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1901

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  5. 1901

Running Glen Alpine Springs: The Journey of Susan Gilmore Pierce (1858-1918)

Nathan Gilmore and family, 1893. Box 1, D-698 Glen Alpine Springs Collection, UC Davis Archives and Special Collections.

Susan Gilmore Pierce (1858-1918) was one of the owners of Glen Alpine Springs, a historic resort located in the Lake Tahoe area. She took over operating the resort with her sister Evelyn Gilmore Ramsey and her maternal aunt Jennie Gray, when Nathan Gilmore, her father and owner of the resort, died in 1898.

According to Janet Kaidantzis, one of the perks of the woman-owned and managed resort was that Glen Alpine Springs attracted families and mothers traveling alone with children. Newspaper society pages published guest registrations that revealed that during the 1903 peak season, at least thirty married women were vacationing that summer without their husbands. Some of the activities that were available to the women at Glen Alpine Springs are featured in Susan Gilmore Pierce’s scrapbooks with her friends.

Susan Gilmore Pierce (seated), owner of Glen Alpine Springs, with friend Josephine Foster on a mountain overlooking Desolation Valley, circa 1900. Caption: “Look Sue dear. Acme of one happy day. Will you ever forget?” Album 1, D-698 Glen Alpine Springs Collection.

Susan’s friends compiled the scrapbooks featured in this exhibit. The photographs included below depict the various leisure activities they engaged in at Glen Alpine Springs, such as picnicking by the lakes.

Caption: “Pic-nic on the bank of Susie Lake,” circa 1900. Album 1, D-698 Glen Alpine Springs Collection
Caption: “On the trail to Halfmoon -“, circa 1901. Box 13: Folder 1, D-022 Pierce Family Papers.
Caption: “On the trail to Halfmoon -“, circa 1901.
Box 13: Folder 1, D-022 Pierce Family Papers.

However, the photographs in the albums also document the social and physical landscapes of California that Susan, her friends, and family experienced in the early 1900s. The album documents various scenes in the wilderness, showcasing a largely unmarred space. Through the captions and a few photographs of the people, the album shows glimpses of the social bonds Susan valued.

Transcription: “Glen Alpine” Prison of Chillon and [W?] Blanc. From Miss Wright at Geneva, Aug 30. ’88” Aug. 15″ 1888. Mifs Susie Gilmore compliments of R.J [Waters?]. Box 13: Folder 2, D-022 Pierce Family Papers.
Caption: “Mt. Tallac”, circa 1900.
Left: Uncaptioned [people on the trail], circa 1900 Right: “Glen Alpine in Winter,” circa 1900
Box 13: Folder 2, D-022 Pierce Family Papers.

Although Susan is not documenting her own journey, her friends documented valuable parts of it with photographs that they knew she would treasure. In turn, Susan’s journey reveals more about women in recreation and business in the late 19th century.

References:

Kaidantzis, J. (2024, August 1). The nature of her business: Katherine Chandler and female proprietors of summer resorts at Lake Tahoe, 1900–1930. California History, 101(3), 2–26. https://doi.org/10.1525/ch.2024.101.3.2

View the collections

D-022 Pierce Family Papers
D-698 Glen Alpine Springs Collection 

Introduction 1927-1930