This Chicago socialite made the Oregon Trail pioneers look like tourists in 1898

Martha Black’s Pregnant Trek Through Chilkoot Pass

In 1898, Martha Munger Purdy did what few would dare.

The pregnant 32-year-old Chicago socialite left her cozy life behind when her husband bailed on their gold rush plans.

She tackled the brutal 33-mile Chilkoot Trail in a corset, long skirt, and petticoats while carrying her third child.

Martha clawed her way up the 3,500-foot mountain pass, often grabbing rocks and roots to keep from falling. Once in Dawson City, she built a cabin, had her baby, ran a sawmill, and later even became a Canadian MP.

The historic Chilkoot Trail still stands today, where you can climb the same Golden Stairs that tested Martha’s will.

Martha Swapped Silk for Gold During the Klondike Rush

Martha Munger Purdy left her fancy Chicago home in 1898, trading her silk dresses for adventure. The 32-year-old rich lady got gold fever when she heard about the Klondike strike.

While most wealthy women stayed home, Martha wanted the excitement of frontier life. She joined about 1,500 other women who braved the male-filled gold rush.

With her dad’s money backing her trip, Martha got ready to face the tough Chilkoot Trail, a rough 33-mile mountain path that challenged even strong men.

Her Husband Picked Hawaii Over Hardship

Will Purdy, Martha’s husband, quit their gold rush plans at the last minute. He chose Hawaii’s sunny beaches while his pregnant wife headed north with their two sons.

Not stopped by his leaving, Martha joined a trip paid for by her rich father. Captain Edward Spencer led the group, which included her brother George Jr. and cousin Harry Peachy. Martha didn’t let her husband’s change of mind stop her adventure.

She moved forward with strong will, showing the toughness that would mark her life in the Yukon.

Corsets and Petticoats Went Up Mountains Too

Fashion didn’t stop for wilderness trips in 1898. Martha tackled the trail wearing city clothes totally wrong for wild travel: a tight corset, long corduroy skirt, many petticoats, and full bloomers.

She later complained about how her tight clothes made the journey even harder. The outfit that looked right in Chicago living rooms became a danger on steep mountain slopes.

Still, Martha kept some proper dress rules despite how impractical they were.

Rocks and Roots Helped Her Climb

The journey started at Dyea, Alaska, a busy town at the trail’s beginning. Martha and her group faced their first challenge crossing the Taiya River on a rough log bridge.

The trail quickly turned dangerous as it went up from sea level into the Coast Mountains.

Martha grabbed rocks and tree roots when she fell, partly walking and partly pulling herself up steeper and steeper land.

Her pregnant body fought against gravity with each step, but she kept moving, one painful step after another.

The Trail Took Lives While Martha Kept Going

Chilkoot earned its deadly name honestly. The pass killed many people during the gold rush, with snow slides burying dozens of gold seekers in one day. Martha watched men fall from tiredness around her.

Others gave up their dreams, selling their gear for almost nothing before going back to city life. The trail grew steeper as they neared the famous Golden Stairs, where the real test waited.

Yet Martha kept climbing, her pregnant body fighting against the mountain that broke so many others.

One Step at a Time on the Golden Staircase

The final climb to the top became known as the “Golden Staircase,” an almost straight-up climb where steps were cut into ice and snow.

Men ahead of Martha carried 100-pound packs, making many trips to move their needed ton of supplies. She watched them crawl on hands and knees, totally worn out.

Martha somehow managed this hard climb while pregnant, her corset cutting into her growing body. The top showed a stunning view of endless mountains, a moment of victory that made the struggle worth it.

Canadian Mounties Checked Every Supply List

At the top, Martha faced another test: the North-West Mounted Police checkpoint.

Canadian officials required each person to bring a year’s worth of supplies, about 2,000 pounds per traveler. The Mounties turned away anyone without proper food and gear, stopping starvation in the far-off Yukon.

Martha’s group passed the check thanks to her father’s big funding.

The group then started the next part: building boats at Bennett Lake to travel the last stretch to Dawson City.

Boats Took Martha to Dawson City

The group reached Bennett Lake where thousands of gold-seekers camped, making boats from fresh-cut lumber. Martha helped build their boat for the 550-mile trip down the Yukon River.

The party sailed through dangerous White Horse Rapids and Miles Canyon, where many boats broke against rocks. They finally got to Dawson City on August 5, 1898, joining a tent city of 30,000 people.

Martha found the busy gold town full of saloons, dance halls, and muddy streets.

A Baby Boy Came in Forty Below Weather

Martha and her friends built a log cabin where she had her son Lyman on January 31, 1899. The temperature outside dropped to forty below zero as she gave birth without proper medical help.

The baby lived despite the harsh conditions, showing both his and Martha’s toughness. Martha later said this time was the hardest of her life, yet she never felt sorry about joining the gold rush.

The birth marked her full change from Chicago socialite to Yukon pioneer.

Gold Claims and Sawmills Took Over Society Life

Martha did well in the harsh northern setting. She claimed gold spots along Bonanza and Eldorado Creeks, learning mining skills from scratch.

When mining proved hard, she opened a sawmill to sell lumber to the growing town. Martha divorced Will Purdy and met George Black, a lawyer from New Brunswick.

They married in 1904, starting a partnership that would last for decades.

Martha took on her new life, learning to hunt, fish, and live in the wilderness that nearly killed her during that first journey.

From Gold Rush Pioneer to Parliament Member

Martha’s Yukon adventures eventually led to political prominence. When her husband George became ill in 1935, she ran for his parliamentary seat and won.

At 70, Martha became the second female Member of Parliament in Canadian history. She served until 1940, advocating for northern development.

Though she later said, “I would never do it again…Not for all the gold in the Klondike,” her journey across Chilkoot Trail transformed a Chicago socialite into a Canadian political pioneer.

The pregnant woman who struggled up the Golden Staircase became known as the “First Lady of the Yukon.”

Visiting Chilkoot Trail, Alaska

You can follow Martha Black’s historic 1898 route on the 33-mile Chilkoot Trail from Dyea, Alaska to Bennett Lake, British Columbia. Get your overnight permit for $69.45 CAD at the Trail Center on Broadway between 5th and 6th Avenues in Skagway.

You need permits June 5-September 13, with only 50 hikers allowed daily.

Watch the required bear safety video within two days of hiking and camp at designated spots like Sheep Camp.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• November 5, 1912: The day 13 Alaska Natives stood up against segregation
• 142 years of trauma: When the Navy obliterated a Tlingit village in Alaska
• The Siberian orphan who created Alaska’s first Native alphabet and became a Russian saint