30 Vintage Photos Showing Life on the American Frontier (1860-1920)

History Lifestyle Vintage Photos April 29, 2025

Last Updated on April 29, 2025 by Matt Staff

The American frontier was a place of bold ambition and everyday struggle. As settlers moved west in search of land, freedom, and opportunity, they found a vast, often harsh landscape that demanded resilience. Life on the frontier wasn’t just about taming the wilderness; it was about building homes from scratch and adapting to a world where nature was both a provider and a threat. Despite the hardships, the frontier shaped a distinctly American identity rooted in perseverance and independence.

These vintage photographs capture real moments from that era, unfiltered glimpses into the lives of the people who lived in it. You’ll see cattle drives on dusty plains, families outside handmade homes, and frontier towns just beginning to rise. Each image tells a story of survival and determination, and we’re here to share them with you. Here are 30 photos showing what life was like on the frontier.

1. Late 1800s cowboy

A cowboy wearing a wide-brimmed hat and chaps sits on a saddled brown horse in a grassy field, holding the reins and looking at the camera. Ropes and gear hang from the saddle.
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Did you know that ranchers called themselves “Cattlemen” to sound more respectable?

2. Taking a break for some tomatoes

Three cowboys in hats and chaps sit under a tree, eating a meal together on the ground in a rural, open landscape. A can sits in the center, and trees and a distant cow are visible in the background.
oneiricroad

Working on a ranch meant 18-hour days, so a small break for some food was much needed.

3. A cowboy haircut, 1908

Two men outside a rustic log cabin; one sits while the other stands behind him. Various tools, baskets, and animal hides hang on the cabin. Saddles, rope, and blankets are scattered on the ground nearby.
baykd510

On the ranch, you cut hair with a knife.

4. I love the one man standing awkwardly in front

A group of cowboys, some mounted on horses and one standing in front, pose together on open ground under a clear sky in a historical black-and-white photograph.
eaglemaxie

Most ranch hands and cowboys didn’t own their horses, they were lent to them by the owner of the ranch.

5. The Bob Saloon in Miles City, Montana

Black-and-white photo of five men sitting and crouching outside a rustic log building labeled “Bob Saloon—Golden Grain Belt Beers,” with a saddled horse standing in front.
ordinarybrilliant717

Most towns weren’t as lawless as you’d think. This town in Montana had an outstanding reputation for being a lawful place.

6. One of the last cowboys in the dying Old West, 1910

A cowboy wearing a wide-brimmed hat sits on the grass beside his saddled brown horse, overlooking a pasture dotted with grazing horses under a clear sky.
therealweriuuolf

He’s taking a much-needed break while watching over the ranch owner’s horses.

7. American ranch hand on his horse, 1903

A Black cowboy wearing a wide-brimmed hat, bandana, and star badge sits on a dark horse in a dirt corral, with a lasso on his saddle and another horse tied to a post in the background.
catinmyshoe

Just a cowboy and his horse in Pocatello, Idaho.

8. Cowpushers taking a break, 1907

Five cowboys wearing hats sit and lean around a covered wagon in a dusty outdoor camp. A canvas tent and horses are visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
baykd510

You can tell by their faces they’re ready for the day to be over.

9. Working the herd and cutting out a steer, 1912

A cowboy on horseback chases a calf across a dusty plain, with a herd of cattle and wide open landscape in the background under a clear sky.
baykd510

This photo was taken at Shoe Bar Ranch in Texas.

10. This cabin was handmade by this man, 1909

A man in suspenders and a hat stands with hands on hips in front of a small, weathered wooden cabin with two windows and a screen door in a rural setting.
sterexx

He built it in Perkins County, South Dakota.

11. Hunting on the frontier

A bearded man wearing a beret and smoking a pipe sits confidently while holding a rifle. He has a bandolier of ammunition across his chest and looks upwards, projecting a strong and determined presence.
justsoinsane

I’d bet he didn’t see anything, the animals could smell that pipe for miles.

12. Pouring a few drinks after work, 1908

A group of men and women in old-fashioned clothing gather in a sparsely furnished room with floral wallpaper, some sitting, some standing, holding drinks, and appearing to celebrate or pose playfully for the camera.
baykd510

Cowboys were seasonal workers, so they would only work for about half the year.

13. A saloon in the Wild West

Black-and-white photo of men in cowboy hats gathered in a saloon. Some sit at tables, others stand at the bar. The room has wooden chairs, a large mirror, pictures on the wall, and a patterned curtain behind the bar.
cincodemayofan

I hope no fights broke out from that game of poker.

14. The typical American Frontier town, 1869

Black-and-white photo of an old western street with wooden storefronts, including signs for hardware, a jeweler, and painters. Several people stand outside, and mountains are visible in the background.
onepersononeidea

This is Corinne, Utah.

15. Erwin E. Smith pouring some morning coffee

A cowboy stands by a campfire pouring coffee, surrounded by cooking pots and supplies. A covered wagon, tents, and trees are visible in the background under a sunny sky.
baykd510

This cowhand worked at the OR Ranch in Arizona.

16. This bar doesn’t look very inviting

Black-and-white photo of about fifteen men in Old West attire sitting and standing in front of a wooden barroom with a sign reading “BAR ROOM, DRINKS 12½ CTS, J.W. SWART.”
cincodemayofan

They don’t look like the most inviting group of guys.

17. Two cattlemen, Matador Range, Texas, 1909

Two cowboys sit on the ground in a grassy, open landscape with several saddled horses grazing nearby. Rolling hills stretch out in the background under a clear sky.
baykd510

They dismounted for lunch to play mumble peg.

18. A brewery/bar on the Frontier

Black-and-white photo of men standing in a saloon with wooden tables, chairs, barrels, and a U.S. flag. Pictures and bottles line the walls. Light streams in through large windows.
cincodemayofan

Look at all those mustaches.

19. That’s an awkward handshake

Two cowboys wearing wide-brimmed hats, colorful bandanas, shirts, and distinctive furry chaps pose together for a vintage sepia-toned photograph. One rests a hand on the other's shoulder.
raggymeterman

Those pants are next-level.

20. Children eating whatever they could get their hands on, 1920s

Four young children in worn clothing eat a simple meal around a small wooden table in a rustic, sparsely furnished room with rough walls, suggesting a setting of poverty or hardship.
gagator43

Turnips and cabbage don’t sound like the most appealing meal.

21. Frank Smith watering his horse, 1909

A cowboy wearing a hat sits on a horse drinking from a shallow stream in a wide, open landscape with distant mesas under a dim sky.
baykd510

Taken at Cross-B Ranch, Crosby County, Texas.

22. The LS Ranch crew listening to their boss tell stories

A group of cowboys wearing hats sit and stand around a campfire at night under a canvas tarp, listening to one man speaking and gesturing with his arm, as others look on attentively.
baykd510

Everyone is paying full attention to this one.

23. George Pattullo and Robert Faure playing dominoes

Two people sit at a round table on a porch; one holds a small dog on their lap. There are glasses, a pitcher, and a box on the table. The porch overlooks a sunlit, leafy outdoor area.
baykd510

Don’t be mistaken, this didn’t happen often on the ranch; George Pattullo was just trying to get on Robert Faure’s good side.

24. Ranch hands trying to tame a bronco

Two men in cowboy hats try to control a rearing horse in a dusty fenced arena. The horse is upright on its hind legs, kicking up dirt, while the men hold onto its reins and gear.
baykd510

My guess is they didn’t get to ride that horse that day.

25. This cowboy said, “A horse isn’t cool enough.”

A black-and-white photo shows a man in a hat riding a saddled elk down a snowy street in an old town, with people and buildings visible in the background.
benp242

This must have turned some heads.

26. An unidentified saloon in Glasgow, Montana, 1902

Five men in early 1900s attire pose inside an old-fashioned bar, with dark wood furnishings, patterned wallpaper, and a vintage cash register visible behind the counter.
axlcobainvedder

Those men do not look happy to be getting photographed.

27. Little Joe the Wrangler, 1908

A cowboy on horseback sits in the foreground, holding a lasso, with a herd of horses and distant wagons on an open grassy plain. Hills and cloudy skies appear in the background.
bayke510

This youngin couldn’t be more excited to be tossing that lasso.

28. Cowboys celebrating on the back of a train

A black-and-white photo of about fifteen men, some standing on railway tracks and others sitting or posing on a railcar, likely from the early 20th century. They wear hats and work clothes, appearing relaxed and cheerful.
morganmonroe81

They drove a herd of cattle for shipment to the Lubbock railyard from the Matador ranch. That’s something to celebrate.

29. Day heading in the Southwest

A cowboy on horseback oversees a large herd of cattle grazing on a vast, open plain with low hills in the background under a cloudy sky.
baykd510

Imagine looking out into that sea of cattle and knowing you’re responsible for them.

For a deeper dive into historical frontier records, explore National Archives – Photographs of the American West.

30. Three cowboys in Dodge City, Kansas, 1886

Three men in old Western attire pose for a portrait. They wear wide-brimmed hats, bandanas, shirts, and chaps, each with a pistol holstered at their waist. Two stand while one sits, all looking at the camera.

The average cowboy made about $25 a month. That’s equivalent to just under $1,000 a month today.

Want more glimpses into the untamed past?
Witness a changing era in 17 Photos From The Last Days of the Wild West (1880–1910), explore life on the other side of the country in 17 Striking Photos of New York’s Five Points Slum (1880s–1900s), or rewind a full century with 37 Photos From 100 Years Ago That Put Time in Perspective.

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