The Original Hurdy-Gurdy Girls: Innocence and Resilience in the Wild West

HurdyGurdy, a work by Jules Richomme
(1818-1903)

Picture the Wild West, and dusty trails, slapdash saloons, and never-ending sagebrush often springs to mind. These iconic settings are inhabited by the usual denizens—cowboys, miners, and stagecoach drivers, perhaps with an outlaw and sheriff thrown into the mix. And yet, women played vital roles in shaping the wild frontier. Scarcer than men, they had varied backgrounds. Some came west with their husbands, others came along with their parents and grew of age in the West. Others established one-room schools or to serve as missionaries. Women of ill-repute came west out of ambition.

And then there were the hurdy-gurdy girls. Embodying both innocence and resilience, they brought their music to Wild West saloons. The original hurdy-gurdy girls came from the German state of Hessia. Beginning in the 1840’s, some daughters of poor families sold handmade brooms on the streets of large cities to help their families survive hard times. Pretty and lively, these girls soon learned that performing helped them draw crowds and sell more brooms. Unfortunately, these young women came to the attention of unscrupulous individuals who enticed their families to allow them to come to America. The girls often agreed to entertain in the West in the hope of earning a lot of money to send home to their families.

The term "hurdy-gurdy" refers to a unique musical instrument that produces sound when the player turns a crank, which causes a wheel to rub against strings. This instrument has its roots in Europe, and particularly in Hessia. Hurdy-gurdy players often traveled as entertainers, performing at fairs, markets, and public gatherings.

In the saloons of the Wild West, hurdy-gurdy girls were more than just entertainers. They were integral to the social fabric of these establishments. As towns sprang up in response to the gold rush, saloons became gathering places for miners, traders, and adventurers. The music and performances offered miners a brief escape from the harsh realities of their lives. Hurdy-gurdy girls provided laughter, companionship, and a semblance of normalcy in a chaotic world.

Life as a hurdy-gurdy girl was not without challenges. Some enjoyed relative freedom and financial independence, but others faced exploitation and violence. Saloons were rough places, and the line between performer and victim could be thin. Some of the girls were treated with respect, but others fell into prostitution.

Hurdy-gurdy girls were entertainers but also individuals with hopes and dreams. They navigated a world that often marginalized them, yet many managed to assert their independence and earn a living through performing. These women were not passive figures in the Wild West but active participants in their own narratives.

Final Thoughts from Janalyn Voigt

I wrote Stagecoach to Liberty to explore the plight of the hurdy-gurdy girls who came to America from Hessia. One of my missions as a writer is to present the Wild West, minus the usual myths, for readers. I'd never given much thought to the backgrounds of the hurdy-gurdy girls until I stumbled across their history. A plot presented itself and grew over time. Elsa Meier was born, a heroine forced to entrust her safety to a complete stranger. 

Your Thoughts?

Have you heard of the hurdy-gurdy girls in the American West? Did the history of the original hurdy-gurdy girls surprise you? Can you name any western stereotypes, and do you think they are based on fact? Leave a comment and let me know.

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with tales "written" in her head. Today Janalyn is a storyteller who writes in several genres. Romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy appear in all her novels in proportions dictated by their genre. 

Learn more about Janalyn Voigt.

Fall in Love with the Wild West

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, the Montana Gold series explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west.

Not Your Ordinary Dance Hall Girls

By Suzanne Norquist

Movies and books portray the female population of western mining towns as a few “proper ladies” and a plethora of soiled doves. Modern media ignores another kind of dance hall girl, the Hurdy Gurdy Girls. A fun sounding name if I’ve ever heard one.



They were musicians and dancers who traveled west to earn money for their families. Often a group of four girls came with a chaperone, perhaps a married couple. An agent would make arrangements.

The original Hurdy Gurdy Girls helped to sell wooden brooms in Germany in the 1820s. Like beautiful models in modern car advertisements, pretty girls playing music attracted customers at the local markets. The instrument of choice was the hurdy gurdy. It’s a complicated contraption with a crank on one side and strings.



Click this link to see a modern hurdy gurdy “girl.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyIXR3s8OtY



The Caribou Sentinel in Bakerville, British Columbia described Hurdy Gurdy Girls as unsophisticated, dressed in bell-shaped skirts and speaking little English. While the girls donned colorful costumes, they often wore heavy boots to protect their feet from clumsy dance partners.



In Bakerville, “dancing on the ceiling” was popular. A miner would swing his partner in the air and see how high her feet would get. The man who could hoist his girl the highest was considered the best dancer.



The girls often adhered to a strict set of rules. Here is what the Alhambra Dance Hall in Silverton, Colorado required:



I have to especially wonder about rule number 3. How did they kick at the orchestra?

It is rumored that during one of the wild dances, a Hurdy Gurdy Girl kicked a ceiling lantern, starting a fire that nearly burned down Bakersville.

After a time, dance halls became known as Hurdy Gurdies and entertainers were Hurdy Gurdy Girls, even those not from Germany. Dora Hand was well-known in Dodge City. After training as an opera singer, she moved west from Boston to battle tuberculosis. There she sang at the Lady Gay Saloon and used her influence to help the needy.



The miners considered them to be good women. Governor William McConnell of Idaho wrote, “These girls were pure women, who had kind hearts and wonderful patience. They simply did the work they had bargained to do, and when their contracts expired, most of them returned home.”



Proper ladies snubbed them for their presence in the saloons and their style of dress. In 1867, the Caribou Sentinel reported, “Mrs. Partington says that just because the Hurdies are regarded as stars is no reason they should be regarded as heavenly bodies.”



Over time, the Hurdies were absorbed into the dance hall scene and became indistinguishable from the other women who worked there. And, perhaps as women were allowed into other parts of the workforce, they no longer needed to perform in saloons to earn money.

Regardless, these ladies aren’t your ordinary dance hall girls. 

***


Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas, “A Song for Rose” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection and “Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection. Everything fascinates her. She has worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate in economics. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and attends kickboxing class.

She authors a blog entitled, Ponderings of a BBQ Ph.D.


“Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection

Four historical romances celebrating the arts of sewing and quilting.

Mending Sarah’s Heart by Suzanne Norquist

Rockledge, Colorado, 1884

Sarah seeks a quiet life as a seamstress. She doesn’t need anyone, especially her dead husband’s partner. If only the Emporium of Fashion would stop stealing her customers and the local hoodlums would leave her sons alone. When she rejects her husband’s share of the mine, his partner Jack seeks to serve her through other means. But will his efforts only push her further away?

For a Free Preview, click here: http://a.co/1ZtSRkK