In this episode of Rooted in the Plains, we explore the life and letters of Elinore Pruitt Stewart, whose homesteading experience in early 20th-century Wyoming offers one of the clearest windows into the daily lives of frontier women. From milking cows to cutting hay, Elinore’s vivid, often humorous letters reveal a life shaped by grit, joy and self-reliance.
Discover how a housekeeper became an expected literary voice and why her words still resonate today. Through Elinore’s story, we connect with the deeper truths the Great Plains, its isolation, its beauty and the women who shaped it.
Want to see more? See photos, maps and more glimpses of prairie life on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedintheplains
Want to learn more? Check out these sources.
Stewart, Elinore Pruitt. Letters of a Woman Homesteader. 1914.
https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/elinore-pruitt-stewart-writer-and-homesteader
https://www.nps.gov/home/index.htm
https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/homesteading/map/ (Interactive Map)
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