She Claimed the Wilderness
Untold Stories of Women Homesteaders
They came west seeking land, independence, security—and sometimes simply a chance to begin again.
But the promise of the Homestead Act was only the beginning.
She Claimed the West: Untold Stories of Women Homesteaders tells the gripping true stories of women who faced the vast and unpredictable American wilderness. They endured brutal weather, loneliness, childbirth, dangerous journeys, financial hardship, loss and the exhausting struggle to turn open land into a home.
Some succeeded.
Some failed.
Some paid a heartbreaking price for trying.
Through documented historical accounts, photographs and records, historical storyteller Rayma Volkmer brings these women out of the shadows and places their experiences at the center of the homesteading story.
Their lives were filled not only with hardship, but also courage, unexpected kindness and human connection—including encounters between women settlers and Native people that reveal moments of assistance, compassion and shared humanity on a complicated frontier.
These are not fictional pioneer tales.
These women lived them.
They crossed the prairie.
They claimed the land.
They faced the wilderness.
And their stories deserve to be remembered.
This program explores:
- The legal and social restrictions women faced before the Homestead Act
- The opportunity for women to claim land in their own names
- True stories of women who journeyed west and filed homestead claims
- The wilderness, isolation, weather, childbirth, loss, and danger they faced
- Women who succeeded — and women who were unable to prove up
- Stories of friendship, assistance, and human connection between women settlers and Native people
- The courage, resilience, and determination behind their stories
- Audiences do not just learn about history — they feel the wind, the fear, the silence, and the strength it took to endure.
🎯 Perfect For
- Museums
- Libraries
- Historical societies
- Schools and homeschool groups
- Nebraska history programs
- Great Plains heritage events
- Women’s history events
- Pioneer and frontier history programs
- America 250 and Semiquincentennial events
- Community programs and heritage festivals
Bring the story of women homesteaders, pioneer children, and Great Plains survival to your audience.
She Claimed the Wilderness: Untold Stories of Women Homesteaders is an unforgettable living history program for museums, libraries, schools, historical societies, heritage events, and community audiences throughout Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and the Midwest.
👉 Book Your Women Homesteaders Program Today
This program is especially meaningful for America’s Semiquincentennial, Nebraska history programming, Homestead Act commemorations, and regional heritage events.
📞 402-223-3309
📧 victoriangal1971@gmail.com
Now booking 2026–2027 programs.
Presented by Indian Creek Historical Fashions
Bringing History to Life through authentic clothing, immersive storytelling, and powerful living history programs.