Gold Rush Women

This small book's size belies the wealth of information it contains. The book gives brief (2-5 page) summaries of the lives of a wide variety of women that participated in the Klondike Gold Rush. The authors write as if they personally knew these women and were telling their friends about them. Their writing style is easy to read, brief and very descriptive.The women include a native woman whose husband made an early stike; a woman whose son didn't return from the Klondike so she followed to search for him; several women who started/worked in businesses in the Klondike and women and families that entertained the prospectors. Photos accompany each biographical sketch.These are poignant stories that made me marvel at the strength of character of these women. Many made fortunes and found husbands in the Klondike but most suffered emotional or financial loss later.This book can be savored as either a very enjoyable read or for the historical bibliography it provides. I've referred to it several times and will continue to re-read it.

What an awesome book! Couldn't put it down. The odds these women fought against to chase their dreams during such a dangerous journey, not to mention the hardship of simply being a woman during this time in history is astounding! A must read for any woman looking for inspiration and motivation to follow her dreams!

I loved this book it was a great resource to me in building my Women in Alaska's History page. It was both well written and visually appealing, it flowed nicely and had excellent graphics!

Jane G. Haigh and Claire Rudolf Murphy have compiled a book about women of Alaska that is both concise and comprehensive. Glancing through this slim volume reveals a starting place on every page and creates an urge to read it all in one sitting. That would be a mistake, however, since the history contained in the pictures, biographical sketches, journal excerpts, maps, and historical cameos deserves to be savored in small slices and contemplated at length. Haigh and Murphy not only catalog names, dates, and places, but they have managed to create a view of the Gold Rush Women of Alaska and the Yukon that instills a sense of pride in their daughters, granddaughters, sisters, and nieces. These women defied not only the hardships of survival in the north, with its harsh climate and unforgiving nature, but most of them also defied the social conventions of their day to travel alone, or in small groups, seeking adventure, employment, and riches in much the same way as the men usually associated with the gold rush. Many of them found all they were seeking and more, while others died trying. Some took up the illicit trade of prostitution or worked to deprive successful miners of their treasure. Most simply worked hard, took advantage of opportunity as it presented itself, and prospered in the self reliance and skills they possessed. Gold Rush Women includes stories of educated, sophisticated women from the privileged societies of America and Europe, illiterate but highly skilled women from poorer levels of those societies, and the Native women who adapted to the invasion of their homeland and created new lives for their own families. From Harriet Pullen, who owned the most elegant hotel in Alaska, to Klondike Kate Rockwell, known as the Belle of the Yukon, to Sinrock Mary, Reindeer Queen, every story in this book inspires admiration for the women who settled, civilized, and survived one of the most famous human stampedes in history. Not all of these women succeeded in reaching the goals they set for themselves, but every one has a fascinating story to tell her late 20th century sisters. We are not the only ones to establish our independence, prove our abilities, and conquer life with all the adversity it may throw at us. The Gold Rush Women were here first!