The Female Frontier

"Riley argues for the existence of a women’s frontier, coexistent with, though quite different from, a men’s frontier. This is an important book, well researched and clearly written."—Nebraska History

"What a wealth of information Riley has included in her book! If you want to know about almost any subject concerning frontier women, this book will quickly summarize existing knowledge and, through extensive footnotes, tell you where to go for more."—Minnesota History

"Riley’s thesis is that it is neither plains nor prairie as such that structured the frontierswoman’s life, but rather that the traditional female patterns of domesticity, motherhood, and social responsibilities followed her to her new western home, whether that be crude sod or town frame. . . . The reader learns in detail of everyday life for women of these areas. . . . This is a valuable contribution to the literature. . . . The notes alone would be worth the price of the book. . ."—Colorado Libraries

"Anyone interested in women’s history and western history will want to read and study this book."—Pacific Historical Review

"A major comparative frontier study. . . . New information on women’s lives in the West."—Sandra L. Myres, author of Westering Women and the Frontier Experience

"This beautifully researched study is part of an important new trend in western historiography. In intriguing and revealing detail, Riley demonstrates that while pioneer men’s lives were characterized by variety, women’s were marked by sameness and consistency."—Elliott West, author of The Saloon on the Rocky Mountain Mining Frontier

"A vivid portrait of women’s domestic, occupational, and civic activities . . . and a valuable elaboration of important themes."—Gerald W. McFarland, author of A Scattered People: An American Family Moves West