Grandma Emma Gatewood was a subsistence farmer’s wife in Gallipolis, Ohio. She was the impoverished mother of eleven children and had been systematically abused by her husband for thirty years. In 1955 was the first woman to hike the 2,168-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Mt. Katahdin in Maine solo. She was 67, wore Keds sneakers and carried an army blanket, a raincoat, a plastic shower curtain for shelter, a cup, first aid kit, and one change of clothes, all of which she carried in a homemade bag slung over one shoulder. She became a symbol of the independent, determined and self-reliant people of the Appalachian region. Her unconquerable and indomitable spirit helped her become a legend in her own time. Eden Valley Enterprises received a modest grant as they continue to produce a live-performance story telling program and are working towards creating a companion e-book and DVD of the story-telling program about Grandma Gatewood and one-act play. More at www.edenvalleyenterprises.org
