Women's Rights in Seneca Falls, New York

Seneca Falls, New York is a small village along the Erie Canal. In the early 19th century it was a mill town. The falls of Seneca Falls provided waterpower to run the factories. The Erie Canal, linked to Seneca Falls in 1828, eliminated the falls but still provided waterpower for the factories. Seneca Falls was a prospering little town.

Along Erie Canal in Seneca Falls

An old mill on the canal

Today, Seneca Falls may be best known as the birthplace of the Women’s Rights Movement. Congress established the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in 1980. We were very impressed with the facility. Inside the Visitor’s Center was a near life size sculpture of the organizers and supporters of the first Women’s Rights Convention. Included in the sculpture are Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass, the M’Clintocks, Motts, and Hunts.

Statue of Convention organizers

Only a portion of the walls and roof are left of the Wesleyan Chapel were the Convention took place with some 300 people in attendance, both men and women. It was in the Wesleyan Chapel that Stanton read the Declaration of Sentiments demanding equal rights for women. Between the Chapel and the Visitor’s Center is a small park in which a granite wall has been erected. The Declaration of Sentiments has been etched into the granite along with the names of the people who signed it at the convention in 1848.

What's left of Wesleyan Chapel

Wall with Declaration of Sentiments

Across the canal, down the street, and around the corner is the Stanton House. It wasn’t furnished like so many of the homes of the famous operated by the National Park Service. However, there was a very knowledgeable Ranger who explained in detail all you ever want to know about Elizabeth Cady Stanton. We were the only ones there so we got a private tour. It was great.

Stanton House

M'Clintock House

In the next village over, Waterloo, is the restored home of the M’Clintocks. It was in this home that the draft of the Declaration of Sentiments was written.

We enjoyed our day. Gene especially had fun clowning around at the statue depicting the meeting of Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

Gene meets Susan Anthony