I’m Cate LiaBraaten, and I have been the Museum Operations Manager at the Frances Willard House since 2018. I have worked on a variety of tasks and projects that range from administrative to curatorial. This spring, I will be leaving the museum to focus on writing my dissertation. As I leave this position behind, I … Read more
In the spring of 1900, hundreds of people received invitations to the dedication of the new National Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) headquarters at “Rest Cottage, Evanston, Illinois.” Rest Cottage was the nickname Frances Willard had given her home – at least partially in jest as so much of her working life happened within its walls. … Read more
March is Women’s History Month and this year we are thinking about the places where women’s history happened, why it is so important to preserve them, and how easily they can be lost and forgotten. In advance of our program (Sunday 3/28 at 4 pm) – A Conversation with Michelle Duster: author of Ida B. … Read more
By Fiona Maxwell, Museum Fellow, and Lori Osborne, CWHL Executive Director Historic buildings offer a tangible and immersive way to explore past women’s lives and work. Some women’s history sites have been protected in recognition of their historic significance and educational potential. Yet, for all of the sites that have been maintained, far too many … Read more
March is Women’s History Month – a time set aside to tell women’s stories, revealing the significant and often forgotten role women played in making our communities. This year, we are thinking about the places where women’s history happened, why it is so important to preserve them, and how easily they can be lost and … Read more
By Elizabeth Schmidt, Fall 2020 Intern As 2021 begins, many people will make typical New Year’s resolutions to get in shape and become healthier. These resolutions often include a vow to moderate the use of alcohol. This will be particularly meaningful after a year when, due to the pandemic, health was everyone’s main concern, and … Read more
One of our Executive Director’s favorite non-Willard quotes is “It takes a village.” We approach the end of 2020 with gratitude for everyone who has made our work during this challenging year possible: staff, volunteers, interns, Board and Council members, and supporters far and wide. Without these villagers, we couldn’t have maintained Frances Willard’s “Do Everything” approach at the level we did this year. In this post we focus on … Read more
By Fiona Maxwell A group of visitors from Sky Island crowded around the fat dictionary on Frances Willard’s bedroom desk. They had found a clue – a mysterious annotation that held the secret to the unknown history of woman’s suffrage on Sky Island. Sky Island is the creation of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade … Read more
By Hannah Lahti, Remote Summer Intern The social and political reformer Frances Willard remains notable throughout history as a champion of women’s rights and a leader of the nineteenth century’s national reform movement. Historians study the impact of her work to understand the role of women and women’s movements in the fight for women’s … Read more
By Fiona Maxwell The Frances Willard House is one of the first house museums in the United States dedicated to the life and work of a woman. Upon her death in 1898, Frances Willard willed her home to the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. In 1900, the WCTU established its national headquarters in the north side … Read more