The Mystery of the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island
On Friday, December 9, fourth and fifth graders listened to Thomas A. Holm, a graduate student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, as he shared his research on the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island, a mysterious historical figure memorialized in the children’s novel Island of the Blue Dolphins by author Scott O’Dell.
Mr. Holm became interested in the Lone Woman when his daughter read the book in 2007, prompting him to pursue a master’s degree in archaeology to discover more about her history. The book tells the story of a Native American girl who was left on an island near the coast of Southern California where she lived for 18 years, alone. While she waited for rescue, she kept herself alive by building shelter, finding food and overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges.
