What roles did Basque women play in boarding houses? What characteristic values did they bring to the success of boarding houses?
While there were more men in the boarding houses, Basque women also stopped in them en route west, for temporary employment as maids and servers while they got established in their new areas. During a certain period, many Basque women came in to town off the range to give birth to their children in the hotels, as they were closer to doctors if needed. Most successful boarding houses had a married couple living in and running the boarding houses. The hoteleria often provided the spirit of the place – the social aspects, much of the translating, oversight of the cooking, cleaning, and shopping for the hotels. The male often handled the books, the bar, the handball tournaments, etc. It has often been said that the hotel keeping couple were like second parents for the young Basque immigrants. 5. What made a successful boarding house? A good location. An environment that provided a sense of belonging, and that brought people back to the boarding house every time they were in town. When ther
