James Hartness - Brattleboro Historical Society

Evelyn Harris and the ski jump (1920’s)

This week in Brattleboro History we’re going to focus on one of Brattleboro’s many independent women…you may have heard of past trailblazers like Clarina Nichols, Mary Wilkins, Dr. Grace Burnett, Marion McCune Rice and Mary Cabot. Each, in her own way, demonstrated a strength and ability to carve a successful female path in a male-dominated culture. Another female pioneer was Evelyn Harris. She was born in 1897. Her father was the treasurer of the Brattleboro Savings Bank. Her Brother, Fred Harris, was a year and a half older and went on to become a Brattleboro legend. He graduated from Dartmouth College, became President of the Brattleboro Outing Club, organized the construction of the ski jump named after him, founded the Retreat Meadows AirField, became a pilot and was a famous New England sportsman. Evelyn Harris, Fred’s little sister, was just as driven and motivated as Fred but she did not have the same opportunities. […]

Clarina Nichols and Women’s Suffrage (1840’s-1920)

In August, 1920 the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution granted women the right to vote in state and national elections. In the 1800’s, here in Vermont, women’s rights were very limited. Property, personal and voting rights did not exist for women in the early 19th century. Local woman Clarina Nichols worked to change that reality. Nichols was Vermont’s first well-known female leader for reform on women’s issues. In the 1840’s Clarina Nichols was the editor of the local newspaper, the Windham County Democrat. She wrote editorials that argued for women’s rights, African American rights, children’s rights and prohibition. Her advocacy led to a change in Vermont law for married women. In 1847 the Vermont Legislature passed statutes which established more rights for women. Married women gained the right to own property, write their own wills and protect themselves from the debts of their husbands. In 1851 Nichols went on the national stage for women’s rights […]