Episode Summary: Mary Hunter Austin
Stuff You Missed in History Class
Release Date: March 19, 2025
Hosts: Holly Fry & Tracy V. Wilson
Production: iHeartPodcasts

Introduction

In this episode, hosts Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson delve deep into the life and legacy of Mary Hunter Austin, an influential writer and environmentalist of the American Southwest. Through a comprehensive exploration of Austin's personal struggles, literary achievements, and advocacy efforts, the episode paints a vivid portrait of a woman ahead of her time whose contributions to environmental literature and indigenous rights remain significant today.

Early Life and Family Background

[04:44] Holly Fry: "Mary Hunter was born September 9, 1868, in Carlinville, Illinois, the fourth of six children to George and Susanna Graham Hunter."

Tracy discusses Austin's upbringing on a farm outside Carlinville, emphasizing the influence of her father, an English immigrant and Civil War veteran who fostered her love for reading and nature.

[05:08] Tracy V. Wilson: "Mary really idolized her father. He loved to read, and she loved to spend time in his study, which was just full of books."

Despite a close bond with her father, Mary's relationship with her mother, a strict Methodist involved in the temperance movement, was tumultuous. This tension contributed to Mary's rebellious nature and her sense of not being understood within her family.

Spirituality and Early Hardships

Mary Hunter Austin exhibited signs of spirituality and mysticism from a young age. She considered herself clairvoyant and often perceived herself as two distinct personas: the lonely Mary and the empowered inner self.

[06:04] Tracy V. Wilson: "By the age of four or five, Mary had started to conceive of herself as two Marys."

Tragically, Mary's childhood was marked by the deaths of her father from malaria when she was ten and her sister Jenny from diphtheria shortly after. These losses deeply affected her, leading to feelings of guilt and estrangement from her mother.

Move to California and Homesteading

After her father's death and the subsequent move to Carlinville, Mary pursued education fervently, enrolling at Blackburn College at sixteen. However, her studies were frequently interrupted by illness, reflecting a lifetime of health struggles.

[09:40] Holly Fry: "By the time Mary graduated, her brother Jim had moved to California's San Joaquin Valley and filed a claim on a homestead there."

Under her mother's and brother's influence, Mary moved to California to claim land. The harsh realities of homesteading during a drought period took a toll on her health and emotional well-being.

[10:33] Tracy V. Wilson: "Mary went and became both physically and emotionally unwell during the trip west, to the point that Susanna's letters to her friends described the trip as almost killing her."

Marriage and Its Challenges

Seeking financial stability and hoping to support her writing ambitions, Mary married Wallace Austin in 1891. Their union, however, was fraught with financial instability and personal disagreements.

[18:43] Tracy V. Wilson: "Stafford Wallace Austin, known as Wallace, probably seemed like her best possible choice for a husband."

While Wallace was supportive of Mary's literary goals, his unsuccessful business ventures and Mary's reluctance to conform to traditional domestic roles strained their relationship. The couple faced ongoing financial hardships, leading to frequent relocations and mounting debts.

Literary Career and Major Works

Mary Hunter Austin's literary prowess began to shine as she navigated her challenging personal life. Her most renowned work, The Land of Little Rain (1903), is a collection of lyrical sketches about the Owens Valley and the Mojave Desert.

[29:14] Holly Fry: "In 1903, when Ruth was 11, Mary Austin published her first and best known book, The Land of Little Rain."

This publication provided her with the financial means to place her disabled daughter, Ruth, in a private hospital, marking a poignant moment in her life.

Advocacy and Environmentalism

Austin's connection to the land and indigenous communities fueled her advocacy for environmental conservation and indigenous rights. She actively opposed large-scale projects like the Hoover Dam, advocating instead for sustainable development that respected local traditions and ecosystems.

[44:26] Tracy V. Wilson: "She advocated for local control of water resources and preservation and conservation of an area's land and heritage."

Her collaboration with photographer Ansel Adams on Taos Pueblo (1929) further exemplified her commitment to showcasing and preserving indigenous cultures and landscapes.

Personal Struggles and Family Life

Mary's personal life was marked by significant challenges, particularly concerning her daughter Ruth's disability. Ruth's condition, possibly Rett syndrome or autism, placed immense emotional and financial burdens on Mary.

[24:58] Holly Fry: "We are not suggesting that there is blame involved with having a disabled child, but this was Mary's mindset."

The lack of support systems for disabled children during that era compounded Mary's struggles, leading to societal judgment and personal grief. Her eventual decision to place Ruth in a private hospital was met with mixed emotions and societal criticism.

Later Life and Legacy

In her later years, Austin continued to write prolifically, producing works that intertwined her environmentalist views with personal narratives. Despite her extensive contributions, Mary Hunter Austin was largely forgotten after her death in 1934, though her work experienced a revival in the 1980s.

[48:53] Tracy V. Wilson: "That turned out not to be true. Helen McKnight Doyle published a biography of her in 1939, but Mary Austin was largely forgotten about after her death."

Today, her legacy endures through her inclusion in environmental literature curricula and the preservation of her home as a California Historical Landmark.

[49:36] Holly Fry: "Some of the land that Austin wrote about in works like The Land of Little Rain is now part of a number of parks and preserves, including Death Valley National Park and the Mojave National Preserve."

Conclusion

Mary Hunter Austin's life was a tapestry of resilience, creativity, and advocacy. Holly and Tracy highlight how her literary works and environmental activism continue to inspire and inform contemporary discussions on conservation and indigenous rights. Although she faced numerous personal and societal challenges, Austin's dedication to her passions left an indelible mark on American literature and environmentalism.

Notable Quotes:

• Tracy V. Wilson [05:08]: "She felt like her family didn't really understand her. And she was also awkward and didn't have a lot of friends, except for her younger sister, Jenny, who she was very close to as an adult."

• Holly Fry [06:34]: "Mary Austin was a complicated person with a complicated life."

• Tracy V. Wilson [23:33]: "She was interested in the ways that people outside the world of white homesteaders lived and in the landscape around her, and in how they lived with it."

• Holly Fry [25:54]: "Mary thought the only way she could make this work was to earn enough money to support them both and to pay for care and help for her daughter."

• Tracy V. Wilson [45:50]: "I did not find a transcript of the actual speech, but that felt to me like it probably accurately summed up the tone of it."

• Holly Fry [48:53]: "Ansel Adams had said of her, 'Seldom have I met and known anyone of such intellectual and spiritual power and discipline. She is a future person, one who will, a century from now, appear as a writer of major stature in the complex matrix of American culture.'"

Closing Remarks

Mary Hunter Austin's story is a testament to the enduring power of literature and activism. Through her writing and advocacy, she championed the preservation of natural landscapes and indigenous cultures, leaving a legacy that continues to resonate in today's environmental movements.

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