Ohio Women’s Rights Travel Itinerary
Tracing the Hidden Suffrage Trail in 3 Days
Follow Ohio’s Women’s Voting Rights Trail through Oberlin, Cleveland, and Toledo with historic sites and heritage landmarks
When we think of the women’s suffrage movement of the early 20th century, places like Seneca Falls, New York, Washington, D.C., or Boston, Massachusetts often come to mind. These cities symbolize the national struggle for women’s rights, where leaders gathered to demand change. Yet the movement was broader, with women stepping in as both advocates and opponents, shaping debates across the country.
Curious about this wider story, I turned to the Ohio’s under-recognized cities to see how they advanced women’s rights. What I found was unexpected and inspiring, showing that the heartland played a vital role in the fight for the vote. It is in these overlooked places that our journey begins.
Key notes
- Oberlin: A trailblazer in women’s education and suffrage, home to early advocates and reform movements.
- Toledo: Grassroots organizing by the Toledo Woman’s Suffrage Association and local leaders fueled Ohio’s path to ratification.
- Cleveland: Preserves women’s rights history through museums, archives, and civic landmarks tied to activism and reform.
Day 1: Oberlin, Ohio
Oberlin College, located in Oberlin, Ohio, stood at the forefront of women’s rights in the mid‑19th century. Long before the famous Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, Oberlin was admitting female students as early as 1837, a full eighty‑two years before the 19th Amendment was passed in 1919. As the first co‑educational college in the United States, Oberlin helped lay the groundwork for broader conversations about equality and access.
Oberlin’s decision to admit women gave them access to higher education and the confidence to challenge traditional gender roles. This progress nurtured leaders like Lucy Stone and Antoinette Brown Blackwell, whose activism helped propel the women’s suffrage movement forward.
The places outlined below invite you to walk in the footsteps of these pioneering women and offer a deeper, more immersive understanding of their history.
Oberlin Heritage Center
The Oberlin Heritage Center, Oberlin’s historical society, features historic homes and a museum, and offers guided, self‑guided, and group tours.
Relevance: Tours cover a variety of topics and include a suffragette focused tour titled: “One Step More: Oberlin Women’s History Walk”
Address: 73 1/2 S. Professor St. Oberlin, Ohio. 44074
Parking: 20 West Vine Street, Oberlin, Ohio 44074. The Monroe House is located at the end of the parking lot.
Cost: $3-$10, depending on the tour
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10am – 3pm & by appointment
Oberlin College Campus
Oberlin College was both an educational institution and a hub for reform, producing alumnae who became national suffrage leaders and making the campus a symbolic birthplace of women’s higher education and activism.
Relevance: Stroll through the Oberlin campus, where women once challenged societal boundaries. Stop at the First Congregational Church, a hub for reform lectures and gatherings, and explore the College Archives & Special Collections, which preserve the records of alumnae who became leaders in the suffrage movement.
Address: 7 N Main St, Oberlin, Ohio, 44074
Parking: Visitor parking is available next to the College of Arts and Sciences (38 East College Street, Oberlin, Ohio, 44074).
Cost: Free
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm for offices
Day 2: Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio emerged as a key center of women’s suffrage advocacy, with the Toledo Woman’s Suffrage Association and several local activists playing pivotal roles through their campaigns and collaborations with leaders across the state and nation.
Women such as Sara Bissell of Toledo collaborated closely with national leaders to campaing for women’s suffrage during Ohio’s consitutional amendment efforts. These leaders represented the grassroots organizing that kept pressure on politicans and helped normalize women’s public advocacy.
Toledo Museum of Art
While not directly tied to the women’s suffrage movement, the Toledo Museum of Art showcases the talent of women artists through museum exhibits.
Relevance: Discover new women artists and see activism in various forms.
Address: 2445 Monroe Street, Toledo, OH 43620
Parking: The main parking lot is located off Monroe Street, behind the Green Building.
Cost: Free for general admission. $10 for special galleries.
Hours: Hours vary for the museum and certain galleries are closed due to renovations. Click here for more information.
Canaday Center
The University of Toledo’s Canaday Center houses archival records of the Toledo Woman’s Suffrage Association, including petitions, correspondence, and organizational documents.
Relevance: The Canaday Center is a research‑rich stop for anyone interested in exploring the local voices that fueled Ohio’s suffrage campaigns.
Address: Located on the fifth floor of the William S. Carlson Library. 2975 W Centennial Dr, Toledo, OH 43606
Parking: Recommended parking for Carlson Library includes lots 10 and 13 and require the purchase of a guest pass.
Cost: Free
Hours: Access to the collections is by appointment only. Click here for more information.
Old West End Neighborhood
Known for its civic activism and reform-era residents, this neighborhood has historic homes that connect to Toledo’s reform culture, where suffrage advocacy was part of a larger push for social change.
Relevance: This historic neighborhood connects you to reform-era residents through historic homes, and annual tours.
Address: Collingswood Blvd. and Scottswood Ave. are a few of the streets in the neighborhood.
Parking: Residential neighborhood with various street signs for parking.
Cost: Free
Hours: Information about historic home tours can be found here.
Day 3: Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland played a notable role in the women’s rights movement through its reform networks, civic activism, and cultural institutions. The city was home to strong suffrage organizations, including the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland, which grew out of local suffrage campaigns after the passage of the 19th Amendment.
Cleveland resident, Caroline Seymour Severance actively participated in the temperance, abolition, and women’s rights movement and was inspired to found the Ohio Women’s Rights Association and led its first convention in 1853. She would later address the Ohio legislature to advocate for women’s property and wage rights.
Cleveland was also instrumental in hosting National Women’s Rights Conventions and was a hub for suffrage activity.
Cleveland History Center and the Hay-McKinney Mansion
The Cleveland History Center, operated by the Western Reserve Historical Society, has become an important site for exploring women’s rights history in Ohio. By connecting local archives, reform movements, and national milestones, the Cleveland History Center offers visitors a chance to see how Ohio women shaped the fight for equality and how their legacy continues to influence civic life today.
Relevance: Explore exhibits on civic reform, women’s activism, and Ohio’s role in suffrage.
Address: 10825 East Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.
Parking: Parking lot adjacent to History Center with associated fees.
Cost: $8-15
Hours: Change depending on season, click here for more information.
International Women’s Air and Space Museum
Located at Burke Lakefront Airport, the International Women’s Air & Space Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of women pioneers in aviation and space.
Relevance: The museum’s mission ties directly to women’s rights history: aviation and aerospace were industries where women were explicitly excluded for decades, mirroring the broader fight for equality in education, employment, and politics.
Address: 1501 N Marginal Rd, Cleveland, OH 44114
Parking: Adjacent to the building
Cost: Free
Hours: The museum office, gift shop and Fay Gillis Wells Research Center are open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Exhibits are open for self-guided tours seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Conclusion
From Oberlin’s pioneering role in education and early suffrage advocacy, to Cleveland’s museums and reform landmarks that highlight women’s activism, and Toledo’s grassroots organizing through the Toledo Woman’s Suffrage Association, each city reflects a unique chapter in Ohio’s women’s rights story. Together, they show how local voices and institutions contributed to the national struggle for equality, reminding us that the fight for women’s rights was not confined to one place or moment but built through interconnected communities across the state. These sites today offer opportunities to honor that legacy and inspire continued intersectional activism.