The Life and Legends of Calamity Jane

Known for buckskins, profanity, shooting, and an “unladylike” proficiency in mule driving, the belligerent, hard-drinking, and always complicated Calamity Jane also built a reputation for her career as a practical nurse and midwife no to mention her stints as a dance hall girl. Etulain (Lincoln and Oregon Country Politics in the Civil War Era) painstakingly sifts through unreliable reports—including those from the illiterate legend herself—and public records to establish likely biographical details while using contemporary and modern media sources to detail the evolution of Calamity Jane’s legacy. Interestingly, this unusual and extensive examination of her contributions to American folklore adds depth not only to the lionized Wild West figure, but also reflects the late-19th-century national trend in celebrating the disappearing frontier, further immortalizing Calamity Jane by pairing her with Wild Bill Hickok, whom she only knew for five weeks, and Jesse James, whom she never met. Etulain’s careful and honest research illuminates Jane’s historical place in frontier history while revealing her humanity through both his admiration for her multifaceted character and frustration with her willful obfuscation—an adroit way to honor such an elusive character. 61 b&w illus. (Sept.)