Hellen Donovan

Women were considered bad luck if they ventured anywhere near a mine shaft and into mining jobs during the 1880s as they were exclusively for men. However, that didn’t stop Hellen Donovan of Leadville from working in the mines. In the 1880 Federal Census, one can find 19-year-old Hellen listed as a lodger in a boarding house aside all men and listed as a miner. Unfortunately, this is the only source where Hellen can be found before she vanishes from the historical records, as many other working-class women so frequently did. Many widows in Leadville opened up boarding houses for miners, however, they were spaces dedicated to men and to see Hellen listed as an occupant of the house further shows the determination of working-class immigrants during this time to seek out employment regardless of gender norms.