The “Annie Oakleys”: First Armed Female Prison Guards in the United States

Completed in 1901, the New Castle County Workhouse at Greenbank was the first penal institution in the United States to employ armed female guards. Nicknamed “Annie Oakleys” for their excellent shooting ability with the machine guns and rifles they carried, the women were first introduced to the Workhouse in 1943 as a solution to the loss of many male guards due to the war effort. The original group of four guards was expanded to eleven after the experiment was deemed a success. They were chosen from a pool of more than 50 applicants who responded to a newspaper advertisement for “women, age 21 to 35 for outside guard duty in towers.” Prior to being hired, the women were taken to the Workhouse rifle range for tests involving the knowledge and use of firearms, physical health, and mental alertness. The women were also chosen based on their adaptability to guard responsibilities. All of those hired were Delawareans; many were married with children and made their home either in Wilmington or in the suburbs. Stationed in the Workhouse’s three towers, the female guards worked 8-hour shifts, 48 hours per week and were compensated with a monthly salary of $110.00. Out of concern for their safety, the names of the eleven guards were not released; as of 2013 only four guards had been successfully identified. The success of this experiment in employing female guards drew inquiries from prison wardens across the country. Thanks in part to the efforts of the “Annie Oakleys,” women continue to play an active and important role in the corrections profession today.