“Women Weaving Community”
The historical contributions of women to our community
Women’s work and volunteer contributions have shaped our communities for nearly 150 years. While these women are highlighted, thousands more have quietly helped to weave the fabric that supports a thriving community. Notable contributions include:
Education Women have served as teachers, coaches, and school administrators, nurturing and educating the community’s children.
Arts Women produce and promote fine arts, music, and theater, contributing their talents and energy to enrich the community.
Business Women contribute to the economy by starting and running businesses in addition to working in stores, offices, local industries, and a host of other careers.
Politics Women from Idaho have served in the US Congress and the State Legislature, as well as in city and county government.
Community action Women saved the Panida, started Lost in the Fifties, and have been essential in running the Festival and saving the historic City Hall.
Health care Women have built hospitals, opened birthing centers, founded clinics, and fought for women’s right to appropriate health care.
Nature/conservation Women founded the arboretum, reclaimed the community sled hill, and continue to work in numerous professional natural resource positions.
Karli Fairbanks
Growth
Women shape and support our communities
Women have always been essential, not only to their families but to the broader community as well. Their work and volunteer contributions have shaped our communities for nearly 150 years. The women highlighted here are just a sample of the many who have helped to weave the fabric that supports us and helps us thrive.
Women of Idaho
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Belle Sweet
Belle Sweet (1879-1964) was the University of Idaho’s first professional librarian. She rebuilt the library after it burned in 1906, started a card catalog, and established the Special Collections and Archives.
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Idaho Purce
Civil rights advocate Idaho Purce (1926- ) worked for equal employment, helped eliminate the Aryan Nations in North Idaho, and served on the state’s first Commission on Human Rights.
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Gretchen Fraser
Gretchen Fraser (1919-1994), of Sun Valley, was the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing. She later worked to enable amputees to ski.
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Sally Reed
Sally Reed (1909-2002) of Boise, challenged Idaho law that preferred males over females in administering an estate. She eventually triumphed at the US Supreme Court.
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Marilyn Robinson
Marilyn Robinson (1943- ) of Sandpoint, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer. Her novels are known for their portrayal of rural life and the influence of religion on it.
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Gladys Buroker
Gladys Buroker (1914-2002) was the first female certified flight instructor in the Northwest. During WWII, she trained Navy combat pilots from the Farragut Naval Training station near Coeur d’Alene.
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Amy Trice
Amy Trice (1936-2011) was Chair of the Kootenai Tribe near Bonners Ferry when it declared war on the US in 1974. Without violence, they won and received tribal recognition, land, and housing.
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Your Body Is a Battleground
Legal barriers to reproductive healthcare over time.
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Women Weaving Community
Historical contributions of women to our community.
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Maternal Mortality in the US
A look at maternal mortality rates and contributing factors.
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Shame, Stigma, Silence
The moral and social dimensions of gynecology.
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Undervalued, Under-treated, Under-Studied
How we systemically undervalue women's healthcare.
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(CO)Operation
How different care options play out in one's life.
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Map of Gynecologia
The previously uncharted wilderness of Women’s healthcare.
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The Future
What do you want to see for the future in the state of Idaho?
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BGH Birth Stories
Personal accounts and birth stories at Bonner General Hospital.
