Celebrate Women’s History Month
Celebrate Women’s History Month
By Shannon Hughes and Karen Menard
While planning for the future it never hurts to look back at the past. This month we decided to look at the women from Lucas County who made it into the Ohio Hall History Connection’s Hall of Fame. It was humbling to see that so many of those women have had an influence on our Metroparks—either through our partnerships with the worthy agencies they founded, their writing of the wonders of Lucas County, or from their educational outreach efforts. While we would love to highlight all 25 Lucas County ladies, there isn’t enough room in one blog to do them justice, so here are a few to, hopefully, get you curious enough to check out the others listed below.
Grace Berlin inducted into the hall of fame in 1980, graduated from Oberlin College in 1923 with a degree in ecology. She held offices in The National Audubon Society and National Wildlife Association, while also writing on historical topics such as one-room schoolhouses.
Aurora Gonzales (1995) was an activist who was instrumental in working to ensure the Hispanic community has access to necessary services that had previously been unavailable to them. In founding and leading the La Voz del Barrio and later Centre Unico she made Toledo history. The building was later renamed to the Aurora Gonzales Building in her honor, a first for the Hispanic community. She was also the first Hispanic woman inducted into the Ohio Hall of Fame.
Bettye Ruth Kay dedicated her life to education and helping adults with autism. Bittersweet Farms was created as a residential farmstead to help provide individuals with the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe environment. Bittersweet Farms is so successful it’s considered a model for farmsteads in the U.S. and aboard. For her work, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
Joyce “Snowfeather” Mahaney worked tirelessly to protect Native American culture and to educate on the importance of Native American history. She established the American Indian Tribal Association of Toledo in 1988, and helped preserve Fallen Timbers Battlefield. For her dedicated she was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
For more awe-inspiring authors, activists and dreamers check out the women below.
Mildred Benson (1993), Christine Brennan (1995), Alvina Costilla (1999), Norma Craden (1988), Ruth Davis (2001) Margarita De Leon (2000), Joan Durgin (2008) Geraldine Jensen (1998) Billie Johnson (2008), Marcy Kaptur (1984), Geraldine Macelwane (1993), Dr. Nina McClelland (2010) Martha J. Pituch, Ph.D., R.N (1991) Alice Robie Resnick (1995) Elizabeth Ruppert M.D. (2010) Mother Mary Adelaide Sandusky (2009) Ella P. Steward (1978) Gloria Steinem (1983) Marigene Valiquette (1978) Celia Williamson (2009).
Other influential women that had strong impacts on environmental preservation on more of a global scale, are Indiana’s Gene Stratton-Porter (1863-1924), for her contributions to the preservation and value of midwestern natural history through writing and wildlife photography. With a strong passion for sharing the wonders of the natural world, she was inspired to author books about nature conservation through her outdoor experiences, exploring the diversity of flora and fauna on her large property in northern Indiana. She is regarded as one of Indiana’s most popular female authors, appealing to millions of readers and advocating for conservation. Her legacy and life story are specially showcased at the Gene Stratton-Porter Museum and grounds in Rome City, IN (only about 100 miles from Toledo), honoring her many accomplishments.
For more information, click on the links below:
Did you know?
Gene Stratton-Porter also founded her own production company and produced movies inspired by some of her novels. She earnestly advocated for local wetland conservation and urged legislative support.
And, last, but certainly not least, another very well-known lady--Dr. Jane Goodall (1934-2025), conservationist, scientist, author, and tireless advocate for animal welfare and the protection of our planet, is also highlighted here. Her lifetime of tremendous achievements has created a ripple effect, touching the world in so many amazing ways. Jane not only dedicated much of her life to revolutionizing the study of chimpanzees, but she founded the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots and Shoots youth program to continue to support important conservation endeavors. Jane believed that everyone could contribute powerfully to a greater conservation effort; and each individual’s small deeds will add up to create a larger impact on our world---both locally and globally.
For more information, click on the links below:
Did you know?
Jane researched chimpanzee families for more than six decades in Tanzania. She also authored 32 books, with half of them written for children.
