Gumboot Girls

Forty years ago, droves of young women migrated away from urban settings and settled in rural areas across North America. Many settled on the north coast of British Columbia, on Haida Gwaii or around Prince Rupert. GUMBOOT GIRLS tells the stories of thirty-four women, through their own eyes, as they moved from their comfortable city-dwelling surroundings to the rugged north coast. Part back-to-the-land, part adventure, heartbreak and love, this collection of stories edited by Lou Allison and compiled by Jane Wilde was inspired by the book GIRLS LIKE US by Sheila Weller. Wilde, the creator of the collection, encouraged, prodded and cajoled her friends (and some of their friends) to tell the story of a generation of young women who flocked to the north coast of BC in the 1970s.

Lou Allison

Lou Allison lives in Dodge Cove and commutes by boat to Prince Rupert, where she works in the Prince Rupert Public Library. She also co-owns a large vessel called the Far Reach and a small business called Tidal Enterprises with her spouse Jeremiah. Lou is a passionate gardener. She edited the stories of Gumboot Girls and Dancing in Gumboots.