Using sources from the Alaska territory and the American west, Jennifer L. Williams details the life of Mary Elizabeth Gibson Hart, who was a well-known writer and personality in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The book demonstrates that her valuable contributions to the presentation and promotion of Alaska and of women's suffrage were notable at a time when women were newly able to support themselves through socially-acceptable professional work.

Hart participated in four worlds fairs as Alaska's first female representative, gaining public recognition across the country as the First Lady of Alaska. Hart's story represents the boundless energy and optimism of women who were newly able dictate a life on their terms and acts as a case study for notable American women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the domestic landscapes and social expectations were rapidly changing. This book makes a significant contribution to capturing the stories of influential women of the 19th century, a time when only the achievements and activism of men were recorded.