in 1876	p. 43
With Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood, 1876	p. 55
Dime Novel Heroine, 1877	p. 85
Life in Dakota, 1878-1881	p. 101
Following the Northern Pacific, 1882-1884	p. 116
Life in Wyoming, 1884-1894	p. 130
A Deadwood Celebrity, 1895-1896	p. 145
Life in Montana, 1896-1901	p. 160
The Pan-American Exposition, 1901-1902	p. 191
Death in the Black Hills, 1903	p. 207
Building a Legend, 1903-1953	p. 221
Of Daughters, Letters, and a Diary	p. 237
Challenging the Myth, 1953-2003	p. 253
Conclusion	p. 269
Notes	p. 291
Bibliography	p. 337
Index	p. 364
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