Ontario's Historical Plaques

at ontarioplaques.com

Learn a little Ontario history as told through its plaques

The Erland Lee Home and the First Women's Institute

and

First Women's Institute 1897


There are two plaques at this location.
Both can be seen on this page.

The Erland Lee Home and the First Women's Institute

Photos by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted June, 2009

The Erland Lee Home and the First Women's Institute

Plaque Location

The City of Hamilton
At the Erland Lee Museum
at 552 Ridge Road just west of Dewitt Road


Coordinates: N 43 12.420 W 79 43.324

Map

Plaque Text

This 19th-century farmhouse is the birthplace of the Women's Institutes (WI), an organization that played a vital role in thousands of small communities. Inspired by domestic science reformer Adelaide Hoodless, and supported by her husband Erland, Janet Lee drafted the constitution of the Stoney Creek Women's Institute here in 1897. From these roots emerged a movement that spread throughout Canada and the world. In meeting halls across the country, the WI brought women together to learn diverse skills and to promote civic reform, helping them break the grinding isolation of rural life.




First Women's Institute 1897

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted June, 2004

First Women's Institute 1897

Photo by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted June, 2009

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 plaques
The Associated Country Women of the World
Adelaide Hunter Hoodless 1857-1910

More
Information

More
Associations and Institutes





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