National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors forgotten achievements

By Isabelle Acheson

Published Oct 7, 2021

National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame from a front view. Courtesy of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Photo by Rhonda Hole.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, one of the five museums located in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, is the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring cowgirls and women of the West. The mission of the museum is to recognize the women of the American West that have been overlooked for their accomplishments.

Over 240 women have been inducted into the hall of fame.

“Part of our mission is preserving and sharing the stories of cowgirls,” said Director of Public Engagement at the Cowgirl Museum Madison Ward. “The stories and artifacts from these women help share what Western lifestyle is all about.”

Famous women honored in the museum include Sacagawea, artist Georgia O’Keeffe, Hollywood star Dale Evans, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and sharpshooter Annie Oakley.

The museum holds more than 5,000 different objects within its artifact collection, with one of the most notable being Annie Oakley’s gun.

“One of my favorite artifacts is John Snow’s saddle from the TV show Game of Thrones,” said Ward. “One of our cowgirl honorees, Camilla Naprous, is the horse master for Game of Thrones—her company, The Devil’s Horsemen, is contracted for many Hollywood movies.”

*Photo of young girls looking at the Cowgirl’s exhibits.* *Courtesy of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.* *Photo by Craig Kuhner.*

The artifacts and stories are also meant to empower young women.

“The Cowgirl Museum helps young women realize they have a cowgirl spirit,” said Pam Minick, who is a National Cowgirl Museum honoree. “Working hard, setting and achieving your goals and never taking no for an answer are all cowgirl traits.”

The cowgirls’ exhibits attract TCU students, Fort Worth locals and people from all over the country.

“When I visited the museum, I was blown away,” said Leah Salvagio, a senior education major. “I loved the ‘It’s Never Just a Horse’ exhibit.” The museum also has two galleries: the Cowgirls and the Wild West Gallery and the Anne W. Marion Gallery.

Current and future TCU students can experience the National Cowgirl Museum.

“We are working to incorporate a stop at the museum during Frog Camp,” said Ward.

Current students can purchase tickets to the museum to visit.