Lillian Alling: The Journey Home

by Susan Smith-Josephy

In 1926, Lillian Alling, a European immigrant, set out on a journey home from New York. She had little money and no transportation, but plenty of determination. In the three years that followed, Alling walked all the way to Dawson City, Yukon, crossing the North American continent on foot. She walked across the Canadian landscape, weathering the baking sun and freezing winter, crossed the rugged Rocky Mountains and hiked the untested wilderness of British Columbia and the Yukon. Finally, on a make-shift raft, she sailed alone down the Yukon River from Dawson City all the way to the Bering Sea.
Lillian Alling is a legend. She has been the subject of novels, plays, epic poems, an opera and more tall tales than can be remembered. Her life has been subjected to speculation, fiction and exaggeration. But as legendary as she may be, the true story of Lillian Alling has never been told. "The Mystery Woman," as she came to be known, is as intriguing to us now as she was to those she met on her trek. Lillian's name lives on in the folk tales of British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska, but her life leading up to her journey and what waited for her at home in Eastern Europe still remains a shadowy mystery.
"Lillian Alling: The Journey Home" is a collection of personal documents, first-hand recollections, family tales and archival research that provide tantalizing new clues to Lillian's story. Smith-Josephy places Lillian firmly in the context of history and among the cast of unique and colourful characters she met along her journey.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Canada

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2011

About the author

Susan Smith-Josephy is a writer, researcher and genealogist. She trained as a journalist at Langara College and has worked for a number of small town newspapers in BC.

She has a degree in History from Simon Fraser University, and is passionate about BC History. She lives in Quesnel, British Columbia.

Reviews

[Rowena · Rating 5 out of 5]

"She was a loner and an independent thinker who didn't like crowds much, but preferred the wide-open spaces where she could be free and be herself."

This is the remarkable true story about Polish immigrant Lillian Alling, who decided to WALK all the way from New York to Siberia (through Canada) with only $20 dollars on her person. This trip took her three years. Let that sink in for a minute...

I had never heard of Lillian Alling before but reading her story truly inspired me. This walk of hers took place in the 1920s and she did it alone!She had to brave Canada's severe weather (both Summer and Winter) in order to get to her destination. Her determination was remarkable.

Lillian was a woman of legend. I guess there are still many things that haven't been confirmed about her but, despite that, it's clear her journey was truly an adventure. Some parts of the story were very heartwarming.

This is a historical account so of course there are great historical tidbits, including newspaper cuttings, photographs, archive records and interviews. As a resident of British Columbia province, I was very interested to learn more about what my province was like back then. I got an added appreciation for the people who built up the province in such an inhospitable environment.

I have so much respect and admiration for this lady I had never even heard of. Definitely a great read, one I would recommend to anyone.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lillian Alling most definitely was an exceptionally single-minded woman, a woman set to finding her way home, no matter the cost to her. And I do not mean cost as in money. If she had the necessary funds, her way home would have been so much easier and quicker, than literally walking half-way across the world. And that is exactly what this most extraordinary woman did!
Apparently, there have been other stories written and book published covering Lillian Alling's long journey home. I have read none of them but at least some are quoted in Susan Smith-Josephy's Monograph. This author has done extensive research all along the way this lonely hiker took in order to put it to paper. This recount is based extensively on factual events remembered by people, found in archives and articles as well as a few photographs of the woman herself and other people she met along the way. The story is also interspersed with explanations about the locations she passed through as well as some important houses she stayed in and/or visited, plus the odd individual person she met or event happening while she was in the vicinity or that was relevant to her story in some way.
Lillian Alling herself appears to be something of an enigma as nobody could really say for sure where in Europe she came from or how she ended up in New York State in the first place. All that is known for sure is that she set out to walk from Rochester NY to Siberia and that she did do just that. Her journey took three years from one end to the other and the latter half of her hike appears to be much better documented than the first part. Word of the lone woman walking all the way across Canada appeared to precede her, no doubt. Some people called her crazy, some people wanted her to fail but she proved them all wrong. Well Done, Lillian Alling! And well done, Susan Smith-Josephy for telling the story of this remarkable woman in history.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea where I heard about this book, but for someone who loves to walk, it was quite the tale. Lillian comes to the US from Poland? (much speculation on her birthplace), becomes disenchanted with her work situation in New York State so decides to "walk" home. Heads across Canada, Alaska and is last seen heading out on a boat across the Bering Strait. All happened in late 1920s and much of her route and events are taken from newspaper articles, personal diaries and recollections - many years after the events so subject to "did this really happen". Lillian was know to be surly, stubborn and unapproachable. Probably exactly what it takes to do that walk and survive on your own!

[Robert Belyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

In1926, the journey of this reclusive Polish immigrant, alone and unarmed, from New York to Nome was a prodigious feat. Facing wild animals, floods, and freezing temperatures, this young woman, who may have made it as far as Cape Dezhnev in Siberia, left few records of her journey home. Susan Smith-Josephy has done a remarkable job of finding and researching the obscure sources of Alling’s three-year passage through some of the wildest and least populated areas of North America. This is a great read and I highly recommend it.

[Barbara Warman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Lillian Alling before I read this book. There is very little information about Alling that can be verified but the author pursued every lead about her journey from New York to Siberia in the 1920's. Alling's steel-minded determination was what appealed to me as some of my own ancestors showed similar traits. I also liked the extra research and photographs about such places as Eagle Alaska and East Cape Siberia - places I will never see - and how these are put into the context of the time of Lillian's journey. This is a very good read.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The epilogue was the best portion of the book. I realize that it's hard to write a story on someone where there is not a lot of info available, but the book was more a combo of well researched material than something that connected me to Lillian. The pictures were interesting of course, but the descriptions of the communities and other ends did not connect me to the journey. Perhaps for some this was added to give context and framework to the areas where she lingered whether voluntary or not.

[Kryttle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent look into Lillian's journey. Susan's writing is engaging and a factual account of Lillian's journey. This book is a great resource.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible story of an incredible woman. I hope she made it home.

[Beverly A. Harrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long walk

Tiring reading about her long journey wouldn’t recommend.
It was very boring and didn’t learn much Would have liked to know more of her background