Montgomery County Women's History Quilt & Archives Project

Women’s History and Archives
For our 30 th anniversary in 2002, we created an archive for the biographies of 30 women whose lives were of historical significance to Montgomery County. For our 40 th anniversary in 2012, we added another 10 biographies. Five additional women’s biographies have been added since then.

Honorees include such luminaries as:

  • Rachel Carson, the mother of the modern environmental movement whose house still stands in Silver Spring;
  • Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross whose historic home still graces the Glen Echo area of the county; and
  • Emily Edmonson, a former slave who worked side by side with Frederick Douglas in the abolition movement, and whose descendants still reside in our county today. Her contributions were almost lost to history, because she was a woman and the heroic nature of her life’s contributions were not recognized at the time.

The archive project was a huge undertaking and could not have been completed without the help of many individuals. Special thanks goes to:

  • Anne Sanderoff-Walker, former commission president and current fiber artist, who designed and created the two quilts honoring 40 women of historical significance to Montgomery County Maryland,
  • Former commissioner Gary Smith for his inspired leadership in the conception and design of the archives webpage; and
  • Former CFW staff Clotilde Puertolas who did much of the research to develop the biographies.

The Commission is also grateful to the staff of the Montgomery County Historical Society Library, Montgomery County Archives, Peerless Rockville, Clara Barton National Historic Site, The Rachel Carson House National Historic Landmark, the Rachel Carson Council, and The Washington Adventist Hospital. Without their help, this project would not have been possible. We are also thankful to the many Montgomery County historians whose suggestions, ideas and information have helped this project.

Above all, we are grateful for the pioneering work and the contributions of the women included in the archive. Their vision, dedication, perseverance, commitment and passion are an inspiration to us all.

To learn more about all of the women in the archive, please visit Women of Historical Significance in Montgomery County.