In my novel, Legend of the Lonely Hart, the historical chapters include letters from the main character, Maggie, to her sister. I love reading letters and journals by women writing about a place and time. Their concerns and observations are often so different from that of the men, and I can feel what their lives were like. Maybe it's the voyeur in me, but I knew I had to include letters in my book. My favorite journal was by Susan Magoffin who travelled on the Santa Fe Trail in 1846. Here's a link about her:
Susan Magoffin
Susan Magoffin
I also found some great books that described early white women's experiences in the southwest. One of my favorites was No Life for a Lady, by Agnes Morley Cleaveland. She was born on an isolated
No Life for a Lady