Calamity Jane was a woman who lived on the Western Frontier in the late 1800s.
She was a controversial character for a number of reasons, including the fact that she dressed in men’s clothes. She was known to loudly boast of her stint as a Pony Express rider and about serving under General Custer.
Some of her life stories have been verified by others or by public record, but because she was known for exaggerating, it can safely be said that many stories about Calamity Jane aren’t true. She was often forgiven her white lies because of her big heart.
Besides being an ever loyal and faithful friend to many, including Wild Bill Hickock, she also selflessly stayed in Deadwood, South Dakota, during a particularly vicious wave of smallpox and almost single-handedly nursed the community back to health, risking her own health in the process.
She joined Buffalo Bill’s traveling show for a time, but alcoholism made her an unreliable act, and she was eventually fired.
She died near Deadwood in poverty and was buried next to Wild Bill Hickock.
