Adventurers: Emma “Grandma” Gatewood

Episode Summary

Emma Caldwell was born in 1887 in Ohio. She married Perry Gatewood, who abused her for over 30 years. In 1955, at age 67, Emma became the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone. Emma read about the trail in National Geographic and was intrigued. Her first attempt failed, but a year later she tried again, wearing canvas sneakers and carrying minimal supplies. It took her 146 days to complete the 2,168 mile trail. Emma endured the rocky, steep terrain and weather with no tent, sleeping bag or map. Though the trek was grueling, Emma finished and became famous. She hiked the trail twice more, becoming the first to do it three times. Emma continued hiking into her 80s, tackling trails across the country. She died in 1973 at age 85. Her story exemplifies courage and perseverance.

Episode Show Notes

Emma Gatewood (1887-1973) was a domestic violence survivor who went on to become the first woman– and first grandmother– to hike the entire Appalachian Trail solo.

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_02: Before we get started with today's episode, a warning that it contains some mentions of physical abuse. Hello. From Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica. This month we're talking about adventurers, women who refuse to be confined. They push the boundaries of where a woman could go and how she could get there. Today we're talking about a domestic violence survivor who went on to become the first woman and first grandmother to hike the entire Appalachian Trail solo. Please welcome Emma Grandma Gatewood. From birth, Emma Caldwell's life was filled with many hardships. She was born on October 25, 1887, in Gallia County, Ohio, the 12th of 15 children born to a Civil War veteran and farmer. Emma spent much of her childhood doing manual labor on the family's farm. When she had time, she went to school, but classes only went till the eighth grade. When she was 19 years old, she married Perry Clayton Gatewood, a teacher turned farmer. Married life was far from bliss for Emma. First, Perry made Emma work long hours on the farm on top of her household chores. Three months after their wedding, Perry began beating Emma. This abuse continued for decades. Emma found solace with her siblings, her 11 children, and by taking long walks in the woods. In 1939, Perry beat Emma for the last time. Suffering from a cracked rib and a broken tooth, Emma attempted to defend herself by throwing a sack of flour at her husband. Unfortunately, this resulted in her arrest. She had to spend the night in jail. Finally, in 1941, she was granted a divorce after 33 years of marriage. Emma worked to raise her three youngest children on her own until they were old enough to move out. One day in 1949, Emma read an article in National Geographic magazine about the Appalachian Trail. She was intrigued. She had always found refuge in the outdoors, and now that her children were grown up, she had freedom to walk as far as she wanted. Emma's first attempt at hiking the Appalachian Trail was far from successful. She started the trek in Maine, but quickly got disoriented and ended up veering off the trail. She also broke her glasses. Park rangers found her and urged her to go home. A year later, Emma tried the trail again. She filled up a sack with typical hiking equipment like a Swiss Army knife, food, and first aid supplies. She also had a few unconventional items like a shower curtain to protect her from rain and a gingham dress if she wanted to look presentable. Emma began her journey on May 3, 1955, this time on the southern end of the trail in Georgia. With a pair of canvas Keds on her feet, Emma walked north. The Appalachian Trail is full of rocky roads, steep hills, and rushing rivers—a challenge for any hiker. But Emma, a 5-foot-2, 67-year-old grandmother, did not balk from the challenge. Though she might have lacked traditional survival skills, she was strong from years of backbreaking labor on the farm. The terrain wasn't the only obstacle. Emma had to brave the elements—cold nights, downpours, and heat. Dangerous animals roamed the forest. And she did it all without a sleeping bag, tent, or a map. She took shelter under picnic tables and relied on the hospitality of strangers for a place to sleep. Emma began her days at sunrise and walked as far as she could until she was tired, averaging about 14 miles a day. One Boy Scout troop reported that they struggled to keep up with her. Just before Emma was about to climb Mount Katahdin, her last spot on the trail, she fell and broke her glasses again. Her face was bruised and her ankle was sprained. But Emma didn't come this far to quit. Instead, she pushed ahead, and on September 25, 1955, after 146 days, Emma summited Mount Katahdin while singing America the Beautiful. Emma's journey became national news. She was profiled in print and TV, saying things like, I thought it would be a nice lark. It wasn't. And, I would never have started this trip if I had known how tough it was. But that didn't stop Emma from hiking the trail two more times. With her second hike, she became the first person to hike the full Appalachian Trail twice. Emma became an avid hiker. She hiked the Adirondack Mountains in New York, walked 2,000 miles of the Oregon Trail, and led a yearly six-mile hike in Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. In her 80s, she cleared and marked a 30-mile hiking trail through Gallia County. Emma Grandma Gatewood died on June 4, 1973, at 85 years old. According to a local newspaper, she was survived by one sister plus 66 living descendants, 11 children, 24 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. This month, we're talking about adventurers. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica Podcast. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Talk to you tomorrow. She became an avid hiker. She hiked the Adirondack Mountains in New York, walked 2,000 miles of the Oregon Trail, and led a yearly six-mile hike in Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. In her 80s, she cleared and marked a 30-mile hiking trail through Gallia County. Emma Grandma Gatewood died on June 4, 1973, at 85 years old. According to a local newspaper, she was survived by one sister plus 66 living descendants, 11 children, 24 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. All month, we're talking about adventurers. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica Podcast. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Talk to you tomorrow. SPEAKER_03: You're at a place you just discovered. And being an American Express Platinum card member with global dining access by Resy helped you score tickets to quite the dining experience. Oh, OK, Chef. You're looking at something you've never seen before, much less tasted. 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