Note: This is a follow-up to part one of this series on RVing History. Please click this link to view and listen to part one.
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Introduction
Nothing new comes without controversy, and camping is no different. Along with the issue of slavery, Americans were also struggling with women’s rights and equality in this country. Even though women were not granted the right to vote until 1920, the fight for equality and the work by certain men to suppress that equality was alive and well in the late 1860s. Even women camping became a controversial topic to some.
William Murray on Women Camping
William H. H. Murray strongly advocated for women’s rights and believed that camping should be open to all genders. He argued that the outdoors could provide an equalizing force between men and women and create a sense of solidarity. William Murray wrote extensively on how women were capable of more than just domestic chores and urged them to embrace nature as a means of self-improvement. He saw camping and outdoor activities as opportunities for women to develop greater physical and mental strength and create a sense of agency. Murray believed such experiences would ultimately help cultivate the “true spirit of democracy” that was so important during his time. As such, he was a pioneer in the movement for gender parity in the outdoors.
Thomas Bangs Thorpe on Women Camping
Thomas Bangs Thorpe, a contemporary of William HHH Murray, was an outspoken critic of recreational camping in America. Specifically, he argued against women participating in camping activities. He believed the physical and emotional strain it put on them would eventually lead to disease and death. He argued that camping exposed women to danger from wild animals, bad weather, and rough terrain. Furthermore, he argued that this type of outdoor activity was improper for women as it required them to partake in manual labor and activities more suited for men. Luckily, Thorpe’s opinion did not prevail. William Murray encouraged all people, including women, to take part in camping adventures to enjoy the beauty of nature.
Kate Field: Pioneer of Women Camping
Kate Field was an American journalist and travel writer who actively encouraged women to participate in the recreational camping experience. Following William Murray’s lead, she urged women to get outdoors and see the beauty of nature. To achieve this goal, Field organized tours to various campsites around the United States where accommodations for women campers were provided. She also wrote articles in magazines and newspapers encouraging women to take part in camping, emphasizing the health benefits of being exposed to nature. Field’s advocacy for women campers helped increase their participation, eventually making more campsites available with facilities specifically designed for female campers.
On one adventure, Kate Field and three other women ventured into the Adirondacks for two weeks. Since it was the three women alone, they carried all of their supplies, including fishing supplies, guns, and ammo. These women coined themselves the Black Fly Club. They brought food and had a diet of what Kate Fields said was “flap jacks and maple syrup,” but they also had venison and trout that they acquired themselves. Although they had detractors, they had a successful trip. This was in 1869, around the same time as William H H Murray’s popularity. She considered herself one of Murray’s Fools, a term for those early camping adopters who traveled to the Adirondacks because of Murray’s book.
Women Camping Lecture Circuit
Based on this adventure, Fields developed a lecture and hit the travel circuit describing the experiences of the Black Fly Club. A New York Times article in 1871 quoted her as saying, “it is preferable for a woman to travel alone in the backwoods than from city to city.” Her efforts to thwart the opinion that women should not camp, especially alone, successfully got an increased number of women to try camping in the Adirondacks.
Kate Field did make several controversial comments at the time about camping, particularly surrounding the participation of women. She argued that camping benefited women’s physical and mental health and allowed them to explore the world in a way previously closed off. She also highlighted that certain outdoor activities – such as fishing or hunting – were traditionally considered ” manly ” and that women should not be excluded from participating. Her comments sparked debate but ultimately helped open up the world of camping to more people. In particular, her advocacy for female campers meant they could enjoy outdoor activities without feeling like they had to conform to traditional gender roles or stereotypes. By helping turn recreational camping into a popular pastime, Kate Field has made a lasting contribution to the outdoor community.
Women Camping Today
As I ponder camping and RVing today, there are plenty of solo women campers and RVers. There are also groups of women, with no men, that enjoy camping, RVing, and the outdoors in general. It is hard to believe that just 150 years ago, there were such negative opinions about women alone in the wilderness. My wife, Julie, has spent several days and nights in the woods with a handful of other women she hikes with. This is the norm in modern times. We owe a debt of gratitude to brave advocates like William Murray and Kate Field for going against the grain so long ago that all could enjoy the outdoors.
Conclusion
While William HHH Murray and Kate Field were the central figures in the early development of recreational camping, they weren’t alone in their efforts. Other writers, activists, and travelers all advocated for camping as a pastime, helping create a cultural shift that would eventually lead to its acceptance by mainstream society. From building infrastructure to encouraging people back out into nature, the work of these early camping pioneers helped establish camping as one of America’s favorite outdoor activities.
More Information
For more information on this topic, Terence Youg wrote a great book, Heading Out: The History of American Camping. This book is a fascinating look at early camping in the U.S.
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