TP, Female, Age 22

Exhibit Detail: U.S. Marshal Thomas Boles and His Wife

The women in this photo is unnamed, the only thing we know about her is that she married Thomas Boles. He was a U.S. Marshall for Fort Smith between 1882 and 1885. While we have a brief description of Mr. Boles, nothing was stated about his wife. She was only mentioned in the caption, and not well. I would assume that any records that contained her name were lost or damaged.

Exhibit Detail: Pearl Starr

Pearl Starr is pictured at the site with a brief description of her family and the reasons for her notoriety. As one of few women named, she is the daughter of an outlaw named Belle Starr. Her mother, like Pearl is photographed and displayed in the National Historic Site. These women are remembered because of the crimes they committed. Unlike many women of the time, they are remembered and represented in the museum. However, Pearl's fame did not extend to her associates. Two women are pictured next to her, but we know nothing about them. We do not even know their names.

Photo in Women's Restroom: Florence Hammersley

This photo is of one of the most in detail displays about women. This page was displayed in the women's restroom, along with three other, similar printouts. Oddly enough, the only displays that have as much information about women were about outlaws. The printouts are said to be changed every three months, but the men's restroom displayed information on both men and women at the time of our visit. It struck me as odd that the women's restroom only displayed female figures, while the men's displayed both. It could be that the people who run the site are trying to compensate for the lack of representation of the women of the past. Maybe it is thought that women would care more about the unequal representation than men, which would explain why only women are represented in the women's restroom.

Comments

A.R., Female, Age 24

Exhibit: Fort Smith in Fact and Fiction These posters are one of the first things you see when walking into the museum. I find it interesting that between the two there is only one woman pictured and she is sexualized. Both of these movies came out in the late 60’s. When the movies were produced they had the option to give women a story as well, but from the look of these posters I would say they did not. Exhibit: Women Behind Bars Near the very back of the museum they had this exhibit “Women Behind Bars.” I completely looked over this exhibit at first. If you notice at the top of it is a picture of a group of men. I noticed the men and just assumed that’s what the entire article was over until I went back and actually read the entire thing. Exhibit: Lady Desperado All of the women that are in the exhibits who are named are named because they are criminals. Each one who is named their brother and father are also named. This exhibit is about Belle Starr. It ...

DS, Male, Age 24

Exhibit: Domestic Life at Fort Smith When observing the exhibits at the National Historic Site, they show how most of the political establishments and arrangements where created by men with little involvement from women. The exhibits in regards to politics where mostly pictures and summaries of men, with a very few exceptions like Florence Hammersly being a deputy clerk. When it comes to the focus of women in the exhibits, I feel like it was mainly based of domestication. A good example of this is the exhibit "Domestic Life at Fort Smith", where it focuses on the lives of the wife's of political leaders in Fort Smith. Exhibit: Music Class I think this photo is relevant to the idea of women being seen in more of a domesticated role during this time. In my opinion, this photo of Chickasaw girls at Bloomfield Academy in a music class shows how women were even educated in more domesticated roles like the arts, instead of politics. Exhibit: Women...

DE, Female, Age 24

Exhibit Detail: Members of the U.S. Marshal's staff ca 1900 The first picture I am going to talk about it is called “Women Behind Bar” the picture is suppose to show a women who was arrested and was in a jail cell but you can just barely she the women because there is a group of men standing right in front of the building that cover her up. Some of the picture would talk about what the guy did to be jailed but with this particular woman we have no back-story. Also the descriptions of the picture say “note” like it is giving up extra information about a picture of the men but this picture was actual about the women who were arrested. Exhibit: Belle Starr--Bandit Queen This next picture is about a Famous women named Belle Starr, It is talking about all she had accomplished and important people in her life, her Son was photographed and named they even talk a little about him. Then there is a picture of Belle Starr with her friends and the friends...

Infinitely Obscure Lives: Invisibility of Women in a U.S. Historic Site

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