Mary Gibbs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Gibbs
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| Born | 1879 Atwater, Minnesota, United States
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| Died | February 4, 1983 (aged 103–104) |
Mary Hannah Gibbs Logan (1879 – 1983) was a very important person in the history of Itasca State Park in Minnesota. This park is famous because it's where the mighty Mississippi River begins! Mary Gibbs was special because she was the first woman in the United States to be in charge of a state park.
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Mary Gibbs' Early Life
Mary Hannah Gibbs was born in Atwater, Minnesota, in 1879. When she was about 22 years old, her family moved to Lake Itasca. Her father, John P. Gibbs, became the superintendent of Itasca State Park in 1901. He was chosen for this job by Minnesota's Governor, Samuel Van Sant.
Working at Itasca State Park
Mary started working at the park as her father's secretary. She learned a lot about how the park was run. When her father passed away, Mary was only 24 years old. But she knew the park operations very well. Because of her knowledge, Governor Van Sant chose her to be the new superintendent of Itasca State Park in 1903. This made her the first woman to lead a state park in the United States!
Protecting the Park's Trees
A company called the Mississippi Schoolcraft Boom and Improvement Company had built a dam in the park. They used this dam to help them move logs. But the dam was causing floods, which could kill the park's old and valuable pine trees. Mary Gibbs was very worried about this. She ordered the company to open the dam and let the water out.
Mary and the local sheriff went to the dam with a special paper called a warrant. This paper allowed them to open the dam. The company's boss threatened to shoot anyone who touched the dam's levers. Mary was brave and stepped forward. She said, "I will put my hand there, and you will not shoot it off either." She tried to move the levers, but they were too heavy for her. Seeing her courage, the lumber boss finally told his workers to open the gates. He and another worker were then taken to jail.
Soon after this event, stories spread that Mary had been armed during the confrontation. A newspaper even ran a headline saying, "She had nerve, and a big gun." The lumber company tried to stop Mary by getting a court order that said she would be arrested if she went back to the dam. But Minnesota's attorney general quickly canceled that order. He also told the company to lower the water levels.
Just one week later, the governor appointed a new park commissioner. This new person was more friendly to the logging companies. Mary Gibbs did not want to be demoted from her position, so she resigned. The loggers continued to use a dam in the park for about 15 more years. They stopped only when they had cut down all the trees they wanted.
Mary Gibbs' Later Life
After leaving her job at Itasca State Park, Mary moved away from Minnesota. She met and married William A. Logan. They started a farm on 50 acres of land in Alberta, Canada. They had four children together. In 1919, Mary and her family moved to Vancouver. Mary Gibbs Logan lived a long life and passed away in 1983 at the age of 104.
Mary Gibbs' Legacy
Even though Mary Gibbs was the park superintendent for only a short time, she made a big difference. In 2015, a newspaper called the Minneapolis Star Tribune described her as "a preservationist ahead of her time." This means she cared about protecting nature long before it was a common idea. She was also the first woman to be a park commissioner in the entire country.
To honor her, a special building was opened in 2005. It's called the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center and Interpretive Plaza. Inside, you can find exhibits that teach you about the history, geography, and nature of the area where the Mississippi River begins.
