A Day in Seneca Falls
Let’s go back and talk some more about our spring break trip . . .
After 2 days on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, we headed to upstate New York. Our destination? Seneca Falls, the OG reason for the trip and the fulfillment of a promise I made to myself nearly 40 years ago when I first studied women’s history at Wheaton.
Seneca Falls, as you may know, was the site of the first women’s rights convention in July 1848. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to go and I’m not embarassed to say that I got a bit verklempt when we turned onto Main St. I told Dale it was like the feeling I know he has every time we visit Gettysburg. A feeling of . . . gratitude . . . a feeling of . . . belonging . . . a feeling of . . . I’ve been here before and I’m returning.
We visited the Women’s Rights National Park and the Wesleyan Chapel where the Declaration of Sentiments was presented and voted on. We toured the exhibits and bought some souvenirs.
And we found the When Anthony Met Stanton Statue.
I shook hands all round and I call this photo when Julius Met the Suffragists.
We also found the Ripples of Change monument which depicts Laura Cornelius Kellogg, Harriet Tubman, Martha Coffin Wright, and Sojourner Truth. This monument recognizes the contributions and work of Indigenous women and women of color and adds some welcome diversity to the narrative surrounding what happened at Seneca Falls.
I’m so glad we made the trip here. I felt humbled by the work these women did and the heroism they demonstrated in organizing the earliest days of the women’s rights movement. In a time when women feel less and less valued in our country, it did my heart good to be there.
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What a great vitas. I did not know about Seneca Falls, so thank you for sharing. Those monuments are wonderful.
*visit…not vitas
I am a bit verklempt thinking about you going there, Carole! (and just a trifle envious too!) Seneca Falls is on my “wish list” as well… thanks for sharing this to move it up a bit! XO
When we lived in Syracuse I knew Seneca Falls as a place that usually got even more snow than Syracuse, but it’s good to know that something more important happened there. (Now if we can only keep from losing all of their hard-won rights …)
Oooooo! I got chills. I’m so glad you were able to visit Seneca Falls! I love those statues, and would love to make their acquaintance myself someday! XO
Thank you for this post. I didn’t know about Seneca Falls which upsets me a bit as I was originally from NY although I’ve lived most of my life in CA. I need to study up on it a bit now.
I’m ashamed of how little I know about women’s rights. I really should study up. Love all the statues and it sounds like you had a wonderful time.
I have chills just reading about your trip — so glad you made it and that it was such a moving visit for you! I really like the photo of you in the middle of the statues. I’m especially glad to hear that they are honoring the contributions of non-white women as well; their stories so often get left out.
What a wonderful experience for you! I also ashamed to know so little. I did visit the Women’s History Trail in Franklin, NC recently and also fascinating. There’s so much to learn out there!
I’m so glad you were able to visit Seneca Falls! I will always remember my first time visiting Seneca Falls because my grandmother shared how much it meant to her when women finally got the right to vote.