Wonder Woman of the Week: Mary Fields

Surviving in the American West during its wilder years was no easy feat- yet for one woman- its was an opportunity to thrive. This Week's Wonder Woman accepted jobs no other mail carrier would through violent territory, scorching deserts, wild frontiers, and ferocious mountains- and for all the obstacles ahead of her, Mary Fields called these challenges home.

Women in the American West had to be as tough as the men- sometimes moreso. Mary Fields was no different. When she first came to the West, she helped deliver goods to and from a convent in Montana, but she quickly became known for her foul mouth, constant bar fights, and occasional gunplay. Eventually, Fields' behavior convinced the convent authorities to kick her out- leading to MAry looking for work with the US Postal Service.

Mary became well-known for her willingness to deliver any mail anywhere- even across intimidating mountains and through blizzards. She never missed a deadline- abandoning her horses in blizzards too extreme for her animals to deliver the mail via snowshoes on foot. In her town of Cascade, Montana- when a law forbade women from entering saloons, the mayor himself granted Mary the only exception. Mary was well respected by her community and Montana at large.