Ontario's Historical Plaques

Here's where you can learn a little Ontario history

First Women's Institute 1897

First Women's Institute 1897

Photo by Alan L Brown - June, 2004

First Women's Institute 1897

Photo by contributor Wayne Adam - June, 2009

Plaque Location

The City of Hamilton
In front of the Erland Lee Museum on the south side of Ridge Road just west of Dewitt Road.
Look for the green arrow on the interactive map below.


View Larger Map

Latitude and Longitude Coordinates

43.206994 -79.722061

Plaque Text

The world's first Women's Institute was organized at Squire's Hall, Stoney Creek, in 1897. Erland Lee, a founder of the Farmer's Institute, assisted by his wife, arranged the meeting. About 100 women from the Saltfleet Township district attended and were persuaded by Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless to form an organization of their own to improve their skills in the arts of homemaking and child care. Here, in the Lee home, Mr. Lee subsequently helped to draft the constitution of the new society. Mrs. E.D. Smith of Winona became the first president of the "Mother Institute". The Women's Institutes movement has since become a world-wide organization.

Related Ontario plaque pages
Erland Lee Home and the First Women's Institute
The Associated Country Women of the World
Adelaide Hunter Hoodless 1857-1910

More
Information

More
Associations and Institutes





Here are the comments for this page.

(none yet)

Here's where you can write a comment for this page.

Note: If you wish to ask me a question, please use the email link in the menu.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours
(usually much sooner).