Notable Women of 20th Century Beaufort County: Part 1

Kate Gleason, 1965 - 1933. (Beaufort County Library)

Each year National Women's History Month employs a unifying theme and recognizes national honorees whose work and lives testify to that theme. The theme for 2013 is "Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination.”  Among this year's National Women’s History Month nominees is Kate Gleason, born Catherine Anselm Gleason in Rochester, NY on January 9, 1865.   Although Miss Gleason never earned her engineering degree, she practiced engineering – and employed Beaufort County tradesmen on her local building projects during the deepest days of the Great Depression.   To honor Gleason’s contribution to Beaufort County, here is a short guide to resources: 

•  We have a short biographical sketch of her life on our “Local History and Nature” web pages at http://beaufortcountylibrary.org/htdocs-sirsi/famous.htm#Kate%20Gleason.

• Kate Gleason was nominated as one of the ten most influential people in Beaufort’s History during the Tricentennial.  Read the nomination form at http://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/bdc-blog/talk-kate-gleason-most-influential-woman.

• Read David Lauderdale’s Island Packet/Beaufort Gazette article about her at http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/02/12/1545633/how-kate-gleason-turned-her-love.html

• Listen and learn about the Gold Eagle Tavern, one of Kate Gleason's projects in Depression Era Beaufort in this Beaufort County History Moment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJTWLzg_GHY&list=PLCBAB1B36615FC446&index=1. Beaufort County Moments are joint ventures of the County Channel, Department of Planning, the Beaufort County Library and Coastal Discovery Museum.

• Beaufort Memorial Hospital is built upon land donated by Kate Gleason. Named for her are the Kate Gleason Society and the Kate Gleason Park. (For a YouTube video by a local real estate agent shot at Kate Gleason Park, take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAUMAK7GWoo.)

• Kate Gleason was called a "Godsend" to Beaufort during the Great Depression by former Coroner Roger Pinckney. She hired local workers to build and renovate the Gold Eagle Tavern. She converted houses into apartments. Read this Beaufort Gazette article and other clippings about her in the “Gleason, Kate (1865-1933)” vertical file housed in our Research Room. 

• Her biography, The Life and Letters of Kate Gleason by Janis F. Gleason, is available in the BDC and all branch our branch library local history sections. Call # B GLE  

• The Gold Eagle Tavern, owned and operated for a time by Kate Gleason, was the place to be back in its heyday. Our Local History and Nature page on the Hotel and Restaurant tells why. http://www.beaufortcountylibrary.org/htdocs-sirsi/eagle.htm

• With the proper passwords, you can even learn about her through our subscription databases!  See your branch library staff for details on how to access our online research resources.  
• (Image is from our Lucille Hasell Culp Collection. Copyright reserved.)