Maine Women's Hall of Fame facts for kids
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Senator Margaret Chase Smith.
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| Established | 1990 |
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| Location | Bernard D. Katz Library University of Maine 46 University Drive Augusta, Maine 04330 |
The Maine Women's Hall of Fame is a special honor created in 1990. It celebrates the amazing achievements of women connected to the U.S. state of Maine. Every March, during Women's History Month, new women are welcomed into the Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame is on display at the Bennett D. Katz Library at the University of Maine at Augusta. You can also see it online on the university's website.
Contents
How Women Are Chosen
Anyone can nominate a woman for this honor. To be chosen, a woman must meet three important goals:
- Her work must have made a big difference across the entire state of Maine.
- Her achievements must have greatly improved the lives of other women in Maine.
- Her work must have a lasting value for women in the future.
Famous Members
The Hall of Fame includes many inspiring women from different fields. There are politicians, scientists, athletes, and authors. By 2011, 35 women had been honored. Since then, many more have joined the list.
Pioneering Inductees
The very first two women to be honored in 1990 were Mabel Sine Wadsworth and Margaret Chase Smith.
Mabel Sine Wadsworth spent her life working on important issues. She cared deeply about mothers' health and family planning. She even founded the Wadsworth Women's Health Center to help others.
Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman from Maine elected to the United States Senate. She was a very important political figure. In 1964, she even ran for President of the United States in the Republican Party primary. She was also known for being brave. She was the first Republican to publicly disagree with the harsh tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy.
Other Notable Honorees
Over the years, many other famous women have been added.
- Joan Benoit is an Olympic gold medalist in marathon running.
- Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins also became U.S. Senators, following in Margaret Chase Smith's footsteps.
- Elizabeth S. Russell was a brilliant geneticist, a scientist who studies genes.
- Judith Magyar Isaacson was an author and a survivor of the Holocaust, a terrible event in world history. She shared her story to teach others about human rights.
List of Honorees
Here is a list of the women who have been welcomed into the Maine Women's Hall of Fame.
| Name | Image | Birth–Death | Year | Area of achievement | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra L. Caron | 2023 | Professor and author | |||
| Julia G. Kahrl | (1934–) | 2022 | Advocate for women's health choices | ||
| Jessica Meir | .jpg) |
(1977–) | 2022 | Astronaut, biologist | |
| Joyce Taylor Gibson | 2021 | Associate Professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Southern Maine | |||
| Leigh Saufley |  |
(1954–) | 2021 | Dean of the University of Maine School of Law and former Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court | |
| Joanne D’Arcangelo | 2020 | Activist for women's equal rights and political strategist | |||
| Betty-Jane Stanhope Meader | 2020 | Thomas College professor, leader in educational groups | |||
| Darylen McQuirk Cote | 2019 | Advocate for women's health, equality and education | |||
| Janet Mills | .jpg) |
(1947–) | 2019 | 75th Governor of Maine | |
| Julia Clukey | (1985–) | 2018 | Olympic luger | ||
| Cornelia Thurza "Fly Rod" Crosby | .png) |
(1854–1946) | 2018 | Maine’s First Licensed Guide | |
| Ann Schonberger | (1940–2022) | 2017 | University of Maine Mathematics. One of the founders of the Women’s Studies Program at the University of Maine Orono | ||
| Clara Swan | (1912–2017) | 2017 | President of Casco Bay College and a Husson College Business Professor | ||
| Connie Adler | 2016 | Physician and women's health advocate | |||
| Elizabeth Ward Saxl | 2016 | Advocate for victims and survivors of assault | |||
| Ellen F. Golden | (1946–) | 2015 | Senior Vice President at CEI (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.) | ||
| Barbara W. Woodlee | (1946–) | 2015 | Retired president of Kennebec Valley Community College; chief academic officer for the Maine Community College System | ||
| Laurie G. Lachance | 2014 | First woman president of Thomas College | |||
| Patricia E. Ryan | 2014 | Executive director of the Maine Human Rights Commission and a founding member of the Maine Women's Lobby | |||
| Lyn Mikel Brown | (1956–) | 2013 | Co-founder of Hardy Girls Healthy Women, activist, author, researcher and professor at Colby College | ||
| Mary Cathcart | (1942–) | 2013 | Former Maine State Representative and State Senator; co-director of a leadership program | ||
| Mary Farrar | (1949–) | 2012 | Victims' advocate | ||
| Ruth L. Lockhart | 2012 | Women's health advocate, women's rights activist, AIDS educator | |||
| Susan Collins |  |
(1952–) | 2011 | United States Senate | |
| Katherine O. Musgrave | (1920–2015) | 2011 | Professor of Food and Nutrition at the University of Maine | ||
| Thelma C. Swain | (1908–2008) | 2010 | Philanthropist (a person who gives money to good causes) | ||
| Sharon Barker | (1949–2023) | 2009 | Director University of Maine Women's Resource Center | ||
| Karen Heck | (1952–) | 2008 | Advocate for women's issues | ||
| Florence Brooks Whitehouse | .jpg) |
(1869–1945) | 2008 | Fighter for women's right to vote | |
| Laura Fortman |  |
(1954–) | 2007 | U.S. Department of Labor official | |
| Dale McCormick | .jpg) |
(1947–) | 2007 | Former Maine State Treasurer and State Senator | |
| Chilton R. Knudsen |  |
(1946–) | 2006 | Bishop of Maine, Episcopal Church | |
| Patricia M. Collins | (1927–2024) | 2005 | Mayor of Caribou (1981–1982) and charity leader | ||
| Judy Ayotte Paradis | (1944–) | 2005 | Maine House of Representatives | ||
| Sharon H. Abrams | (1949–) | 2004 | Executive Director of the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers | ||
| Judith Magyar Isaacson | (1925–2015) | 2004 | Holocaust survivor, human rights activist, author | ||
| Nancy H. Hensel | (1943–) | 2003 | President University of Maine at Presque Isle | ||
| Theodora J. Kalikow | (1941–) | 2002 | President, University of Maine at Farmington | ||
| Linda Smith Dyer | (1948–2001) | 2001 | Co-founder of Maine Women's Lobby | ||
| Chellie Pingree |  |
(1955–) | 2001 | United States House of Representatives | |
| Caroline D. Gentile | (1924–2008) | 2000 | Physical education instructor | ||
| Joan Benoit Samuelson |  |
(1957–) | 2000 | American marathon runner who won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics | |
| Elizabeth H. Mitchell | (1940–) | 1999 | Maine State Senate | ||
| Olympia J. Snowe |  |
(1947–) | 1999 | United States Senate | |
| Lois Galgay Reckitt | .jpg) |
(1944–2023) | 1998 | Executive Director, Family Crisis Services, Portland, Maine | |
| Ethel Wilson Gammon | (1916–2009) | 1997 | Founder, Washburn-Norlands Living History Center | ||
| Mildred Brown Schrumpf | (1903–2001) | 1997 | Home economist, nutritionist | ||
| Elizabeth W. Crandall | (1914–2005) | 1996 | Environmentalist, woman's issues advocate | ||
| Marti Stevens | (c. 1939–1993) | 1996 | Theatre director, actress, educator | ||
| Eloise Vitelli |  |
(1949–) | 1995 | Advocate for women in business | |
| Esther E. Wood | (1905–2002) | 1994 | Writer, teacher, historian | ||
| Dorothy M. Healy | (1904–1990) | 1993 | College professor who helped create the Maine Women's Writers Collection | ||
| Ninetta May Runnals | (1885–1980) | 1992 | Dean of Women at Colby College | ||
| Gail H. Laughlin |  |
(1868–1952) | 1991 | First female lawyer from Maine, served in state government | |
| Gilda E. Nardone | (1947–) | 1991 | Director of a program to help homemakers find jobs | ||
| Elizabeth S. Russell |  |
(1913–2001) | 1991 | Geneticist | |
| Margaret Chase Smith |  |
(1897–1995) | 1990 | United States Senate, United States House of Representatives | |
| Mabel Sine Wadsworth | (1910–2006) | 1990 | Advocate for family planning and women's health |
See also
In Spanish: Salón de la Fama de las mujeres de Maine para niños
