Welcome To The Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead HIstorical Website

Adelaide Hunter Hoodless was called “one of the most famous Canadian
women, ...yet one of the most obscure,” by her biographer, because she
is known with such familiarity in some circles, yet completely unknown
in others.

Adelaide was born on February 27, 1857 and raised on this isolated
farm in Canada West.

Her public life began after she became a wife and mother.  It was
instigated by a tragic event: her fourth child died of what was then
called a ‘stomach complaint’.  Seemingly blaming herself for this
tragedy, Adelaide’s campaign sought to o raise the level of education
for girls and to put supports in place for women so that they might
safeguard their families.

She is credited as a co-founder of the Women's Institute, the Young
Women's Christian Association (YWCA), the National Council of Women
and the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON), and a major force behind the
formation of three faculties of Household Science. She achieved
national recognition in her twenty years of public life.
She died in 1910, the year Laurier stated, “The twentieth century
belongs to Canada.”   Her work had ensured that Laurier’s words
applied to women and families.