The Economic Times

In 1883, an Iowa woman traveled alone to Alaska. She published its first travel guide and helped bring Washingtons famous cherry trees to America

Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore was an Iowa-born writer and traveler who ventured to Alaska alone in 1883, documenting her journey through Southeast Alaska and Glacier Bay. Her writings were later collected into what is regarded as the first Alaska travel guide, helping introduce the territory to a wider audience. Years later, after travelling to Japan, Scidmore became fascinated by its cherry blossoms and spent decades pushing for the trees to be planted in Washington, D.C.