In times past, if a woman found herself suddenly on her own, there were very few options for her to make her way in the world. Widowhood, abandonment and other circumstances often forced women to turn to one of the only respectable avenues of income available to them opening a boarding house. In this unique volume, Alice Sink and Nickie Doyal tell the stories of resourceful women across North Carolina who opened their homes to strangers out of necessity, and in the process created a kind of family for people who were of no blood relations. Featuring boarding houses from the colonial period through modern times, stretching across the entire state, it's North Carolina history from a new and different perspective! Illustrated with great pictures and recipes that would have graced the boarding house table.