Where Brave Women Show Gratitude
Pay homage to the bold, courageous women who not only made their homes in the Finger Lakes, but also made history here. This driving tour takes you from Fayetteville to Rochester and down to Elmira to celebrate and explore the lives of our nation’s most notable women.
Show Gratitude to Crystal Eastman
Crystal Eastman’s legacy lives on in Elmira, NY. The Eastman family spent a fair bit of time in Elmira, where Crystal became acquainted with notable author Mark Twain. Crystal’s mother served as a pastor for the local community. A historical marker serves as a reminder to Crystal’s legacy in Elmira. Additionally, Crystal is featured in the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls and her family is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Canandaigua, so make note of these locations later on in the itinerary.
Show Gratitude to Amelia Jenks Bloomer
Amelia Jenks Bloomer’s legacy lives on in Cortland, NY. Known for being a feminist icon who invented bloomers for women, excerpts from Amelia’s life can be discovered at the Cortland County Historical Society. When they are not traveling to other museums, replica bloomers can also be found on display there. Travel just a bit north and you can literally walk in Amelia’s footsteps along Main Street in Homer.
A historical marker marks Amelia’s childhood home and honors her legac
Show Gratitude to Matilda Joslyn Gage
Matilda Joslyn Gage’s legacy lives on in Fayetteville, NY. Located along historic Route 20 is Matilda’s former house, now the Matilda Joslyn Gage Museum. The museum showcases Gage’s dedication to social justice, equality, and her efforts to advance the rights of both women and Native Americans. Through exhibits, artifacts, and educational programs, the museum invites visitors to explore the legacy of a trailblazer whose advocacy continues to inspire and shape the ongoing struggle for justice and equality. Matilda Joslyn Gage is buried in nearby Fayetteville Cemetery.
A historical marker marks Amelia’s childhood home and honors her legacy.
Show Gratitude to Frances Seward
Frances Seward’s legacy lives on in Auburn, NY. Frances maintained the family home there while her husband, William Seward, served as the US Secretary of State. The historic home has been turned into the Seward House Museum, filled with both original and period-appropriate furnishings and many of the Seward family’s personal belongings. Visitors are invited to learn about the Seward family while walking through the beautiful gardens and participating in a guided tour of the 17 rooms. Be sure to visit the basement, which Frances turned into a stop on the Underground Railroad. Frances Seward is buried nearby in Fort Hill Cemetery.
Show Gratitude to Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman’s legacy lives on in Auburn, NY. Situated just south of the city center, visitors are invited to get a glimpse into the life of the legendary Underground Railroad conductor at the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. Harriet received the property from William Seward, where she both lived and established the Home for Aged and Indigent Negroes. In addition to viewing the remnants of her former home, visitors can walk through the still-standing home for the aged and visit the exhibits honoring Harriet at the welcoming visitor center. Harriet Tubman is buried nearby in Fort Hill Cemetery.
Show Gratitude to Emily Howland
Emily Howland’s legacy lives on in Aurora, NY. Within the village you will find the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District, containing the Howland Stone Store Museum. Emily’s father Slocum constructed the building in 1837 to use as a general store. Fierce abolitionists, the Howland family also spearheaded the local Underground Railroad movement, using the store as a “station”. Emily Howland devoted her long life (1827–1929) to abolition, women’s suffrage, and education. Today the general store serves as a museum honoring her legacy through a unique collection of abolition and suffrage artifacts.
Rest your head for the evening and show gratitude to modern-day trailblazer Pleasant Rowland at the Inns of Aurora. The series of elegantly-renovated historic buildings exude charm and have stunning views of Seneca Lake.
Show Gratitude to Martha Coffin Wright
Martha Coffin Wright’s legacy lives on in Seneca Falls, NY. The most notable landmark honoring Martha is her statue inside the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. Take some time to explore the historic buildings that served as the basecamp for the first Women’s Rights Convention and imagine what it was like to fight for women’s rights in the 1800s. Martha Coffin Wright is buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn.
Show Gratitude to Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s legacy lives on in Seneca Falls, NY. It’s no secret that Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the key figures in the women’s rights movement. Like Martha, Elizabeth plays a large role at the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. Not only at the main buildings in town, but also at a park across the street and at her home around the corner. A historical marker denotes the significance of her house at 32 Washington Street in Seneca Falls.
Show Gratitude to Elizabeth Blackwell
Elizabeth Blackwell’s legacy lives on in Geneva, NY. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell made history when she became the first woman to ever graduate medical school in the United States. She applied to Geneva Medical College in honor of a close friend who died, and was accepted as a joke. Ultimately, the joke was on the admissions team because Elizabeth graduated at the top of her class in 1849. Now, a statue of Elizabeth Blackwell sits on the quad of the renamed Hobart College in Geneva and you can visit it to pay your respects to her legacy.
Show Gratitude to Jikonsaseh
Jikonsaseh’s legacy lives on in Victor, NY. The “Mother of Nations” is the earliest of our trailblazers, with the least known about her. But we do know that she was an advocate for peace, unity, and women’s rights. You can learn more about Jikonsaseh and the indigenous people that first lived in the Finger Lakes at Ganondagan State Historic Site. Ganondagan, a Seneca name meaning “White Town” or “Town of Peace”, is a living history museum showcasing the 17th century town constructed by the Haudenosaunee people.
Show Gratitude to Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony’s legacy lives on in Rochester, NY. Like many of her fellow trailblazers, Susan’s former home has been converted to a museum in her honor. The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House is steeped in history, as it was the site of Susan B. Anthony’s famous arrest for voting in 1872 and would become the headquarters of the National American Women Suffrage Association when she was its president. Tour the property and delve further into Susan B. Anthony’s story and life’s work for reforms including suffrage, temperance, and abolition. Around the corner from the museum is the famous “Let’s Have Tea” statue depicting a meeting between Susan and Frederick Douglass. Susan B. Anthony is buried in nearby Mount Hope Cemetery.
Show gratitude to hundreds of trailblazing women
No journey honoring “herstory” and female trailblazers in the Finger Lakes is complete without a visit to The National Women’s Hall of Fame. The museum is located in the historic Seneca Knitting Mill, right on the bank of the Seneca-Cayuga Canal. This iconic institution is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of great American women from the past to current day. You will find over 300 inductees across all walks of life and professions, from Harriet Tubman to Michelle Obama. Meander through the exhibits that celebrate and showcase stimulating stories of past and present hard-won achievements.
