Grandma Gatewood

Early life and education Gatewood was born to a family of 15 children in Guyan Township, Gallia County, Ohio. Her father Hugh Caldwell, a farmer, turned to a life of drinking and gambling after his leg was amputated in the Civil War. The child-rearing of the family was left to her mother Evelyn (Trowbridge) Caldwell. Emma and her siblings slept four to a bed in their log cabin. Her formal education ended with the eighth grade, but she enjoyed reading encyclopedias and the Greek classics and taught herself about wildlife and woodland plants that could be used as medicines and food. She also enjoyed writing poetry. Because the National Geographic magazine article had given her the impression of easy walks and clean cabins at the end of each day's expedition, she took little in the way of outdoor gear – no tent or sleeping bag, just a shower curtain to keep the rain off. She wore canvas Keds shoes on her misshapen feet and carried a small notebook, some clothes, and food in a homemade denim bag slung over one shoulder. When she couldn't find shelter, she slept on piles of leaves. On cold nights, she heated large flat stones to use as a warm bed. She ate berries and other edible forest plants she recognized when she ran out of food. This publicity made her a celebrity even before the hike was over; she was often recognized and received "trail magic" (assistance from strangers) in the form of friends, food and places to sleep. When she was in her early eighties, she spent ten or more hours a day clearing and marking a 30-mile hiking trail through Gallia County, Ohio that would later be connected to the Buckeye Trail. In 1973, shortly before her death, she took a lengthy bus trip with an open-ended ticket, visiting all of the contiguous United States, plus three Canadian provinces. Her grave marker says simply "Emma R. Gatewood – Grandma." == Honors and legacy ==

Gatewood received numerous honors during her lifetime, and her legacy lives on through various tributes, artistic works, and other commemorative projects. • In her last few years, Gatewood received several awards, including the Ohio State Conservation Award and the Governor's Community Action Award. Upon her death, the Ohio Senate passed a resolution in her memory. • The Appalachian Trail Museum includes exhibits about her, and in June 2012, she was inducted into the museum's Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame. • She has been the subject of various projects, including a story-telling program (2011), a one-act play (2013), and picture albums designed by Eden Valley Enterprises. • Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story, which premiered in May 2015 and was shown on the Public Broadcasting System in 2016, is an Emmy Award-nominated 60-minute documentary by filmmaker Peter Huston. • Jeff & Paige, a children's music duo based in Boulder, Colorado, released a song in her honor, titled "Grandma Gatewood", on their 2015 album "Mighty Wolf". • The village of Cheshire, Ohio, together with the Buckeye Trail Association and the Ohio History Connection, dedicated a historical marker in her memory on May 28, 2016. The front of the marker is a summary of her accomplishments. On the reverse side is a poem entitled The Reward of Nature, which is believed to have been written by Gatewood during one of her hikes of the A.T. • In 2018, her story was retold in the New York Times Overlooked series, which adds stories of remarkable people whose deaths went unreported in the historically male-dominated obituaries of the Times. The piece details her hiking accomplishments and abusive family life. • "Grandma Gatewood Took a Walk" by Catherine Bush made its debut in 2023 at the Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (AFPP) as a reading, followed by a full-length production debuting at Barter Theatre on May 12, 2024. ==Biographies==

• • • Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story (PBS documentary). Eden Valley Enterprises and FilmAffects. • • • • == References ==