Search - Gold Rush Women

This is a small book that gives two or three pages each to some of the more renown/unknown women of the gold rush. I truly enjoyed that they included several native women. There are some great pictures of the women, except for one gal, and numerous pictures of the settlements at that time. It makes for an informative and entertaining read, especially if you are interested in that time frame, late 1800s-early 1900s. To imagine that women back then could traverse in those elements and treacherous routes, and make it to some of these very difficult places was amazing. Talk about Spirit and Stamina! Even ones who did not get rich managed to survive by serving home cooked meals and providing rooms. If you like adventure stories, give this one a try. It is only 118 pages but quite fascinating! And I learned that Wyatt Earp and his wife, Josephine, were some of those touched by the gold fever!

This book presents the fascinating experiences of multiple women who travelled to the Gold strikes in Alaska at the turn of the century. Not only were conditions harsh and primitive, but the women endured hardships all their own based on their gender. For some, the risks and sacrifices paid off enormously when they, with their husbands, struck it rich. Others fell into the wrong company and suffered as the result. More than a few fell in love with the stark and beautiful, though punishing landscape and made Alaska their home.

This book is a ball! If you like true tales of feisty women, if you have any sort of connection to the history of Alaska, if you just love history, get this one. The biographies and photos are far more interesting than fiction, women who went to the gold fields of Alaska in the late 1800's and early 1900's -- 25 unforgettable tales.

Loved it.