From dime novels to Hollywood, Calamity Jane has long been a staple of American lore and legend. A wild amazon of the frontier, a female adventurer in men’s clothes, bucking the status quo and living her life on her own terms.

But the life of the real Calamity Jane was quite different from many of the stories we know about her. In this episode I will explore some of her representations in popular media throughout the years, and delve into the true story of Martha Canary.