Gertrude and her parents Maren and Jorgen moved to Boulder Creek in 1894 from Denmark. They bought land near China Grade and established several mills in the area that would become Big Basin in the future. It was hard work and there were many challenges including fire and eventual diminishing timber available for harvest. Gertrude eventually became a teacher and taught in the required “country” schools at San Luis Obispo and then Paso Robles before teaching at the “cite” school Branciforte Elementary. She lived at the elegant Bedell House while she was a teacher for over 14 years. At the time of this publication she was still living where she grew up near China Basin.