She Traveled Solo: Strong Women in the Early 20th Century

During a 5,000 mile solo bicycle ride from southern California to Maine, Tessa Hulls heard the same thing daily: that a woman can’t travel alone.

She began researching other women who traveled solo in different ways, and became fascinated with many in stories from the early 20th century: explorers, mountaineers, and even a circus performer—women who defied expectations and embarked on unprecedented journeys, but whose stories have remained largely untold.

Using historical photographs, primary documents, and hand-drawn illustrations, Hulls takes participants into the lives of intrepid female adventurers who lived through the turn of the 20th century—before the right to vote or the right to own property. In sharing these stories and her own, Hulls illuminates the power of history in today’s world and demonstrates why female role models are vital in affecting social change.

Tessa Hulls is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and outdoorswoman who focuses on women’s stories.

Funded project of Humanities Washington, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.