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Calamity Jane: life of the week

Calamity Jane: life of the week

Karen Jones takes a fresh look at the rootin’ tootin’ frontierswoman of the American West

Emily Briffett

Published: May 27, 2025 at 7:00 AM

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Calamity Jane roars into the popular imagination atop the Deadwood Stage with a 'whip-crack-away' and her pistol ready-loaded. A bold and resourceful frontierswoman, Calamity held her own among the men of the American West. But she was also instrumental in the making of her own myth. Emily Briffett spoke to historian Karen Jones to piece together what is known about the humble origins of the woman who became the “heroine of the plains”.

Karen Jones is the author of Calamity: The Many Lives of Calamity Jane (Yale University Press, 2020).

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Authors

Emily BriffettSenior content producer (podcasts)

Emily Briffett is senior content producer (podcasts) at HistoryExtra