Women Brave The West Part 1

By the early 1900’s, the “Wild West” had been written and talked about for decades. Cheap land and wide-open spaces drew thousands of men looking for adventure. For women, however, options were limited.

Two women from New Jersey decided to change that. Mary Endicot Arnold and Mabel Reed - friends since childhood - were cousins of Anne Bidwell, wife of famed General John Bidwell who settled and prospered in the area we know as Chico.

In 1908 - deciding the East was too tame - Mary and Mabel made the hazardous journey across country to visit their cousins. While there, they noticed General Bidwell employed Indians around his property. They were intrigued. Feeling the local Indians were too submissive, the young women longed to see Indians that were “more real”.

While attending a glamorous party at Bidwell mansion, amid the fine crystal, champagne and elegant ballgowns, they met a Special Indian Agent. Longing for adventure, they proposed a radical idea to him. Let them travel further west into the mountains to find some “real Indians!” Skeptical, he finally agreed to help the insistent travelers. Appointing them “Field Matrons in the United States Indian Service, Department of Interior”, they were to be paid $30 a month plus travel expenses (a very generous sum in those days, especially for women).

In a whirlwind, the excited women packed countless trunks and bags for their trip. Shortly, after traveling by coach to San Francisco, they boarded a small ship, it’s only passengers.

With constant rain dogging the entire trip, they finally arrived in Eureka.

What would they find there? Check out Part 2 for more of this adventure.