A Walk Through the Olympic Peninsula Settler’s Life

By: Courtney Wilson

Background of myself

•A Junior at Port Angeles High School•My second semester at the ONPVC Natural Resources class•Fun way to receive an English credit•Last semester I did endemics•This semester I did/doing homesteading women

Stakeholders and Contributors

Stakeholders: Peter Rennie an educator at PAHS and Ranger Greg Marsh

Sponsor:ONPVC

Contribution: To provide knowledge to the community and future visitors of the park about women homesteading roles.

Beaumont Cabin Homestead

•Project started with learning about the Beaumont Cabin•The historical cabin can be found behind the Olympic National Park Visitor Center•Built by Elliot E. Beaumont•Donated to the Clallam County Historical society in 1962•Moved from original sight to ONPVC •Restored in 1992

Beaumont tools used by Mrs. Beaumont

•Bed•Vanity Dresser•Cooking Utensils•Iron•Rug sweeper•Mirror•Brush•Tweezers

Ideas Changing

•I suspected that ONP changed the lives of homestead women but after a historic survey from the 1900s through the 1940s, I found:

•WWI•The Great Depression•WWII

real reasons that roles in homesteading women changed

Question

“By examining the lives of Olympic Peninsula settlers before and after the establishment of the ONP, did homesteading women’s roles change?”

1900s to 1940s

•Women’s lives were changing fast•Women on the Peninsula had to be resilient•Three historical events during this time period changed women’s roles more than the establishment of ONP:

-WWI (1914 to 1918)-The Great Depression (1929 to 1939)-WWII (1939 to 1945)

WWI (1914-1918)

•Port Angeles was a very busy place

•Timber was the main industry-Spruce Division Mill

WWI (1914-1918) Cont.

•Important roles of women during time: -providing boarding houses for soldiers (landlords) -becoming organized medical caregivers to the soldiers

WWI (1914-1918) Cont.

•Busy traffic in Port Angeles -soldiers moving through•Logging industry -job opportunities -P.A. booming •Which provided opportunities for women off their homesteads

The Great Depression (1929-1939)• Sadly had to send children off to work

-One less mouth to feed

The Great Depression (1929-1939)

•Women were becoming nurses -Port Angeles General Hospital Nursing School -throughout the area small hospitals and in people’s homes

WWII (1939-1945)

•Penply was a shareholder owned -women had to work in place of men and had to take over the operation of the mill.-once the war ended women got kicked out of their jobs when the men returned.

As result of historical events•Women became independent and competent in the work force.

•Women began to pursue offices in City and County politics and important positions like school superintendents.

Conclusion

WWI, The Great Depression and WWII were the three main historical events that changed women’s roles in homesteading and not the est. of the Park. So therefore my research didn’t show that women’s roles on the Olympic peninsula were based around homesteading. And women had many opportunities outside the home.

Personal Reflection

•I was surprised at the outcome of my question•I have more respect towards women homesteaders on the Olympic Peninsula

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge the people who I worked with and who helped me with my project:•Greg Marsh•Tara Morrow•Jenn Jacques •Brittany Bennett•My Parents, Friends and Teachers

Questions?