Celebrating Women's History in New York
Today is International Women’s Day — a great day to spotlight a few sites around New York that celebrate women who made history and helped shape our culture. This is an incomplete list and there are certainly so many more women whose stories went untold. But consider this a starting point if you are looking to do some exploring over the coming weeks and months and want to celebrate women’s history while you do.
Shirley Chisholm State Park | Brooklyn
Take advantage of a day with good weather and enjoy it outside while celebrating Shirley Chisholm, one of New York’s most iconic women. Chisholm was born in Brooklyn and represented her community in the House of Representatives from 1969-1983. She was the first African American woman elected to Congress, and in 1972, became the first African American candidate for a major party's presidential nomination, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. The park honors her legacy with over 400 acres of land on the Brooklyn waterfront, complete with stunning views of the city and biking and hiking trails.
The park is open every day from 8:00 a.m.-dusk. parks.ny.gov
Hilltop House and Studio | Cazenovia
At Stone Quarry Hill Art Park you will find the historic midcentury home and studio of artist Dorothy Riester and her husband Robert. Hilltop House and its grounds have been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2014, and in 2021 it was included into the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program. Dorothy Riester was an important woman artist working in the mid-twentieth century, and Hilltop House is a testament to her creativity and skill. The house was built in stages between the late 1950s-early 1970s and the interior was designed entirely by Riester. The architecture and the landscape are both deeply intertwined with Dorothy’s art. She was also a noted preservationist: “She founded a movement in Syracuse that successfully sponsored legislation aimed at preserving historic structures, and she was a founding member of the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation. Her preservation work continues with the open fields and wooded fringes of Stone Quarry Hill."
The grounds of the Art Park are open dawn to dusk every day. Tours of Hilltop House are currently postponed. sqhap.org
NYC LGBT Historic Sites Walking Tours | NYC
Explore lesbian history in New York City courtesy of a curated walking tour from the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project. 1970s Lesbian Activism & Community and Lesbian Life Before Stonewall are particularly appropriate for Women’s History Month, but they have several curated themes to choose from. Or, you could always choose your own adventure and use their map to plot your own course through the city. They have documented over 330 historic sites connected to New York City’s LGBT community, “giving life to its oft-untold history and influence on America.”
The NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project was one of our Excellence in Historic Preservation Award winners in 2019.
SANS | Sag Harbor
Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest, and Ninevah Subdivisions (SANS) is a historically African American vacation community on Long Island. It was founded in 1947 by two sisters, Maude Terry and Amaza Lee Meredith, when they established Azurest (Sag Harbor Hills and Ninevah followed shortly after in 1950 and 1952, respectively). These two women negotiated the purchase and development of the land, and through their strong social networks found others to buy and construct houses on the 120 plots there. Amaza Lee Meredith is most well known for her International-style home Azurest South, built on the campus of Virginia State University where she was head of the Art Department. Although not widely known, Meredith is an important figure as a woman working in the field of architecture at a time when both her gender and race put up barriers to her receiving formal training in the field.
SANS is included on the League’s 2020-2021 Seven to Save list.
Howland Stone Store Museum | Sherwood
The Howland Stone Store Museum, part of the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District, has deep ties to both the abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements. The Stone Store building has been documented as an authentic Under Ground Railroad site, based on Slocum Howland’s extensive involvement in abolitionist activities. From their website: “In terms of women’s rights, Emily Howland (1927-1929) was honored as a pioneer of the suffrage movement. She was also a major financier of both the New York State Women Suffrage Association and the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Emily Howland, like many women, came to women’s rights through the abolitionist movement, publishing an antislavery letter when she was only seventeen years old; organizing abolitionist activities; and teaching in abolitionist schools.”
Admission is free, and currently by appointment only. howlandstonestore.org
The League awarded The Howland Stone Store Museum NYSCA-funded Preserve New York grants in 2006 (to support State and National Register of Historic Places listings for the hamlet of Sherwood) and 2020 (to fund a Historic Landscape Report of the 1837 house Opendore).
Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center | East Hampton
While Jackson Pollock might be more of a household name, his wife Lee Krasner was an important artist in her own right. The house and studio they shared on the East End of Long Island remains intact, featuring all of the furniture and artifacts that were present when Krasner died in 1984 (Pollock passed away decades earlier, in 1956). She continued creating art in that studio for the rest of her life. Evidence of her expressive painting style can still be seen on the walls, while Pollock left his signature mark on the studio floor. The house, built in 1879 and home to Pollock and Krasner from 1945, is a National Historic Landmark.
The museum is open from May-October by advance registration only. stonybrook.edu/commcms/pkhouse
Women’s Rights National Historical Park | Seneca Falls
From the National Park Service website: “Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls, NY on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human rights, and equality, global struggles that continue today. The efforts of women’s rights leaders, abolitionists, and other 19th century reformers remind us that all people must be accepted as equals.”
The historic homes of the park are currently closed, but you can enjoy an outdoor tour through their Ranger Talks, weather permitting. nps.gov/wori
Alice Austen House | Staten Island
Alice Austen (1866 – 1952) was a prolific photographer, and one of the first women photographers to work outside of the studio, carrying photographic equipment to document life outside. She captured over 7,000 images during her lifetime. Her home on Staten Island was purchased by her grandfather in 1844. It was built in 1690, originally as a one-room Dutch farmhouse, but John Austen spend decades renovating the structure into a Victorian Gothic cottage. Alice Austen moved to the house in the late-1860s and lived there until illness and financial troubles forced her to leave in 1945. For 30 years, Alice Austen lived there with her partner Gertrude Tate. Her photography not only provides a journalistic view of New York, but it also captures intimate relationships between Victorian women through the lens of a lesbian photographer.
The house is open for pre-booked ticketed tours. aliceausten.org
Susan B Anthony Museum & House | Rochester
From their website: “The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House in Rochester, New York was the home of the legendary American civil rights leader, and the site of her famous arrest for voting in 1872. This home was the headquarters of the National American Woman Suffrage Association when she was its president. This is also where she died in 1906 at age 86, following her “Failure is Impossible” speech in Baltimore.” The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
The museum is open through advance registration only. susanb.org
The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum | Jamestown
Lucille Ball is a Hollywood icon, but she was born in Jamestown, NY. She was a comedic genius and the first woman to run a major television studio. At her museum you can see some of her costumes, props, awards, and recreations of I Love Lucy sets. Lucy’s presence can be felt all around Jamestown. The museum has put together a Lucytown Driving Tour, so you can stop by to see her statue at Lucille Ball Memorial Park, visit her grave in Lake View Cemetery, and spot Lucy-themed murals all over the city.
The museum is open, but they recommend advance registration. lucy-desi.com