Preservation project to save Susan B. Anthony’s childhood home in New York State
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement coincides with the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment.
On the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a new $700,000 historic preservation project to restore and stabilize the childhood home of 19th century women’s rights activist Susan B. Anthony, in Washington County.
The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920, and certified by US Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby a few days later, on August 26 — which today is celebrated as Women’s Equality Day.
The work at the 1832 two-story brick home on Route 29 in Battenville where Anthony lived from ages 13 to 19, which includes repairs to the roof, masonry and drainage, as well as mold remediation and water damage, is expected to be complete by September.
“New York has been the birthplace to many of the progressive movements that have left an indelible mark on our society while pushing the nation forward and particularly for women’s suffrage, which began at Seneca Falls and included legendary New Yorkers such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and so many more,” said Andrew Cuomo. “As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, we must also recognize there is more work to be done. New York will continue to lead the nation in creating greater equality for all and we are proud to preserve and enhance this important part of American history for future generations.”
“On the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, this development will stabilize Susan B. Anthony’s childhood home in Washington County, allowing for the reuse of the property,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “While the Susan B. Anthony House and Museum in Rochester showcases the history of one of the world’s greatest revolutionaries, this project will further preserve Anthony’s legacy in New York State. As the birthplace of the women’s rights movement, New York was the first major state to grant the right to vote in the country, leading the way for the 19th Amendment. As we celebrate the centennial of women’s suffrage, we still have more work to do to achieve true equality and justice. Now more than ever, we must embrace this time to continue to fight for real change.”
This year is also the 200th anniversary of Susan B. Anthony’s birth, in 1820. The child of a Quaker family that promoted abolition and temperance, she lived in Washington County, in Battenville and later in Center Falls, from 1826 to 1845 between the ages of 6 and 25 before her family moved to Rochester.
The Battenville home was built in 1832–33 by Anthony’s father who had moved the family from Adams, Massachusetts, to manage a cotton mill on the nearby Battenkill River. At the age of 13, Susan joined the Easton Society of Friends.
“So many things happened here,” former president of the Washington County Historical Society Debi Craig told the Post-Star. “She formed her opinions here.”
According to the Smithsonian Magazine: “While living in the Battenville house, Anthony met two enslaved individuals at a local family’s home. As a young adult, she served as a teacher and was paid $1.50 weekly — a far lower wage than her male predecessor’s $10 per week. Then, while spending a few weeks working in her father’s cotton mill as a spooler, she learned that the women’s wages were paid directly to their husbands or fathers.”
The Anthonys lost their home in 1839 due to financial setbacks caused by a national financial recession in 1837. The former family residence was in a state of disrepair by the time State Parks purchased it at foreclosure for $1 in 2006.
Anthony, who died in 1906 at age 86, worked for decades to advance women’s rights, but did not live to see the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. She is buried in Rochester.
About Adventures in Preservation (AiP)
Adventures in Preservation (AiP) is a non-profit connecting people and preservation through enriching cultural heritage travel and hands-on education. AiP was founded in 2001 by two women with a great love of historic buildings and a strong desire to travel and understand the world. While perusing the travel section of the Boulder Bookstore, the Volunteer Vacation section suddenly brought everything into focus. Judith Broeker and Jamie Donahoe combined their goal of saving historic buildings with the concept of experiential travel, and created AiP’s hands-on preservation vacations.
Work started on several sites in the U.S., and as word spread, requests for help began to pour in from around the world, underscoring the great potential of using volunteers to restore historic buildings. In supporting community-based preservation initiatives, we discovered that our love of old buildings could translate into environmental and economic sustainability for communities.
AiP is picking up the pace! As our hands-on experiential travel becomes more popular, we have new projects, new partners and initiatives to keep you excited and involved.
