Undated photograph of Van Courtlandt House, the catalyst for the formation of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in New York in 1894.
Modern Times Lecture Series
True Patriotism and a Genuine Love of Country:
Women's Patriotic Organizations and the Rise of Historic Preservation in the United States
Rowena Houghton Dasch
Sunday, March 17 | 2:30PM - 4:00 PM CST
**Doors at 2:00; Lecture at 2:30
In Person and Online!
Tickets
$10 - General Admission
$5 - Student
$0 - NCHM Members
The end of the 19th century saw the birth of numerous women's lineage organizations in the United States. The Daughters of the American Revolution (1890), Colonial Dames of America (1890), the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (1891), and the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (1892) all were founded within a 3-year period. These organizations made an impact in multiple arenas, but perhaps their most lasting contribution was to the preservation of historic structures connected to United States history. We will explore the early history of all of these organizations and the ways in which their efforts shaped and continue to influence the field of historic preservation.
To attend online, register and receive the Zoom meeting link by email ahead of the lecture.
About the Speaker
Rowena Houghton Dasch has led the Neill-Cochran House Museum as Executive Director since the end of 2013. She holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in American Art from the University of Texas at Austin and an A.B. in Art and Archaeology from Princeton University. Her work at the NCHM encompasses all aspects of the Museum’s operations, the historic property’s preservation, and the creation and management of the Museum’s active schedule of rotating exhibitions. Dr. Dasch’s current work focuses on the site’s 2-story Slave Quarters, including her collaborative publication with Dr. Tara Dudley, Reckoning With the Past: Slavery, Segregation, and Gentrification in Austin (2021).