Rice County Women

On Thursday, February 7, Susan Garwood, RCHS Executive Director, will talk about early Rice County Women and their role in settling the county. When we talk about the county’s “founders” we list Alexander Faribault, John North, John Archibald, Bishop Whipple, and Thomas Buckham. Perhaps it seems obvious, but it is vital to remember that Rice County could not have been settled without women. This program will touch on the Rice County women who were the first homesteading owners of land, the 14 women listed as business owners in Faribault in 1880, the women who took over when their husbands died and finished the work of founding Morristown and helped found Northfield, and more. Garwood will discuss Rice County’s female teachers, artists, workers, and wives whose achievements made Rice County what it is today.

Garwood has been the Executive Director for the Rice County Historical Society for over 9 years. Before working at RCHS, she worked at the Northfield Historical Society and Carleton College; a collective 24 years of researching, studying, and sharing Rice County History.

The program will begin at 7:00pm. at the Rice County Historical Society Museum of History, 1814 NW Second Avenue, Faribault MN. Refreshments will be served following the program. Admission is $2.00 for non-members and FREE for members. Reservations are encouraged. Please contact the Rice County Historical Society at (507) 332-2121 with any questions.