10 Important Women’s Suffrage Locations to Visit in Maryland, Virginia, and DC

 

The women’s suffrage movement has left a mark not only in history but also in many places across the country. There are many important locations and landmarks you can visit to stand where suffragists once stood. It’s a great way to connect to the history of women’s suffrage and put things into perspective. Today, we want to share a few of the most important locations you can check out in Maryland, Virginia, and DC.

 

Women’s Suffrage Locations and Landmarks in Virginia

 

1. The Turning Point Suffragist Memorial

Located in Fairfax County, Virginia, the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial commemorates the millions of lesser-known suffragists who fought for over 70 years to obtain enfranchisement for all. In the 100 years since the passing of the 19th Amendment, a lot of names have been lost to time and this memorial is meant to honor them. It’s located in the Occoquan Regional Park, which is part of the Occoquan Workhouse, where the Night of Terror took place. This memorial is a lovely cultural destination and the nearby River View building offers educational exhibits to further people’s knowledge of the women’s suffrage movement.

 

2. The Lucy Burns Museum

The Lucy Burns Museum is also located in the Occoquan Regional Park and it’s dedicated to 91 years of prison history, including the imprisonment of suffragists in the Night of Terror. Among those suffragists was Lucy Burns, a fierce advocate for women’s suffrage and a strong voice within the movement. As a result, she was one of the most imprisoned suffragists. Visiting the Lucy Burns Museum is an educational experience where you learn about the Occoquan prison and the suffrage movement. There are exhibits, statutes, memorials, and more. It’s free to visit, but the prison tour will cost $5.

 

3. The Virginia Women’s Monument

Located in Capitol Square, Richmond, the Virginia Women’s Monument is not exclusively focused on suffrage, but it does honor suffragists Adele Clark and Ellen Glasgow. The overall purpose of the monument is to acknowledge the brave contributions of Virginian women to the state and the country. It seeks to highlight female figures who are often unrecognized, but who affected real and important change. The Virginia Women’s Monument consists of 7 life-sized bronze statues and it’s a beautiful cultural spot in the city.

 

Women’s Suffrage Locations and Landmarks in Maryland

 

4. The Still Pond Historic District

Located in Kent County, Maryland, the Still Pond Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. The district is home to around 75 buildings from the early 19th century to the 1930s. Among those buildings is the town hall, where the women of Maryland cast their first ballots 12 years before the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The Still Pond Historic District is a very interesting place full of history, so it’s worth visiting and exploring.

 

5. The National Mall

The National Mall is an important cultural spot in Maryland because you’ll find a lot of memorials for people who fought for freedom and helped shape the country. While there’s no monument dedicated to women’s suffrage, it’s worth mentioning that one could be in the works. Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is raising $50 million for a Women’s Suffrage National Monument to be built there. The monument seeks to commemorate women’s rights activists from the 19th and 20th centuries, but it lacks funding, so the organization is campaigning for it.

 

6. The National Votes for Women Trail

The National Votes for Women Trail is not a single landmark, it’s a series of historical markers around the nation and their purpose is to tell the story of women’s suffrage from a variety of perspectives. The historical markers were funded by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation and the federal Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission. They’ve built a database with over 2,400 sites across the country and it shows that women’s suffrage was a national struggle where people from all backgrounds were involved. There are several markers in the Maryland area and you can learn a lot about what each one represents.

 

Women’s Suffrage Locations and Landmarks in DC

7. The Sewall-Belmont House

The Sewall-Belmont House is currently home to the Belmont–Paul Women’s Equality National Monument. The house served as the headquarters for the National Woman’s Party for almost 90 years. It was used as a meeting place and residence for suffragists for almost 90 years. It was founded by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, and this house is where they rallied women to support the 19th Amendment and organize their political actions.

 

8. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs Headquarters

This rowhouse located near Dupont Circle was the first permanent headquarters for the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. The site was home to one of the biggest women’s organizations in the country and a lot of political activism stemmed from there. The house was built in 1875 and the federation, which was founded in 1890, moved into it in 1922 to get more involved in community programs and conservation efforts.

 

9. The Mary Church Terrell House

Mary Church Terrell is one of the most important female figures in American history. She was the president of the National Association of Colored Women and later joined the women’s suffrage movement by becoming a member of the National American Suffrage Association. The Mary Church Terrell House is a National Historic Landmark and it’s one of the stops of the Women’s Suffrage tour of DC.

 

10. The Mary Ann Shadd Cary House

Mary Ann Shadd Cary was another prominent figure in the women’s suffrage movement. She played a major role in the establishment of the Colored Women’s Progressive Franchise Association, which fought for the independent organization of Black women for the right to vote. She’s generally known as the first Black female journalist in North America, the first female journalist in Canada, and one of the first Black female lawyers in the US. This landmark recognizes her career and her dedication to freedom, equality, and the advancement of Black people in the country.

 

Final Words

These are only a few of the women’s suffrage locations and landmarks you can find in Maryland, Virginia, and DC, but keep in mind there are many more across the country. Many important figures of the women’s suffrage movement left their mark and many historical things happened in even the most unassuming spots. So visiting these locations can help you connect with the story and legacy of the women’s suffrage movement.