About thirty people gathered near the town square for the dedication of the Votes for Women historical marker on Friday afternoon. Donna Pittman and Mary Dodgion of the Western Sonoma County Historical Society unveiled the new marker that commemorates the meeting of suffragists in 1896 at Janssen Hall.
In her remarks, Mary noted that the new marker was not brown and white like all historical roadside markers, but purple and white. She thanked the City of Sebastopol for giving them permission to place the marker and Public Works Department for doing the work to put it securely in the ground.
In a Sebastopol Times interview early this week, Mary told us how she did the research to find local events and places where suffragists gathered to promote women’s right to vote. She is proud that this is the first and only such marker in California, which is largely due to her efforts.
"Votes for Women" Marker Unveiled