Grandma Gatewood
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Emma Rowena Gatewood ( Caldwell; October 25, 1887June 4, 1973), better known as Grandma Gatewood, was an American ultra-light hiking pioneer. After a difficult life as a farm wife, mother of eleven children, and survivor of domestic violence, she became famous as the first solo female thru-hiker of the
Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...
(A.T.) in 1955 at the age of 67. She subsequently became the first person (male or female) to hike the A.T. three times, after completing a second thru-hike two years later, followed by a section-hike in 1964. In the meantime, she hiked of the
Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in North America that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon Territory. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail crossed what ...
in 1959. In her later years, she continued to travel and hike and worked on a section of what would become the
Buckeye Trail The Buckeye Trail is a hiking trail and long-distance trail that loops around the state of Ohio. Part of it is on roads and part is on wooded trail. Road portions of the trail are gradually being relocated to separate trail. This trail p ...
. The media coverage surrounding her feats was credited for generating interest in maintaining the A.T. and in hiking generally. Among many other honors, she was posthumously inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame in 2012.


Biography


Early life and education

Gatewood was born to a family of 15 children in
Guyan Township, Gallia County, Ohio Guyan Township is one of the fifteen townships of Gallia County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 1,129. Geography Located in the southern part of the county along the Ohio River, it borders the following townships ...
. Her father Hugh Caldwell, a farmer, turned to a life of drinking and gambling after his leg was amputated in the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
. The child-rearing of the family was left to her mother Evelyn (Trowbridge) Caldwell. Emma and her siblings slept four to a bed in their log cabin. Her formal education ended with the eighth grade, but she enjoyed reading encyclopedias and the Greek classics and taught herself about wildlife and woodland plants that could be used as medicines and food. She also enjoyed writing poetry.


Marriage and children

On May 5, 1907, at the age of 19, she married 27-year-old Perry Clayton (P. C.) Gatewood, a college-educated primary school teacher and later a tobacco farmer, with whom she had 11 children. Almost immediately her husband set her to work burning tobacco beds, building fences, and mixing cement, in addition to her expected housework duties. Although P. C. was recognized in the community as a man of above-average intellect, behind closed doors he was violent and abusive. Within months of the wedding, he started to beat his wife, a vicious pattern that continued for the duration of their marriage. In 1924, he was convicted of manslaughter after killing a man during an argument. He was ordered to pay restitution to the widow of the victim, but his prison sentence was suspended because he had nine children and a farm to take care of. Emma recalled being beaten nearly to death on several occasions. When her husband became violent, she would often run into the woods, where she found peace and solitude. In 1939, after yet another violent fight, P. C. arranged to have his wife arrested and jailed. Seeing her with broken teeth and a cracked rib, the town mayor took her in and found her a job. She filed for divorce in September 1940, and in February 1941, she testified against her husband in a hearing that resulted in the divorce being granted, giving her custody of the three children still at home and with alimony to be paid by P. C. This was at a time when divorce was difficult, and after her husband had repeatedly threatened to have her committed to an
insane asylum The lunatic asylum, insane asylum or mental asylum was an institution where people with mental illness were confined. It was an early precursor of the modern psychiatric hospital. Modern psychiatric hospitals evolved from and eventually replace ...
as a means of maintaining control over her. Six years later, she began working at various jobs, renovating her house, and writing poetry. By 1951, all of her children were on their own.


Hiking career

In the early 1950s, while reading a discarded copy of the August 1949 edition of ''
National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...
'' magazine, Gatewood found an article about the
Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...
. The description and photographs captivated her, making it sound like something she could do. All that was needed was "normal good health" and "no special skill or training." She set out in July 1954 at the age of 66 to hike south from
Mount Katahdin Mount Katahdin ( ) is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Maine at . Named Katahdin, which means "Great Mountain", by the Penobscot Native Americans, it is within Northeast Piscataquis, Piscataquis County, and is the centerpiece of B ...
in
Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
. After a few days, she got lost, broke her glasses, and ran out of food. The rangers who found her convinced her to return home, but she decided not to tell anyone about her failure. The following year, at the age of 67, Gatewood told her grown children that she was going for a walk. They did not ask where or for how long, as they knew she was resilient and would take care of herself. This time, she started earlier in the year and walked north from
Mount Oglethorpe Mount Oglethorpe is a mountain located in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. The southernmost peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the mountain has an elevation of , making it the highest point in Pickens County. Mount Oglethorpe served as the ...
in
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
beginning on May 3, 1955, and ending 146 days later on September 25 at Mount Katahdin. At the top of Baxter Peak, she signed the register, sang the first verse of the song "
America the Beautiful "America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. Its lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and its music was composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward at Grace Church (Newark), Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New ...
" and spoke out loud, "I did it. I said I'd do it and I've done it." Because the ''National Geographic'' magazine article had given her the impression of easy walks and clean cabins at the end of each day's expedition, she took little in the way of outdoor gear – no tent or sleeping bag, just a shower curtain to keep the rain off. She wore canvas
Keds Keds is an American brand known for its canvas shoes with rubber soles. Founded in 1916 by U.S. Rubber, its original shoe design was the first mass-marketed canvas-top sneaker. The brand was sold to Stride Rite in 1979, which was acquired by ...
shoes on her misshapen feet and carried a small notebook, some clothes, and food in a homemade denim bag slung over one shoulder. When she couldn't find shelter, she slept on piles of leaves. On cold nights, she heated large flat stones to use as a warm bed. She ate berries and other edible forest plants she recognized when she ran out of food. Local newspapers began picking up on her story in late June, beginning in
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
with an article in ''
The Roanoke Times ''The Roanoke Times'' is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Lee Enterprises. In addition to its headquarters in Roanoke, it maintains a bureau in Christiansburg, ...
''. Then the ''
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
'' did a national profile of her while she was in
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
, leading to an article in ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' when she reached
Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
. This publicity made her a celebrity even before the hike was over; she was often recognized and received " trail magic" (assistance from strangers) in the form of friends, food and places to sleep. After the hike, ''Sports Illustrated'' ran a follow-up article describing her experiences on the trail. She was quoted as saying that, based on the ''National Geographic'' article's rosy descriptions, she thought "it would be a nice lark. It wasn't." She continued, "This is no trail. This is a nightmare. For some fool reason, they always lead you right up over the biggest rock to the top of the biggest mountain they can find." Newspapers across the United States, including ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news. Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publi ...
'', carried articles about the "jovial little grandmother" who conquered the Appalachian Trail. In addition, she was invited as the featured guest on the news and talk television program the ''
Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'') is an American morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of its genre on American television ...
'' with
Dave Garroway David Cunningham Garroway (July 13, 1913 – July 21, 1982) was an American Celebrity, television personality. He was the founding host and anchor of NBC's ''Today (American TV program), Today'' from 1952 to 1961. His easygoing and relaxing style ...
and won two hundred dollars on the televised quiz show ''Welcome Travelers''. In June 1956,
U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
Thomas A. Jenkins of Ohio entered a description of Gatewood's accomplishments and subsequent publicity in the ''
Congressional Record The ''Congressional Record'' is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Publishing Office and issued when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record Ind ...
''. Gatewood thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail again in 1957. She reported that the trail was in better condition that year due to the efforts of local hiking clubs to clean and mark parts of it. She was invited to speak to students and various civic groups about her experiences. In addition, she spent time with Girl Scouts and
4-H 4-H is a U.S.-based network of youth organizations whose mission is "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development". Its name is a reference to the occurrence of the initial letter H four times ...
members at their camps. In 1958, she climbed six mountains in the
Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in Ne ...
of New York. In 1959, at the age of 71, she was inspired by publicity about the Oregon Centennial Exposition to walk the of the
Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in North America that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon Territory. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail crossed what ...
by herself, following in the footsteps of the pioneer women who had walked the route behind
covered wagon A covered wagon, also called a prairie wagon, whitetop, or prairie schooner, is a horse-drawn or ox-drawn wagon used for passengers or freight hauling. It has a canvas, tarpaulin, or waterproof sheet which is stretched over removable wooden ...
s one hundred years earlier. The trip took her three months from
Independence, Missouri Independence is a city in and one of two county seats of Jackson County, Missouri, United States. It is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2020 Unite ...
, to
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, averaging a day. Her arrival in Portland was celebrated as Grandma Gatewood Day. Among her many gifts and accolades were trips to
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
for guest appearances on the television programs Art Linkletter's House Party and You Bet Your Life with Groucho Marx. Gatewood completed her third hike of the A.T., this time in sections, in 1964 at age 76, making her the first person to complete the trail three times. She was also credited with being the oldest female thru-hiker by the
Appalachian Trail Conference The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC; formerly Appalachian Trail Conference) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Appalachian Trail, a route in the eastern United States that runs from Maine to Georgia. Founded in 1 ...
. Every January beginning in 1967, she led a six-mile hike through
Hocking Hills State Park Hocking Hills State Park is a state park in the Hocking Hills region of Hocking County, Ohio, United States. In some areas the park adjoins the Hocking State Forest. Within the park are over of hiking trails, rock formations, waterfalls, and r ...
in Ohio. For her last hike in 1973, more than 2,500 hikers showed up. The annual hike has become even more popular over the years; in January 2013, more than 4,000 people joined in. When she was in her early eighties, she spent ten or more hours a day clearing and marking a 30-mile hiking trail through
Gallia County, Ohio Gallia County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,220. Its county seat and largest village is Gallipolis. Named after the French people who originally settled there, its name “Gal ...
that would later be connected to the
Buckeye Trail The Buckeye Trail is a hiking trail and long-distance trail that loops around the state of Ohio. Part of it is on roads and part is on wooded trail. Road portions of the trail are gradually being relocated to separate trail. This trail p ...
. In 1973, shortly before her death, she took a lengthy bus trip with an open-ended ticket, visiting all of the
contiguous United States The contiguous United States, also known as the U.S. mainland, officially referred to as the conterminous United States, consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the District of Columbia of the United States in central North America. The te ...
, plus three Canadian provinces. Gatewood was a life member of the National Campers and Hikers Association and the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club. She was one of the founding members, Director Emeritus, and a lifetime member of the
Buckeye Trail The Buckeye Trail is a hiking trail and long-distance trail that loops around the state of Ohio. Part of it is on roads and part is on wooded trail. Road portions of the trail are gradually being relocated to separate trail. This trail p ...
Association. By the end of her life, she had walked more than , or the equivalent of more than halfway around the Earth.


Death and funeral

At the time of her death at age 85 from a heart attack, Gatewood had one surviving sister plus 66 living descendants: 11 children, 24 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Her funeral was held at the Waugh-Halley-Wood Funeral Home, and she was buried in Ohio Valley Memory Gardens. Her grave marker says simply "Emma R. Gatewood – Grandma."


Honors and legacy

Gatewood received numerous honors during her lifetime, and her legacy lives on through various tributes, artistic works, and other commemorative projects. * In her last few years, Gatewood received several awards, including the Ohio State Conservation Award and the Governor's Community Action Award. Upon her death, the
Ohio Senate The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of t ...
passed a resolution in her memory. * In
Hocking Hills State Park Hocking Hills State Park is a state park in the Hocking Hills region of Hocking County, Ohio, United States. In some areas the park adjoins the Hocking State Forest. Within the park are over of hiking trails, rock formations, waterfalls, and r ...
in Ohio – where the
North Country Trail The North Country Trail (NCT, officially designated the North Country National Scenic Trail) is a long-distance hiking trail in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern and Northeastern United States, Northeastern United States. The trail exten ...
, the
Buckeye Trail The Buckeye Trail is a hiking trail and long-distance trail that loops around the state of Ohio. Part of it is on roads and part is on wooded trail. Road portions of the trail are gradually being relocated to separate trail. This trail p ...
, and the
American Discovery Trail The American Discovery Trail is a system of recreational trails and roads that collectively form a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. Horses can also be ridden on most of this trail. The coastal tr ...
coincide – a six-mile section connecting Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls to Ash Cave was designated as the Grandma Gatewood Memorial Trail in January 1981. * The
Appalachian Trail Museum The Appalachian Trail Museum is located in Pine Grove Furnace State Park near Gardners, Pennsylvania, United States, and commemorates the builders, maintainers and hikers of the Appalachian Trail, including those in the Appalachian Trail Hall ...
includes exhibits about her, and in June 2012, she was inducted into the museum's Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame. * She has been the subject of various projects, including a story-telling program (2011), a one-act play (2013), and picture albums designed by Eden Valley Enterprises. * ''Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story'', which premiered in May 2015 and was shown on the Public Broadcasting System in 2016, is an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
-nominated 60-minute documentary by filmmaker Peter Huston. * Jeff & Paige, a children's music duo based in
Boulder, Colorado Boulder is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most ...
, released a song in her honor, titled "Grandma Gatewood", on their 2015 album "Mighty Wolf". * The village of
Cheshire, Ohio Cheshire is a village in Gallia County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 123 at the 2020 census. It is part of the rural Point Pleasant micropolitan area. History Cheshire, Ohio, was named for the county of Chesh ...
, together with the Buckeye Trail Association and the
Ohio History Connection Ohio History Connection, formerly The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society and Ohio Historical Society, is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1885. Headquartered at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio, Ohio History Connect ...
, dedicated a historical marker in her memory on May 28, 2016. The front of the marker is a summary of her accomplishments. On the reverse side is a poem entitled ''The Reward of Nature'', which is believed to have been written by Gatewood during one of her hikes of the A.T. * In 2018, her story was retold in the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' ''Overlooked'' series, which adds stories of remarkable people whose deaths went unreported in the historically male-dominated obituaries of the Times. The piece details her hiking accomplishments and abusive family life. * She inspired the Gatewood Cape, a lightweight rain cape and shelter combination. * "Grandma Gatewood Took a Walk" by Catherine Bush made its debut in 2023 at the Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (AFPP) as a reading, followed by a full-length production debuting at
Barter Theatre Barter Theatre, in Abingdon, Virginia, opened on June 10, 1933. It is the longest-running professional Equity theatre in the United States. History Concept In 1933, when the United States was in the middle of the Great Depression, many peo ...
on May 12, 2024.https://bartertheatre.com/big-shows/grandma-gatewood-took-a-walk/


Biographies

* * * ''Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story'' (PBS documentary). Eden Valley Enterprises and FilmAffects. * * * *


References


External links


Blog about Grandma Gatewood produced by Eden Valley Enterprises


* ttps://thehockinghills.org/Grandma_Gatewood_Hike.htm Information on the Grandma Gatewood Fall Color Hike at Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio*
The 1949 National Geographic article that inspired Emma Gatewood to hike the Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail Histories

Review on SectionHiker website of the biography ''Grandma Gatewood's Walk'' by Ben Montgomery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gatewood, Grandma 1887 births 1973 deaths Backpacking Hikers People from Gallipolis, Ohio Appalachian Trail