Celebrating Women’s History Month in Cayuga County

Many are familiar with Anne Frank and her survival in Europe, as told through the introspections she recounted in her diary. Visitors to Cayuga County have a unique opportunity to experience a token connected with her. On the grounds of the Southern Cayuga School District, a horse chestnut sapling was planted from the very tree that grew outside of where Anne Frank and her family hid during the Holocaust. It is one out of 11 trees that have found homes at historical sites around the country and serves as a visual reminder that all people are of equal value.

View the Southern Cayuga Anne Frank Tree Project outside of school hours or when class is not in session.

Isabel Howland came from a lineage of individuals who were dedicated to serving their community and provided safe houses on the Underground Railroad. Isabel followed in these footsteps, becoming a teacher and suffragist, and a philanthropist in her own right. She rebuilt a house and opened it to the community, fittingly naming the home “Opendore.” 

Tour the fully restored Opendore property – part of the Howland Stone Store Museum – to walk in Isabel’s footsteps, as well as learn more about her legacy and life’s work.

Emily Howland, Isabel’s aunt, broke barriers on numerous fronts as a woman of the 18th century. She helped pave the way for women’s rights through her tireless work as a suffragist; she was an abolitionist who encouraged the education of all Black individuals by teaching them to read and write, and by supporting schools for freed African Americans; and she further cemented her legacy by becoming the first female bank director in history. 

Visit the Howland Stone Store Museum – comprised of Opendore and the Slocum Howland Cobblestone Store – which displays her contributions to movements for the abolition of slavery, education and women’s rights.

Martha Coffin Wright was an avid abolitionist of slavery and leader in the women’s rights movement, opening her home as a station on the Underground Railroad and connecting with other influential figures to organize and hold conventions that would set in motion changes for women’s equality.

Pay your respects to this forward-thinking pioneer – in addition to other notable figures, including Harriet Tubman – at Fort Hill Cemetery.

The Wright family legacy of championing protection and equality for women lived on through Martha’s daughter, Eliza Wright Osborne. Eliza was a prominent local feminist who funded the Women’s Educational and Industrial Union (WEIU), which worked to provide safe housing for garment workers.

Learn more about Eliza’s family history at the Cayuga Museum of History & Art, and walk the grounds of where the WEIU once stood when you visit the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center.

Harriet Tubman, chose Auburn in Cayuga County as her home for more than 50 years. After escaping slavery and leading countless others to freedom through the Underground Railroad, Tubman continued a life of service here, advocating for civil rights, women’s suffrage, and care for the elderly. Today, visitors can explore her legacy at the Harriet Tubman Home and the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, where her remarkable story comes to life. Tubman’s final resting place at Fort Hill Cemetery offers a quiet place to reflect on the enduring impact of a woman whose bravery helped change the course of American history.