Women's History in America: Where Women Made History | National Trust for Historic Preservation

Women's History Campaign — Where Women Made History

Every place has a woman's story to tell.

The history of women and women’s achievements are—quite literally—everywhere, and you cannot tell the history of the United States without those stories. In spite of this, only 4 percent of National Historic Landmarks are designated for women, and representation on the National Register is unknown because it is not something that is actively tracked.

The result is that women, girls, and people who identify as female do not see themselves reflected in the history they encounter at historic places. This is particularly true for women of color, Indigenous women, and women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, because their histories can be exceptionally—and often intentionally—difficult to find.

Through our Where Women Made History initiative, the National Trust seeks to inspire change in preservation practice, encourage gender equity, and increase the representation of these important stories across all aspects of our work.

Meet the women (and places) who inspired our Women’s History program design.

Donate Today to Help Save the Places Where Our History Happened.

Support the National Trust for Historic Preservation today and your generosity will protect the important historic places that tell the full American story, including those where women made an impact on our history.

Explore how we are protecting and celebrating the legacies of women and the places where they made history:

Los Angeles Partnership for Gender Equity in Historic Designation is working on a new model for gender equitable designation in Los Angeles.
Dorothy C. Radgowski Learning Through Women’s Achievement in the Arts Grant Program supports the exploration of women’s influence at sites of creativity across the Historic Artists' Home and Studios network
Partnership with Benjamin Moore focused on the preservation of sites in America where women from all walks of life have made history including Azurest South and TEP Center.
All-female HOPE (Hands-On Preservation Experience) Crew projects are introducing young girls and women to a new professional path by engaging with women’s history through the restoration of prominent women’s history sites.
Women’s Leadership Initiative of RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects) is a collaboration to provide pro bono design, planning, and technical services.
Where Women Made History crowdsourcing campaign inspired the public to identify places showcasing the unknown and underappreciated stories of women as professionals, artists, activists, scholars, entrepreneurs, and preservationists.