CODY — The Cody Library will host a presentation by Park County Archivist Robyn Cutter exploring the history of mail-order brides in the local region on Thursday at 6 p.m.

Drawing from historical records and archival research, Cutter will examine how the phenomenon of mail-order brides emerged in the American West during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As the gold rush and westward expansion brought large numbers of men across the Rocky Mountains to mining camps and developing towns, women were vastly outnumbered. While only a few prospectors found great wealth, many men stayed in the region to ranch, farm, hunt, mine or open businesses, creating the foundation for permanent communities.

As these towns grew, the desire to establish families and stable communities increased. Cutter’s presentation will discuss how single women from the eastern United States were encouraged to travel West to marry, the circumstances that led to these arrangements, and the realities faced by the women who chose to begin new lives in unfamiliar and often challenging environments.

The program is free and open to the public. No registration is required. For more information, contact the Park County Historical Archives at 307-527-8530.