Born Margareeta Johanna Konttra Niiranen in Tornio, Finland, in 1861, Maggie Walz came to the United States at the age of 20 with almost nothing, just $7 in her pocket and a determination to build a new life. According to the National Park Service (NPS), Walz arrived in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as “a mere girl… a stranger among strangers” in a cosmopolitan settlement of immigrants. She took a job as a domestic servant, learned English through night school, and quickly set her sights on something more. Over the next four decades, Walz would become a pioneering businesswoman, newspaper publisher, suffragette and community builder, challenging the gender norms of her time and leaving an indelible mark on Finnish-American history. Here's her story, as per NPS:
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
