Nellie Cashman, an Irish-born pioneer, secured her place in American history as one of the few female business owners in the arduous American West. Nellie owned and operated boarding houses and restaurants throughout her life from Alaska to Arizona. Miners had restful quarters and good meals thanks to her kindness and generosity. A devoted philanthropist, Nellie started hospitals and handed out free meals to destitute prospectors. Her unwavering commitment to the mining community led her to fund and lead a 77-day rescue operation through the snowy Cassair Mountains in British Columbia where a group of miners were stranded by severe weather, earning her the nickname “Miner’s Angel.”
