Post by wildernessmama on Feb 23, 2005 10:15:37 GMT -5
“Woman of the Boundary Waters,” Justine Kerfoot
Few women impress me as much as those who have lived in the far north, battling the seasonal elements and living off the land. Justine Kerfoot’s first book, “Woman of the Boundary Waters,” relates her life on the Gunflint Trail from the time she arrived at Gunflint Lodge in 1927 through her years as owner of this popular resort. The history of the Minnesota border country comes alive as this wilderness pioneer hunts, fishes, traps, and canoes with her Ojibway neighbors. Justine meets her challenges head on, undertaking everything from nursing baby wildlife to fighting forest fires. Cutting ice, guiding fishermen, driving dogsleds, and installing telephone lines were all a way of life for this remarkable woman.
As the land transformed from the mining and logging eras, so Kerfoot’s life changed as she and her husband raised their three children on Gunflint Lake. The Gunflint Trail, too, saw many changes as it evolved from a wagon-rut lane to a paved road with a 55 mph speed limit. Throughout the years, however, one thing remained constant: the author’s never ending love and respect for the wilderness land which continued to be a part of her life of 94 years.
Her second book, “Gunflint, Reflections on the Trail,” is a compilation of many of the articles Justine Kerfoot wrote for the “Cook County News-Herald,” as well as some unpublished thoughts and observations. The reader of both these books will better acquaint him/herself with life on the edge of the BWCA. Both books are currently in print and available through Minnesota book merchants as well as outlets on the Internet.
Few women impress me as much as those who have lived in the far north, battling the seasonal elements and living off the land. Justine Kerfoot’s first book, “Woman of the Boundary Waters,” relates her life on the Gunflint Trail from the time she arrived at Gunflint Lodge in 1927 through her years as owner of this popular resort. The history of the Minnesota border country comes alive as this wilderness pioneer hunts, fishes, traps, and canoes with her Ojibway neighbors. Justine meets her challenges head on, undertaking everything from nursing baby wildlife to fighting forest fires. Cutting ice, guiding fishermen, driving dogsleds, and installing telephone lines were all a way of life for this remarkable woman.
As the land transformed from the mining and logging eras, so Kerfoot’s life changed as she and her husband raised their three children on Gunflint Lake. The Gunflint Trail, too, saw many changes as it evolved from a wagon-rut lane to a paved road with a 55 mph speed limit. Throughout the years, however, one thing remained constant: the author’s never ending love and respect for the wilderness land which continued to be a part of her life of 94 years.
Her second book, “Gunflint, Reflections on the Trail,” is a compilation of many of the articles Justine Kerfoot wrote for the “Cook County News-Herald,” as well as some unpublished thoughts and observations. The reader of both these books will better acquaint him/herself with life on the edge of the BWCA. Both books are currently in print and available through Minnesota book merchants as well as outlets on the Internet.
