This article was originally published in the October print edition of The Bark, distributed at the University of Minnesota Duluth campus.

“Her Place in the Woods: The Life of Helen Hoover” book cover.

Helen Hoover and David Hakensen were born decades apart and in different states, so what would they have in common? Hakensen is the proud author of Her Place in the Woods: The Life of Helen Hoover, his newest novel which documents the living years and the legacy of Helen Hoover as a conservationist and naturalist living on the Gunflint Trail in Northern Minnesota.

Helen Hoover was born in 1910 in the town of Greenfield, Ohio. Growing up with a doting father and a scathing mother, Helen grew to be an independent young woman, entering the Great Depression with a high regard for sciences and self-establishment. Sometime after her father’s death, Hoover and her mother moved to Chicago to begin a new life. It was here that Helen met her future husband, and also began working as a metallurgist during World War Two. Following the war, Hoover retained her position in the industry, and began looking with her husband for a cabin in Northern Minnesota. They settled on a rustic place at the end of the Gunflint Trail near Gunflint Lake.

As time passed and they both grew older, Hoover and her husband permanently moved to their residence on the Gunflint Trail. Here, they learned through hardships and triumphs what it takes to build a homestead from the ground up. They experienced Minnesotan winters for the first time, and encountered a wide variety of wildlife. The animals roaming their property prompted Hoover to begin her career of documenting the ordinary lives of deer, birds, and other creatures who made their way into her view. From these writings came her first novel, The Long Shadowed Forest, which was quickly followed by numerous other books such as The Gift of the Deer and various children’s books and magazine columns.

Hoover lived to attend the first Earth Day celebration on April 22, 1970. She was one of over 20 million people who was spurred on by her fascination and love for flora and fauna, and rallied in the streets across the nation to combat the rising effects of globalization. Then after living a long and fulfilling life, Helen Hoover died in 1984 at the age of 74. Eventually, her homestead was sold and her personal documents were donated to several institutions, including the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Since they were moved to the Kathryn A. Martin Library, they have mostly sat untouched in an unknown corner of the library’s archives. It wasn’t until David Hakensen dove into his research that her personal writings and documents were rediscovered in the collection.

With 23 boxes of material, Hakensen went more in-depth into her life than anyone else had before. Alongside Special Collections Amy Brown and Archivist Pat Moss, Hakensen was able to piece together Hoover’s life to create a humorous yet knowledgeable biography on the life and legacy of Helen Hoover. Hakensen was inspired by Hoover’s perseverance and her ability to shift gears as needed.

In connection to Hoover’s work on the natural world, he stated, “Man can’t impose himself on nature and control it. Nature writers are timeless and Hoover’s works are a classic meditation on nature.”

To celebrate the launch of his new book to the public, a book release event was held in the KAML Rotunda on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. The audience was diverse, including everyone from students to library staff to the newly inducted Chancellor Nies. Similar to his writing, Hakensen composed himself behind the podium with a personality full of curiosity, humor and a clear passion for the natural world.

Knowledgeable from the seven years spent researching everything related to Helen Hoover, Hakensen was quick to answer questions as the presentation came to an end. In regards to a question about Hoover’s overall message and legacy, Hakensen said, “We want to create works that provide a greater understanding of people and the world.”

For students who attend UMD, Hakensen emphasized the importance of using the library resources as tools, not just using the space as a quiet place to study. He noted, “Materials don’t do any good just sitting around. There’s interesting things on the shelves, you just have to ask.” Hakensen encourages students to engage with library resources and staff due to his own remarkable experience of working with specialists during his research. Due to his success in documenting the love of nature, he is confident that he is passing on Helen Hoover’s legacy.

Who is Helen Hoover? A Legacy Told Through David Hakensen