Women of the Klondike [Paperback]

Frances Backhouse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1995

Here are the stories of those fascinatingly diverse women -- entrepreneurs, domestics, nuns, doctors, nurses, and journalists -- who played a critical role in the Klondike gold rush at the turn of the century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Women of the Klondike is a valuable contribution to the growing literature which shows, without a doubt, that a woman could be just as adventurous— and crazy—as any man.” —Canadian Geographic

“Frances Backhouse has done an admirable job of breathing new life into the familiar story of the Klondike gold rush. Many historians seem to have forgotten—or have neglected to mention—the significant role played by women. Backhouse reminds us with stories that are rich in energy, humour and poignancy.” —The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)

“A superb treatment of a long-neglected side of the [gold] rush.” —Rocky Mountain News

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

When Frances Backhouse began her freelance writing career in 1984, she drew on her training as a biologist and experience as an interpretive naturalist to write about nature and the environment. Later she realized writing would also allow her to indulge her passion for history. In addition to articles about women Klondikers published in "The Beaver" and "Up Here," her magazine credits include "Canadian Gardneing," "Canadian Geographic," "Equinox," "Harrowsmith," and "Nature Canada," Frances lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 211 pages
• Publisher: Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551103753
• ISBN-13: 978-1551103754
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,606,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tales from the Klondike, March 28, 2010

By 

Pamela Robinson (Long Island) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Women of the Klondike (Paperback)

If you think at all about prospectors or gold miners, you most likely picture scruffy men down by the creekbed. But you'd overlook the history of one group, which "Women of the Klondike" sets out to correct.

Here you'll find out about the mix of journalists, teachers, entertainers, entrepreneurs and miners, whose stories are evoked through research of letters, diaries, newspaper accounts and photo archives. A hardy number of them had taken their spots in the Klondike well before the discovery of gold in 1896 but once word of the find reached the lower states, the floodgates opened for both men and women. The latter were betting correctly that their domestic skills would soon be in need.

We are introduced to such people as Frances Dorley, a Seattle dressmaker and milliner who headed to the Klondike in 1898, eager to make her fortune, and a Mrs. A. Wilson, who ran the Stockholm Baths for grimy miners, charging them $1 for access to a real bathtub. Among the first group of successful gold miners arriving in Seattle toting their riches was Ethel Berry. Not surprisingly, women were welcomed but not always held in high regard, especially if tey were identified as single, and there were attempts to limit what roles they could take. But the women, though vastly outnumbered by the men, for the most part prevailed at their chosen occupations and established themselves as key players in the Klondike's growth.

This collection of stories ensures that a piece of history won't be lost.

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review, February 9, 2011

By 

CaroleS - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Women of the Klondike (Paperback)

This was very helpful to me when researching the genealogy of one of our local pioneer families here
in Southern California. I discovered her maternal aunt was famous in the Klondike area of Alaska and
was mentioned in this book several times.