Born October 15, 1831,
Yorkshire, England
Died October, 1904,
Edinburgh, Scotland

A lifelong traveler, Isabella Bird journeyed through various countries in North America, the Middle East, and Asia during the nineteenth century. Her adventurous life often presented moments of great danger, but she responded to those with remarkable fortitude. Bird wrote about her experiences in several books, bringing her considerable fame in Great Britain, her native country.

Isabella Lucy Bird was born in the English county of Yorkshire on October 15, 1831. Her father was an Anglican clergyman, and her mother was the daughter of a clergyman. Bird was physically small and frail, and she suffered from ailments throughout her childhood. In 1850, when she was 19, a tumor was removed from her spine. Because the operation was only partially successful, she suffered from insomnia and depression.

Adventure in North America and Hawaii

Bird’s doctor recommended that she travel to divert...