25 Old Snapshots of American Cowboys and Cowgirls
The rugged spirit of the American West comes alive in old photos of cowboys and cowgirls who called the open range home. Long before Hollywood glamorized ranching and turned cowboys into legends, these men and women were the real deal — wrangling cattle, breaking horses, and carving out a living in a world as unforgiving as it was beautiful. These 25 vintage photos capture the essence of frontier life, and the people tough enough to work from sunrise to sundown.
1. A Cowboy Wrangles Cattle at the Shoe Bar Ranch in Texas, 1912
2. Cowboys Sit by the Chuck Wagon To Share Stories After a Long Day’s Work at the LS Ranch in Texas, 1907
3. Three Cowboys Pose for a Portrait in the Early Days of the American West, Circa 1880s
4. A Cowboy Keeps an Eye on a Herd of Horses Grazing in an Open Field at the SMS Ranch Range in Texas, 1910
5. A Cowboy Goes Down a Steep Incline on His Horse Near Tascosa, Texas, 1907
6. ‘Rodeo Cowboy Bill Pickett Photographed in 1907’
7. A Wyoming Cowgirl on Horseback, 1903. Fun Fact: Women in the Territory Were Among the First in the World To Gain the Right To Vote
8. Two Cowboys Reign in a Wild Horse at the LS Ranch in Texas, 1907
9. Zack T. Burkett, Foreman of the LS Ranch, Draws a Map in the Dust as His Workers Look on, 1907
10. Cowhand Erwin E. Smith Pours Himself a Cup of Coffee While Working at the OR Ranch in Arizona, 1909
11. Native American Cowboys From the Lakota Tribe Pause for a Quick Snap on Horseback, Circa 1918
12. Buffalo Bill Poses for a Portrait in His Signature Cowboy ‘Fit, 1880s
13. ‘Cowgirl From the Old West, 1886’
14. ‘A Cowboy Saloon in Miles City, Montana, 1880’
15. A Cowboy Enjoys a Cold Drink After a Day’s Work, Early 1900s
16. A Cowboy Named Frank Smith Guides His Horse to a Shallow Pond for a Drink of Water Near Crosby County, Texas, 1909
17. ‘An African American Cowboy on His Horse in Pocatello, Idaho, 1903’
18. ‘Little Joe the Wrangler at the Three Blocks Ranch in New Mexico, 1908-09’
19. Cowboys Take a Break To Eat Lunch Out of a Chuck Wagon, Late 1800s
20. Bill Pickett, the Legendary Texas Cowboy Credited With Inventing Steer Wrestling, Circa 1920
21. Cowboys (and Girls) Enjoy Drinks at a Tavern After Work, Circa 1908
22. Two Cowboys Secure a Pack Mule Before Setting Out on the Trail, 1950s
23. Cowboys Pictured By the Chuck Wagon at a Ranch in Texas, 1907
24. Two Cowboys Take a Break on the Trail To Play ‘Mumble Peg’ at the Matador Ranch in Texas, 1909
25. A Cowboy Pictured Dry Herding at a Ranch in New Mexico, Circa 1905
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