Women's Suffrage

Albina Washburn (1837–1921) was an important early resident of what is now Loveland and later an influential proponent of women’s suffrage and temperance across Colorado. In 1876 she advocated for women’s suffrage at the state constitutional convention, and in 1880 she cofounded the Colorado branch...

Clara Cressingham (1863–1906) served in the Colorado House of Representatives in 1895, making her one of the first female legislators in the United States, along with Frances Klock and Carrie Clyde Holly . In office, she became the first woman to serve in a leadership role (as secretary of the...

Eliza Pickrell Routt (1839–1907) was the first First Lady of the territory and later state of Colorado in 1875–79 and 1891–93. A strong supporter of women’s suffrage , she used her position as wife of Governor John Long Routt to advocate for expanded voting rights. When Colorado became the second...

Elizabeth Piper Ensley (1847–1919) was a political activist and reformer who worked throughout her life for gender and racial equality. The daughter and wife of formerly enslaved people, she came to Colorado in 1887 and soon helped lead the first successful campaign for statewide women’s suffrage...

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) is an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement and enhancing the lives of others. In 1906 the group’s Colorado chapter helped establish Mesa Verde National Park , its most enduring contribution to the state. Founded in 1890...

Helen Ring Robinson (c. 1860–1923) was the first woman elected to the Colorado State Senate in 1912 and the second woman elected to any state senate in the nation. In her role as senator during the Progressive Era , she was a passionate advocate for social reform that supported women, education,...

John Long Routt (1826–1907) was Colorado’s last territorial governor and first state governor. A popular politician, he was elected to two separate, two-year terms as governor and is remembered for his leadership in bringing Colorado to statehood . He supported the cause of women’s suffrage in...

Lucy Stone (1818–93) was an orator, abolitionist, and suffragette who founded the American Woman Suffrage Association. In 1877 she campaigned for a women’s suffrage referendum in Colorado alongside fellow suffrage champion Susan B. Anthony . Although the 1877 measure was defeated, Stone and Anthony...

Mary Carr (1838–1933) was a dedicated philanthropist, cofounder of Longmont ’s first public school and one of its first teachers, charter member of the National Woman’s Relief Corps , and an activist for women’s suffrage and equality. She helped shape modern Colorado by aiding in the establishment...

The Non-Partisan Equal Suffrage Association was the main organization in Colorado working toward granting women the right to vote . The association and its precursors were influential for more than thirty years, from Colorado’s failed suffrage referendum in 1877 to its successful suffrage...

Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906) was a well-known civil rights activist and prominent leader of the women’s suffrage movement . She made her first visit to Colorado in 1877 to advocate for women’s suffrage before an upcoming referendum. Although she spent little time in Colorado, Susan B. Anthony...