Introduction to the In Their Shoes Walking Tour

This is In Their Shoes audio walking tour which is a part of the Welcome to the Delaware County Historical Society Cultural Walks of Muncie program. The tour starts at the DCHS and will end at Courthouse Square. There are 6 stops along the way. This is an interactive tour that will provide visuals through your cell phone camera. There will be audio throughout the tour and you can advance to the next section by touching the next button at the bottom of your screen. Also, you can touch the back button to listen again if you wish. 

Before 1920, the United States Constitution did not guarantee women the right to vote. In 1848, the first women's rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. There was a need and desire for change and social reform. It took almost 70 years from that first convention to the ratification of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution. Women across the country organized state franchise leagues to campaign for the right to vote.

For decades suffragists around the nation had been divided on how to go about securing the right to vote for women. Some advocated for attempts to gain partial or full suffrage on local and state levels. They believed that victories in this manner would help create a stronger case for the federal government to pass a similar measure. Others felt strongly that suffragists needed to start at the top – demanding a federal amendment to the United States Constitution. At the same time, some suffragists believed amendments, whether at the federal or state level, were too difficult to get passed.

Using a variety of approaches, in the last decades of the 19th century, women gained a scattering of suffrage rights in varying states, territories, and communities around the nation. Some were able to secure voting for local matters related to libraries and schools, while others found themselves with a voice in state government.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Women’s suffrage, the DCHS developed the Notable Women of Muncie committee to highlight members of the community who contributed in notable and even infamous ways.

This tour, In Their Shoes will take you on a walking tour through downtown Muncie, to highlight specific spots with connections to the suffrage movement in our community and some of the notable women of Muncie.