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Pioneer Women in the Valley
by Tammy Lipke
One hundred years. What a long time! Let's think about what the world was like a century ago.

In 1902, the average life expectancy in North America was only 48 years. The average wage was $0.22/hour (compared to over 100 times that amount in 2002). About 90% of all physicians hadn't been to college or university, but attended only medical school. Only 14% of homes had a bathtub. Women washed their hair on the average once per month.
Pioneer Winnie Goodacre (McDonald) with Clarence Goodacre and friend A.A. Easson
(period photos courtesy of the Bulkley Valley Museum)
The women of those days? We can scarcely imagine what their lives were like. The Bulkley Valley was just beginning to see settlers in the early 1900's. In these days of the Internet, cellular phones, and electricity in every home, it's hard for us to comprehend the sacrifices that women had to make.
Recent photo of pioneer Winnie Goodacre
The Bulkley Valley Museum, in Smithers, has recently installed a new display, documenting the lives and hardships of pioneer women in our area.

The entire display was put together by another remarkable woman from the Valley, the late Lillian Weedmark, formerly the dedicated curator to the Museum and a contributing writer to Hiway16 Magazine.

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