I'm excited to have this weekly opportunity as a venue to go into more detail about businesses, events and the history of Granite Falls. Since Our Prohibition Story is a unique opportunity to set our town apart from other small towns, I'm going to start with a very interesting part of our local prohibition history- the Women's Christian Temperance Union.
Summer is the time for tourists and the chamber has had many visitors stop into the office looking for information and things to do. I've distributed many copies of the Prohibition Story walking tour guide and also given some guided tours of downtown. The latest Prohibition Story plaque to be mounted is on the United Church of Christ at 210 9th Ave, Granite Falls. It was Andrew Volstead 's family church and the location of the first meetings of our local Women's Christian Temperance Union.
Summer is the time for tourists and the chamber has had many visitors stop into the office looking for information and things to do. I've distributed many copies of the Prohibition Story walking tour guide and also given some guided tours of downtown. The latest Prohibition Story plaque to be mounted is on the United Church of Christ at 210 9th Ave, Granite Falls. It was Andrew Volstead 's family church and the location of the first meetings of our local Women's Christian Temperance Union.
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I was very excited to get a copy of the WCTU's original book on loan from the Yellow Medicine County Museum. It contains their constitution, early meeting minutes from 1878, and a list of the first members. The WCTU is one of the interesting stories around the prohibition era which empowered women and led to women's suffrage. The national organization was founded in 1874, our local group in 1878 - a year before Granite Falls became a city. An interesting part of the book contains the pledge , "Be it with thee even as thou will I hereby solemnly promise, God helping me, to abstain from all distilled, fermented and malt liquors including wine and cider, and to employ all proper means to discourage the rise and traffic in the same. " The WCTU also created the public library in Granite Falls and donated 39 volumes ; they also had a column in the local newspaper. The organization was part of the Minnesota WCTU and a letter in the back of this book shows that a delegation was sent to Minneapolis in September, 1890 with delegates Mrs. J. S. Briggs, Mrs. S.D. Morrill and Mrs. R. M Barnes and officers were President, Mrs. H. J. Wilkinson, Secretary Mrs. J. S. Briggs and Treasurer Miss Bertha Wylie. Mrs. Sam Morrill is my great, great grandmother and Bertha Wylie is my great grandmother. I have a copy of the book in the chamber office if anyone would like to see more details. The original book belongs to the Yellow Medicine County Museum . From the website of the national organization, here are a list of causes this women's organization has supported -
- protection of women and children at home and work
- women's right to vote
- shelters for abused women and children
- the eight-hour work day
- equal pay for equal work
- founding of kindergartens
- assistance in founding of the PTA
- federal aid for education
- stiffer penalties for sexual crimes against girls and women
- uniform marriage and divorce laws
- dress reform
- travelers' aid
- prison reform and police matrons
- women police officers
- homes and education for wayward girls
- promotion of nutrition
- pure food and drug act
- legal aid
- labor's right to organize
- passive demonstrations and world peace
Our city's history contains some very interesting and strong women, the female part of history often has been overlooked. This book is a fantastic glimpse into this important organization for women and their influence over Andrew Volstead and our local Prohibition Story.
written by Mary Gillespie
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