The Wyoming House For Historic Women, also known as Wyoming Women's History House is a museum in downtown

Laramie, Wyoming Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was estimated 32,711 in 2019, making it the third-largest city in Wyoming after Cheyenne and Casper. Located on the Laramie River in southeastern ...

, United States, which celebrates the achievements of 13 women from the state of Wyoming. It was established by the Louisa Swain Foundation, which honors

Louisa Swain Louisa Ann Swain (née Gardner; 1801 – January 25, 1880) was the first woman in the United States to vote in a General election (U.S.), general election. She cast her ballot on September 6, 1870, in Laramie, Wyoming. Biography Born Louisa An ...

, the first woman in the United States to vote in a

general election A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...

. She cast her ballot on September 6, 1870, in

. The museum opened in 2012. The Wyoming State Historical Society says Swain was "the first woman in the world to cast a ballot under laws giving women and men equal voting rights". The Johnson Lummis Hunkins Plaza is outside the Wyoming House for Historic Women. A statue of Louisa Swain in her honor was dedicated in the Johnson Lummis Hunkins Plaza in 2005. The statue is called "The Franchise", and was created by John D. Baker.

The women

The women who form the subject matter of the museum are: * Louisa Gardner Swain, first woman in the United States to vote in a

, 1870 * Eliza Stewart, first woman in America selected to serve on a jury, 1870 *

Martha Symons Boies Atkinson Martha (Hebrew language, Hebrew: מָרְתָא‎) is a Bible, biblical figure described in the Gospels of Gospel of Luke, Luke and Gospel of John, John. Together with her siblings Lazarus of Bethany, Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, she is describe ...

, first female

bailiff A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...

in the United States, 1870 * Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President

Dick Cheney Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...

* Barbara Cubin, first woman to represent Wyoming in Congress, starting in 1995 * Verda James, first woman to serve a full term as the

Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives The Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Wyoming House of Representatives. The Speaker has historically been a member of the majority party who is the ''de facto'' leader of their party. The current Hou ...

* Marilyn S. Kite, first female Chief Justice on the Wyoming Supreme Court, chosen in 2010 * April Brimmer Kunz, first female President of the Wyoming Senate, starting in 2003 and ending in 2005 * All Woman Council of Jackson, an all-woman city government (including town council and mayor, who in turn appointed women to town marshal, town clerk and treasurer), elected in 1920 * Anna Edith Miller, first woman licensed as a nurse in Wyoming, licensed in 1909 *

Esther Hobart Morris Esther Hobart Morris (August 8, 1812 – April 2, 1902) was the first woman justice of the peace in the United States. She began her tenure as justice in South Pass City, Wyoming, on February 14, 1870, serving a term of nearly 9 ...

, first female

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

in the United States, 1870 *

Estelle Reel Estelle Reel (1862 - August 2, 1959) was an educator and the first woman elected to Wyoming public office as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1895. She was appointed as the national Superintendent of Indian Schools by William McKin ...

, first woman elected to Wyoming public office, as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, elected in 1895 *

Nellie Tayloe Ross Nellie Davis Tayloe Ross (November 29, 1876 – December 19, 1977) was an American educator and politician who served as the 14th governor of Wyoming from 1925 to 1927, and as the 28th and first female director of the United States Mint from 193 ...

, Governor and first female Director of the U.S. Mint

References

External links

* {{Coord, 41, 18, 37.4, N, 105, 35, 40.3, W, region:US-WY, display=title Museums in Albany County, Wyoming 2012 establishments in Wyoming Buildings and structures in Laramie, Wyoming Tourist attractions in Laramie, Wyoming Museums established in 2012 Women's museums in the United States Buildings and structures completed in 2012 Women in Wyoming History museums in Wyoming History of women in Wyoming