More Information
Elsie
Hamburger
by
Lois
Halliday
McDonald
Biography
of
the
typified
"new
woman"
in
an
economic
climate
hostile
to
single
parents,
later
becoming
Butte
County's
"Mrs.
Republican."
About the author
At the time this book was written Lois McDonald had authored numerous articles about Paradise-area history and was editor of Tales of the Paradise Ridge for eight years. She wrote The Fur Trade Letters of Francis Ermatinger (Arthur H. Clark, Co.) as part of their Northwest Historical Series and Annie Kennedy Bidwell: An Intimate History. McDonald has a master's degree in history. She married Archie McDonald, now deceased.
On October 5, 2005, Lois McDonald died from cancer.
About the publisher
Paradise Fact and Folklore, Inc. was formed in 1960 with the stated objective to gather and publish the history of northern Butte County, California. It publishes the biannual journal Tales of the Paradise Ridge, and published The Golden Ridge. It has changed its name to Paradise Historical Society. Subsequently it merged with Gold Nugget Museum and Historical Society in Paradise, California.
From the publisher
This is the biography of precocious brat to opinionated woman. More than that, Elsie Hamburger demonstrated that being told that something cannot be done is the greatest impetus toward doing just that -- if the barrier is put up because one is female.
She was ahead of her time. Born in Kansas in 1876, Elsie was soon supporting herself as a school marm, but she found the world of politics far more fascinating. As a mother of four, she was again forced to work to support herself and them. This time she ventured into "man's work," selling real estate and insurance in the sleepy town of Paradise, California, where no one knew quite what to make of her.
When Elsie ventured into politics she was first ignored. Working behind the scenes often, she nevertheless became "Mrs. Republican of Butte County," friend of Earl Warren and Richard Nixon.
