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True Women of the West

Let’s face it. Women of the West are a breed apart. Whether they are born here or arrive later, they seem to have a spirit that just comes with the territory. Call it part drive, part resourcefulness, part staying power, but more than anything else it’s a force to be reckoned with, one that has put women at the heart of all that has happened in the West from the beginning ... and at the heart of all that has happened at our museum ... nearly from the beginning.​

Bucking Up in the Early Years

​As it turns out, it all began with a rescue. In 1974, a devastating fire destroyed the original Desert Caballeros Western Museum and all appeared to be lost. That’s when founder H.K. “Mac” MacLennan came up with the idea of asking Wickenburg women to help raise funds and provide volunteers. It didn’t take long for the fledgling women’s group to buck up. Between fiestas and fundraisers, the Museum practically rose from the ashes overnight, eventually becoming one of the most respected in the Southwest. DCWM is a Smithsonian Affiliate.