Presented by Lynne Richardson, executive director of Deepwood Museum & Gardens
Old St. Francis History Pub

Cowgirls appeared on the American frontier in the mid-1800s. During a time when women were expected to act ladylike, sew, serve tea in the parlor, and care for her husband and family, cowgirls lived on the fringes of society working stock alongside the cowboys and were determined and spirited pioneers.

Lynne Richardson will present stories and images of the early cowgirls of the American West who worked on ranches, performed in Wild West shows and competed in rodeos, while discussing their impact on re-defining gender roles.

About the Speaker
Lynne Richardson is the Executive Director of Deepwood Museum & Gardens, an 1894 Queen Anne Victorian historic house located in Salem, Oregon. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of California at Davis and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University. She has worked for a variety of museums including the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles; Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s historic home in Charlottesville, Virginia; and the National Museum of Natural History, part of the Smithsonian Institution. Ms. Richardson also worked for the FBI in Washington, D.C. for eight years as their Art Theft Program Manager recovering stolen cultural property around the world. During her tenure at the FBI she co-founded the organization’s first Art Crime Team.