Rattlesnake Kate

I ran across an article about a lady in the 1920's who lived near Greely, CO, only about 30 miles north of where I live.

Her name is Rattlesnake Kate. You can find out a little about her from Google. Here is her story found here.

The best exhibit is Katherine McHale Slaughterback, who made a name for herself in 1925. The 31-year-old nurse and mother found herself and 3-year-old son surrounded by snakes.

Kate and Ernie had been out looking for ducks left behind by hunters, but soon were surrounded by a spaghetti-plate full of hundreds of rattlesnakes.

Using her .22 Remington rifle, Kate unloaded on the pool of snakes, but quickly ran out of ammo.

With glycerin madness in her eyes, Kate pulled a 'No Hunting' sign out of the ground and went Chuck Norris on the snakes, clubbing the rest of them to death. Two hours later the score was "Kate 140; snakes, 0."

Rattlesnake Kate gained fame across the country. She also made fashion history using over 40 snakeskins and her best Betsy Ross skill set to build herself a dress. It was flapper-fashion with Crocodile-Hunter flare; accessorized by snake-skin-covered shoes, a rattlesnake "rattle" necklace, earrings and a headband that contained 37 rattles.

Kate pioneered a work-from-home business hunting snakes, collecting venom for a research lab and crafting and selling snakeskin souvenirs.

According to researchers at the museum, Kate was a handful; married six times and possibly into prostitution. Questioned whether she was ever bit by a snake, all signs point to 'no'; however, Kate was struck by lightning... and lived to tell about it.