The Cedar Falls–born novelist whose warm stories of pioneer life reached millions of readers.
Bess Streeter Aldrich was born in 1881 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and graduated from what is now the University of Northern Iowa before becoming a popular novelist.
Her best-known book, “A Lantern in Her Hand,” told the story of a pioneer woman with such heart that it became a beloved classic, and she published dozens of novels and stories drawn from Midwestern life.
Aldrich's affectionate, clear-eyed portraits of prairie families made her one of the most read regional novelists of her time. Her Iowa upbringing shaped her enduring themes.
Her books remain in print and cherished.
The Cedar Falls–born novelist whose warm stories of pioneer life reached millions of readers.
Bess Streeter Aldrich was from Cedar Falls, Iowa.
1881–1954.
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