In 1895, 25-year-old Caroline Lockhart wears a 246-pound diver’s suit twice her size and climbs over the edge of a tugboat, looking out at the Boston Harbor. Up until that moment, she held tight to her confidence despite the “many blood-curdling divers’ anecdotes” that were meant to convince her to abandon the stunt. In response, she cracked jokes and smiled onward. With one or two quick breaths, she jumps in and sinks over 20 feet before hitting the seaweed-covered bottom.

This was Lockhart’s approach to experiences throughout her entire life. Her restless spirit refused to obey limitations imposed on women, and she set her ambitions on fame and notoriety. Born in Eagle Point, Illinois, on February 24, 1870, Lockhart moved east to pursue acting. However, with successful female stunt journalists including Nellie Bly and Annie Laurie making headlines, Lockhart discovered her true calling. It was not until her fateful meeting with William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody in the 1890s that turned her attention back west. Cody’s depiction of a wild, romanticized west enthralled her, and she soon moved to Cody, Wyoming, in 1904. For decades, she split her time between her home in Cody and her ranch in Carbon County, Montana. On July 25, 1962, Lockhart passed away in her sleep at the age of 91; she had requested that her ashes be scattered “over the most convenient peak.”
Now, 62 years later, here are 5 facts about Caroline Lockhart’s incredible life and legacy:
1. Nerves of Steel
“I am proud of knowing that girl. She has more grit than any woman I ever saw.”
Mr. SULLIVAN, bOSTON POST, JUNE 2, 1895
First and foremost, Caroline Lockhart did not want to be seen as incapable. If there was ever a moment where she felt nervous or fearful, she hardly admitted it in her writing. Perhaps it was the reassurance of the doctor from years before who treated her when she was thrown off a mustang and injured her arm. As her arm was being set, she carried on eating a green apple to the doctor’s astonishment. He remarked that if she didn’t faint then, she never would. She mentions this memory in her article recounting the dive into the harbor, though she had yet to discover how this article would boost her reputation.

2. Stuntwoman
“Her next achievement was more thrilling than any of its predecessors.”
the kansas semi-weekly capital, november 30, 1897
While her notoriety began to take off in the 1890s as “the Post Woman” for the Boston Post. One recognizable nom de plume that Caroline Lockhart wrote under was “Suzette” for the Evening Bulletin in Philadelphia. As both the Post Woman and Suzette, Lockhart captured the attention of many through “stunt Journalism” – a strategy that combines shock value with investigative reporting. Following her dive, Lockhart also jumped out of a fourth story window to demonstrate the Boston fire department’s safety net, approached and climbed on a lion’s back in its cage, and interviewed convicted murderer Eli Shaw.

In the Summer of 1895, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody witnessed the Post Woman in action at his Wild West show in Boston. After having seen performers ride bucking bronchos multiple times, she insisted on trying it for herself against the urgent warning from Colonel Cody. Her ultimate success in riding the broncho was met with a public congratulations from Buffalo Bill Cody and a gift of one of his ponies.
3. Newspapers to Novels
Caroline Lockhart wrote with an illustrative narrative and had the ability to vividly describe her experiences step-by-step. Within the first decade of living in Cody, she published her first novel, Me-Smith (1911). In rapid succession, The Lady Doc (1912), The Full of the Moon (1914), The Man From Bitter Roots (1915), The Fighting Shepherdess (1919), and The Dude Wrangler (1921) were mostly inspired by Lockhart’s personal experiences in her adopted hometown. The Lady Doc was both one of the most successful and most controversial novels in her bibliography, and received backlash from locals over the thinly disguised comparison of the main character and Dr. Francis Lane.
Three of her books were turned into films: The Man from Bitter Roots (1916), The Fighting Shepherdess (1920), and The Dude Wrangler (1930). Her last book, The Old West and the New (1933) was published when Lockhart was 63 years old. Although she became largely known from her books, she simultaneously owned and wrote editorials for the Cody Enterprise from 1920 to 1925.
4. Friend or Foe
“She was a hand fighter, and used her wit as a weapon”
Excerpt from Interview with Ernest J “Gop” Goppert Sr., MS 30 Furman-Lockhart Collection, McCracken Research Library
Though her humor and self-confidence can be admired, Caroline Lockhart was also quick to play the opponent. As prohibition – the banning of manufacturing and selling alcohol – swept across the United States, Lockhart took a vocal stance against it. Ernest J. “Gop” Goppert Sr., a young lawyer and Cody local, was a known supporter of the ban and was an immediate target for ridicule in the Cody Enterprise newspaper. The two already had a competitive history, notably with running to be the president of the newly established Cody Stampede in 1920. Lockhart eventually won the role, with Goppert Sr. working on the board. He secured his position on her “enemies” list when he sued her for libel in the mid-1920s, which ultimately concluded in Lockhart’s favor in 1925.
Just as her sharp words earned her a level of infamy, those close to her remembered her dedication to Cody’s developing traditions and to her extended family in her later years.

5. L Slash Heart Ranch: A Remaining Legacy
1925 was a big year for Caroline Lockhart. Along with being involved in legal issues, she was deep in her plans to sell the Cody Enterprise and obtain the funds to purchase property in Montana’s Dryhead Country. Within the year, she succeeded and began what would occupy the next three decades of her life at the L Slash Heart Ranch. Under her ownership, the ranch grew from 160 acres to over 6,000, including the addition of a dairy barn, a livestock pen, and a corral. Initially living at the ranch the majority of the year with occasional trips back to Cody, her declining health forced her to sell the ranch in 1955 when she was 85 years old.
Nestled in Carbon County with a view of the Pryor Mountains, the L Slash Heart Ranch has experienced many harsh winters and weather conditions. In recent decades, a restoration project supported by the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area sought to repair many of the defunct buildings. One method that was used to restore the buildings while also preserving history was “Cowboy Construction,” which mimicked ideas cowboys would apply using materials available to them. Today, the ranch is open to visitors and has been a spot for tours.
Conclusion
Caroline Lockhart had many different identities in her life but her ambition was always the same – to make her mark in the world. Her achievements are endless, from daring stories as a journalist and book adaptions to owning and operating a ranch, but it can be argued that her approach to life was what really secured her notoriety. William F. Cody perhaps saw that determination, and their friendship in turn inspired Lockhart to pursue advocating for “the Scout” statue and contribute to Cody, Wyoming’s early years.
