The 19th Amendment, which granted women's suffrage (aka gave women the right to vote), was officially ratified on Aug. 18, 1920.
And to celebrate its centennial, Ohio. Find It Here. (which is apparently part of the state tourism rebrand that uses unnecessary capitalization and punctuation, as well as a font that looks like it was scrawled by ghost fingers) has created a Women in History Road Trip with eight stops throughout Ohio.
According to a release, this collection of both urban and rural locales will provide "travelers and history buffs the opportunity to experience Ohio’s strong connection to the women’s suffrage movement."
“Celebrating women who through dedication and personal sacrifice achieved great things, like women’s suffrage, is the goal of our Ohio. Find It Here. Women in History Road Trip,” says Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Development Services Agency and the first female mayor of Findlay, Ohio (she took office in 2012), in the release. “Many trail-blazing women have, and do, call Ohio home and we are better because of it.”
The eight stops take avid history and suffrage fans from Archbold, Ohio to Cleveland and even makes a stop in Cincinnati at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House.
- Sauder Village’s 1920’s Main Street Experience (Archbold) — Travel back in time from 1803 through the 1920’s at Sauder Village’s 1920’s Main Street Experience, which opened to the public on Aug. 15, 2020.
- Oberlin College (Oberlin) — Marvel at Oberlin College’s beautiful campus and explore the first college in America to grant undergraduate degrees to women in a coeducational program and the first to adopt a policy to admit students of color. Guided tours are available on a limited basis.
- International Women’s Air and Space Museum (Cleveland) — With a mission of showcasing the history and culture of women in aviation & aerospace while inspiring future generations, The International Women’s Air and Space Museum is the best place to celebrate women who have reached new heights. Admission is free.
- Upton House and Women’s Suffrage Museum (Warren) — In 1919, Ohio became the fifth state to ratify the 19th Amendment and also passed a bill ensuring Ohio women's right to vote in the presidential election in November 1920. Learn about the history behind the Amendment and the struggles it took to achieve woman’s suffrage at the Upton House and Women’s Suffrage Museum.
- First Ladies’ National Historic Site (Canton) – Located in the home of First Lady Ida Saxton-McKinley, learn about the wives of the chief executives and how the position of First Lady has changed over time.
- Ohio Statehouse Museum Ladies’ Gallery (Columbus) – Abigail Adams famously told her husband to “Remember the ladies,” and you can honor that sentiment by visiting the Ohio Statehouse Museum Ladies’ Gallery. Discover Ohio’s role in the suffrage movement and historical clothes and banners. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is currently closed to visitors, but self-guided tours of the Ohio Statehouse are open.
- The National Annie Oakley Center at the Garst Museum (Greenville) – Born and raised in Darke County, Ohio, Annie Oakley rose to fame through her physical athleticism and ability to excel in a man’s world. Learn more about the first American female superstar at the Garst Museum.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe House (Cincinnati) – Visit the home of activist and author Harriet Beecher Stowe to celebrate her life, family and legacy. The museum will host multiple events and exhibits celebrating women, including Ohio Women Vote: 100 Years of Change, Women’s Suffrage: Myth & Reality and a Cincinnati Suffrage Walking Tour. Tours are available by appointment.
There's no time like the present — right before a pivotal election — to remember how your ancestors fought for your right to vote while enduring beatings, incarceration and being force fed through tubes inserted in their mouths and nostrils during hunger strikes.
Learn more about each stop at roadtrips.ohio.org and, as always, call or check online at each location before visiting to learn about their COVID-19 policies and any hours or admissions changes.
