A Mine Of Her Own: Women Prospectors In The American West, 1850-1950

A Mine of Her Own: Women Prospectors in the American West, 1850-1950

From the California gold rush through the mid-twentieth century, a special breed of women played an integral and heretofore unrecognized part in some of the most stirring adventures of the pioneer experience: the saintly Nellie Cashman; the copper queen Ferminia Sarras, known for her grand sprees; the former rodeo champion turned prospector; the ex-actress who snowshoed her way to Nome; and many more. Chosen as one of the top ten books of all time by the Mining History Association, A Mine of Her Own tells the definitive story of America's women prospectors for the first time. From Library Journal The common image of the frontier woman as the Madonna of the Prairies does not describe the woman prospector. These women were determined and independent, says Zanjani (Goldfield, LJ 10/1/92). Often shunning marriage, companionship, and children, they wandered the frontier from the era of the California gold rush on into the 20th century. A few struck it rich; others found barely enough mineral resources to provide a basic living. Zanjani maintains that accumulation of wealth was not always their goal. These women hungered for silence and space, seeking solace in nature. Sketchy records make it hard to determine how many women prospectors there were, but Zanjani offers vignettes of more than 100. This important contribution to women's history is recommended for all libraries.?Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley Coll., Mt. Carmel, Ill.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review "The female figures presented here represent far more than a mere reversal of stereotypes. Perhaps because of the immense cultural chasm they crossed, these individuals were not simply women with a touch of 'gold fever,' but unique and even enigmatic characters. . . . An entrancing read."-Bloomsbury Review"A Mine of Her Own proves we can still be surprised at the things women have done. . . . Delightfully unexpected is the evidence of the charisma these enterprising women manifested, their frequent romantic liaisons and their propensity as they aged to choose young, strong husbands."-San Francisco Chronicle About the Author Sally Zanjani is adjunct political science professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is the author of