Awesome - 'America's Loneliest Woman' Soon Got Thousands Of Visitors For Strange Hobby
The further back you go in history, the more difficult it was for women to have any kind of independence. But ridiculous social conventions never stopped Dorothy Molter of Knife Lake. For 56 years, from her remote home in the Minnesota wilderness, she lived a hardy outdoor life and managed to draw in thousands of tourists with a unique hobby. Few could believe exactly what she was doing way out there.
Doing It Her Way
Dorothy graduated from high school in 1927 and wasn’t interested in following the limiting gender roles of her time. She went to nursing school in Chicago instead. These skills would serve her well in the future.
Knife Lake
Three years later, she took a vacation that would forever change the course of her life. She visited the extremely remote Isle of Pines in Knife Lake. Nestled deep within the Superior National Forest, the picturesque location isn't for the faint of heart.
Wild Country
Ely, Minnesota, was the closest town, and it was 30 miles away. And it was a 15-mile canoe trip to the nearest road. As a Chicago resident, the area was alien to Dorothy — and she immediately fell in love.
New Directions
Back in the city, she tried to find nursing jobs, but was thwarted by the Great Depression. Eventually, Dorothy spent larger chunks of time on the Isle of Pines, staying in the resort/fishing camp managed by Bill Berglund.
Changing Hands
Bill noted Dorothy’s passion for the resort and offered her a full-time job in 1934. For 14 years she helped Bill run the camp, until his death. Bill left the Isle of Pines Resort to Dorothy, and at 41, she became the new owner.
Sweet Solitude
Dorothy settled into her life of solitude, helping tourists in the summers and hunkering down in her cabin during the brutal winter months. Living in the middle of the woods may have seemed uneventful, but Dorothy always kept busy.
Healing Injuries
She spent a lot of time healing injured animals and tourists. From splinting broken limbs to removing embedded fishhooks, Dorothy’s nursing degree was put to good use.
Nightingale Nurse
Her most thrilling first responder moment was treating a boy who was struck by lightning until a rescue plane flew him to a hospital. After this memorable feat, locals called her “Nightingale of the Northwoods.”
Try Me
Though she was an accomplished nurse and frontierswoman, people were most interested in the fact that she was an unmarried woman living in the woods. The only way she’d commit to marriage was if a man could “portage heavier loads, chop more wood, or catch more fish.”
By Herself
To successfully live on her island, Dorothy did it all by herself: chopping wood, gathering lake water, and harvesting ice. She never had electricity, a phone, or running water. We’re not sure how she managed without those essentials.
Preserving The Forest
While Dorothy was living her wild life, the government was attempting to preserve the beautiful forest around her. Part of their efforts included banning floatplane flights to the island, further isolating Dorothy.
Lonliest Woman In America
After the ban went through, the Saturday Evening Post profiled her, dubbing the islander “the loneliest woman in America.” In 1964, life became even more complicated for Dorothy.
Island Living
That was when the government passed Wilderness Act, banning homes, buildings, and businesses from Knife Lake and the woods around it. Dorothy ignored the law. She’d lived on the island for nearly 30 years at this point and had no plans to leave.
You Can Stay
With the help of politicians and environmentalists, Dorothy eventually got permission to stay on the island. She was forced to shut down the resort, but that didn’t stop her from engaging in her favorite hobby.
Root Beer!
When tourists and locals stopped by during their canoeing trips, Dorothy had a special beverage for all of them — root beer. She used to sell soda that was delivered by floatplane and had to adjust once the planes stopped coming.
It’s All-Natural
Dorothy bought flavored syrup from Ely and a local Boy Scout base, mixing in yeast for carbonation, and lake water in an eight-gallon ceramic pot. She joked that she used a canoe paddle to stir the mixture to add a touch of pine flavor.
Brewing Party
Bottling was easy. Dorothy collected glass soda bottles and filled them with her root beer. Her family and friends would come over for bottling and brewing parties over the summer. They’d sometimes help with ice gathering too, but we’re guessing this wasn’t as enjoyable.
Sneaky, Sneaky
To get around the Wilderness Act restrictions that concerned owning a business, she gave her brew to tourists in return for a “donation.” Even though the soda’s taste wasn’t always consistent, she sold thousands of bottles.
The Root Beer Lady
Dorothy sold an average of 12,000 bottles a year. People were curious about “the root beer lady” living alone in the woods and made sure to stop by during their canoe expeditions.
Aucun commentaire: