The program is presented by the George R. and Edith Angell Cook Special Collections Department, in partnership with the Northeast Michigan League of Women Voters. LWV member Elaine Stenger will be one of the speakers on early leaders of the Alpena LWV as part of the Women Who Shaped Alpena. Come hear the stories of incredible women who helped shape Alpena.

The LWV will begin the program with a look at the significant accomplishments of members of the League.

Special Collections Librarian Don La Barre will lead a presentation about the Women Who Shaped Alpena, from the 1850s through the 1940s. This program will be similar to the one given last May, but La Barre said updates will be forthcoming as more information is received and researched. He hopes to be able to add to the pool of women to be honored for their valuable contributions to the community. He also hopes to extend the time frames covered to include the accomplishments of women in notable leadership roles from the 1940s onward.

La Barre explained that the women who are featured in this program are “pioneering women who forged their own paths under difficult circumstances.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Special Collections Librarian Don La Barre talks about researching, collecting, and compiling information about women who made vital impacts on Alpena over the years.

Many outstanding women have made Alpena their home over the past century or more, and they all deserve recognition, but those featured here came up against sizable obstacles to ultimately reach their goals to benefit the community as a whole.

“These are women who profoundly progressed the role of women in the region,” La Barre explained.

Some of those women include Sarah Carter, Lizzie Nason, Emily Oliver, Ella White, and Harriet Comstock.

Born May 17, 1818, Sarah Carter was Alpena’s earliest pioneer, known as the first white female settler who moved to Alpena around 1853, with her husband, Daniel D. Oliver. Carter was considered the first physician in Alpena, or Fremont, as it was then called. The Carter home operated as a simple hotel and she was the main host.

Lizzie Nason was born Nov. 29, 1846, and moved to Alpena in 1871, becoming city librarian in 1875 and running her own book store in the Centennial Building starting in 1881. She was also in charge of the reading room for the White Ribbon Society of Alpena — a temperance society.

Courtesy Photo: ACL Special Collections Ella M. White, born April 19, 1874, to Thomas and Hattie White of Alpena, graduated from AHS and became an elementary teacher in Alpena until 1913, when she became the city editor of the Alpena Daily Echo. She and two others established a Red Cross in Alpena, she authored “A Century in the Alpena Public Schools” and has a local elementary school named after her, among many other accomplishments and awards.

Emily Oliver became city librarian in 1891 and held the position for 40 years.

Ella M. White, born April 19, 1874, to Thomas and Hattie White of Alpena, graduated from AHS and became an elementary teacher in Alpena until 1913, when she became the city editor of the Alpena Daily Echo. She and two others established a Red Cross in Alpena, she authored “A Century in the Alpena Public Schools” and has a local elementary school named after her, among many other accomplishments and awards.

Harriet Comstock, born Oct. 19, 1883, organized the Women’s Civic League. She and her sister, Marie Comstock, actively sought equal rights and status for women.

The Alpena Women’s Civic League was formally organized on Jan. 20, 1913. Its purpose was to uplift low-status families, women, orphans, and treat illness. Charter members included Harriet Comstock, Helen Fletcher, Mary Rosenfield, Cora Eddy, Sadie Gliniecki, Ruth Cobb, Ella White, Marie Comstock, and Frances Gravey.

La Barre explained that the presentation not only gives a snapshot of each woman’s accomplishments and impact on the area, but ties it into the events of the day in what was happening at that time in our country’s history.

Courtesy Photo: ACL Special Collections Emily Oliver became city librarian in 1891 and held the position for 40 years.

“I wanted to help the audience understand how, as women’s roles in American changed over 100-plus years, you could see that change reflected in the women we highlight,” La Barre said.

“Harriet Comstock is a person that I have a lot of interest in,” he added.

She was the sister of Gov. William Comstock.

“She was born and raised in Alpena, clearly from a higher socioeconomic status, but really used her privilege, at least from an archival perspective, it very much seemed, that she really used her position of privilege to really progress women’s roles,” La Barre said. “And she was very involved with the suffrage movement.”

He said that telling the stories of these women takes time and effort to do it right, and do it justice.

Courtesy Photo: Matt McCormack Lizzie Nason was born Nov. 29, 1846, and moved to Alpena in 1871, becoming city librarian in 1875 and running her own book store in the Centennial Building starting in 1881. She was also in charge of the reading room for the White Ribbon Society of Alpena — a temperance society. She never married.

“I think when you do your research well, and you take that effort, you can help really bring their story back to life,” La Barre said. “I feel like it’s part of our job to help bring those stories back and do our best to interpret that, as best we can, with the materials that we have, so we’re not misrepresenting their contributions, or what they did, or what they believed in.”

He hopes more people of all ages and genders attend Monday’s program, and bring their friends, to learn more about the history of Alpena’s stellar women during Women’s History Month.

Refreshments will be provided.

Courtesy Photo: ACL Special Collections Born May 17, 1818, Sarah Carter was Alpena’s earliest pioneer, known as the first white female settler who moved to Alpena around 1853, with her husband, Daniel D. Oliver. Carter was considered the first physician in Alpena, or Fremont, as it was then called. The Carter home operated as a simple hotel and she was the host.

News Archive Photo The Alpena Women’s Civic League was formally organized on Jan. 20, 1913. Its purpose was to uplift low-status families, women, orphans, and treat illness. Charter members included Harriet Comstock, Helen Fletcher, Mary Rosenfield, Cora Eddy, Sadie Gliniecki, Ruth Cobb, Ella White, Marie Comstock, and Frances Gravey.