Visit the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum

When people think of Texas, the mind often conjures up images of tumbleweeds, cattle drives, and of course - cowboys. While Dallas and Texas history alike are steeped in cowboy heritage, we seldom hear about the contributions made to the frontier by the cowboys female counterparts - the cowgirls.

The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame is the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring the female traditions, courage, and spirit in The American West. The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to preserve the rich histories, stories, contributions, and achievements of the women who help shaped the western frontier. Since its inception in 1975, one hundred and eighty six women - pioneers, artists, writers, rodeo cowgirls, female ranchers, and horsewomen - have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum is comprised of a permanent exhibit of artifacts and pictures, a traveling exhibit, three theaters, an extensive research library, retail store, and a grand rotunda. The Rotunda Hall is home to twelve glass tiled murals called LIFETILES depicting various scenes in the life of the American Cowgirl that appear to come to life, change, and move as guests walk past. The Rotunda Hall also marks the beginning of the Spirit Trail, a trail of stars along the walls of the museum with stars depicting the inductees into the Hall of Fame. On the second floor of the museum, guests can delve deeper into the lives of the inductees by using interactive touch-screen 'yearbooks'.

Spirit of The Cowgirl Theater is an eight minute narrative that introduces visitors to the many faces of the American Cowgirl. Old, young, modern, ranchers, and horsewomen - all with a story to tell, all of which have contributed greatly to this way of life in the American West.

Into The Area is an exhibit in the museum that showcases the athleticism of champion cowgirls. Greatest Rides is a presentation of some of the greatest rides made by some of the best American cowgirls, including Tad Lucas trick riding at the Deadwood Rodeo and Julie Krone's win at the Belmont Stakes. The presentation is shown on three large projection screens in the center of the gallery that are surrounded by what looks like the bull chute at a rodeo arena, giving visitors an authentic experience while they witness the events. Rodeo fashions and vintage cowgirl attire are displayed on mechanical racks that operate in tandem with a touch panel biography display screen that gives a history of the pieces. Other rodeo artifacts and memorabilia are also on display in the hall, including an exhibit case containing artifacts belonging to Annie Oakley.

In the Kinship With The Land gallery, visitors are educated about the unique and important roles the American cowgirls played in ranching, farming, and settling the frontier. This gallery also includes children's farming memorabilia as well as a tribute to Connie Reeves, who devoted her life to teaching horsemanship to young girls and women. She taught them the importance of being independent and 'saddling your own horse'.

The Claiming The Spotlight gallery showcases the cowgirl personas made famous by Hollywood, such as Dale Evans and Barbara Stanwyck, on the silver screen, the big screen, and mass media representations. Many artifacts from the cowgirl era of Hollywood are on display, such as a rhinestone saddle designed by Nudi Cohn and various cowgirl getups featured in western movies and various other pieces of cowgirl pop culture.

The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum is located at 1720 Gendy Street in Fort Worth, Texas. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 9am until 5pm and Sunday from noon until 5pm. The museum is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and New Years Day. Admission is $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors and children aged 3-12. Children two and under are admitted free. Admission prices include entry to the adjacent Fort Worth Museum of Science and History hands-on exhibits. All areas of the museum are handicapped accessible and there are two wheelchairs available for patron's use, free of charge on a first come, first served basis. Photography is only allowed in the Lobby, Rotunda & Gift Shop areas.

For more information, call 1-800-476-FAME or log on to their website.