Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project: Interview with Justine Kerfoot

Titles: Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project: Interview with Justine Kerfoot (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Kerfoot was born in Barrington, Illinois. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in zoology and completed one year of graduate study before moving to Gunflint Lake in 1928. She was owner and operator of Gunflint Lodge for 51 years until her retirement in 1979. Kerfoot published a best selling memoir, "Woman of the Boundary Waters: Canoeing, Guiding, Mushing, and Surviving". She also wrote a weekly column for the Cook County News Herald beginning in 1953 and was a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Naturalist program; running a resort; relationship between U.S. and Canada; effects of legislation on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (resort buy out, motorboat and snowmobile usage); development of the Gunflint Trail Association; establishment of ambulance service and electrical service in the area; experience with writing newsletter and book; changes in the Gunflint Trail; early experiences living in the area; and problems with trail maintenance. COMMENTS ON INTERVIEW: There is some background noise in the early part of the interview.

Dates

• 11/1986 - 03/1986 (Interviews conducted November 1986 and March 1987.) (Creation)

Creation

• interviewer: Robertson, Margaret A.
• interviewee: Kerfoot, Justine

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 58
• Accession Number: AV1988.99.16

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Minnesota Environmental Issues Oral History Project' <OH 58>

Quantity: 2 hours sound cassette 28 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 120 minutes length

Subjects

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