Seeking historical examples of women's canoe expeditions

[kleidums]

Hello, first post here... long time Canadian paddler & I'm working on a fictional canoeing-related story and am embarking on some research. I'm looking for examples (19th or early 20th century or possibly earlier) of women who have embarked on long canoe expeditions. It's relatively easy to find non-fiction books and websites related to modern-day women, but more challenging to find historical examples. What I'd love to find is a story about a woman (settler or Indigenous) throughout Canadian/US history who may have acted as a guide, or embarked on long expeditions for other reasons. Could be from the fur-trade era or before/after... I'm interested specifically in expedition-style canoeing, rather than competitive canoeing or kayaking. I'm hoping the hive mind here might be able to send me in some great directions.

Here is a little bit more criteria...
-women undertaking canoe journeys under their own steam rather than just 'accompanied husband and didn't really hold a paddle.'
-women who possibly acted as guides or navigators for parties of explorers/traders/otherwise
-...who undertook long journeys, possibly a month or more at a time...
-...who went on trips for challenge/joy of it

Thank you in advance for any leads! I have cross-posted on the MYCCR forum but am still searching for the right story...

Kristina

 

[Benson Gray]

Sacagawea​

Sacagawea - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Cornelia Thurza Crosby a.k.a. “Fly Rod Crosby.”

Fly Rod Crosby - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[recped]

Mina Hubbard in 905 is a classic story. Mina traveled with her male guide but she was in charge. This was a follow up to the ill fated Hubbard-Wallace expedition in 1903 in which her husband Leonidas died.

Drawn by the Lure of Labrador

The story of the tragic 1903 Hubbard Expedition into the Labrador interior, and an overview of the career of Dillon Wallace.

www.heritage.nf.ca

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mina-benson-hubbard-feature

 

[SouthernKevlar]

Hello Kristina and welcome to the website. I think you will find a wealth of information on many canoe related topics from our members.

One potential source is "Canoe Nation; Nature, Race and the Making of a Canadian Icon" by Bruce Erickson. It is a rather dry book that reads like someone's Master's thesis, but seems well researched. The book deals mostly with the European spread throughout Canada and interaction with the natives, with emphasis on the sociological issues and ethnogeography of the era. Though mostly a male dominated event, it does shed light on certain practices by Hudson Bay Company and the French fur traders dealing with the issues of sexuality. Although the book does not go into much detail of individual expeditions, some information may be useful in your research.

Good luck with your writings.

 

[yixak]

Rivers Running Free US a collection of stories of womens' canoe trips, some in the early 1900s. Some are full stories other excerpts. I think most are best described as adjacent to your criteria than exactly fitting it. Enjoyable read none the less.

 

[kleidums]

Mina Hubbard in 905 is a classic story. Mina traveled with her male guide but she was in charge. This was a follow up to the ill fated Hubbard-Wallace expedition in 1903 in which her husband Leonidas died.

Drawn by the Lure of Labrador

The story of the tragic 1903 Hubbard Expedition into the Labrador interior, and an overview of the career of Dillon Wallace.

www.heritage.nf.ca

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mina-benson-hubbard-feature

Thank you! I am familiar with this story but have yet to read anything in depth. My impression so far is that George Elson & the other men in her party really did most of the work...but that the expedition was her own idea & initiative...I will dive more into this.

 

[kleidums]

Rivers Running Free US a collection of stories of womens' canoe trips, some in the early 1900s. Some are full stories other excerpts. I think most are best described as adjacent to your criteria than exactly fitting it. Enjoyable read none the less.

Thank you, I'll see if I can get ahold of a copy of this one.

 

[mvanmeter]

More on the Hubbard story can be found in Jim Davidson and John Rugge’s book GREAT HEART (Viking, 1988). The book is quite delightful and well researched, but, as you say, Mina Hubbard was the only woman on that trip, and she wasn’t the wilderness expert. Still, it’s a hell of a story, and her account is pretty amazing.