All Aboard for Women's Right to Vote
Romney, West Virginia, the Town That Had to Be Won
Welcome to the old train depot in Romney, West Virginia, a site that begins a walking/driving tour commemorating ratification of the 19th amendment, and the key role played by political leaders from Romney, West Virginia, for gaining women the right to vote.
In 1920, women finally got the right to vote in the United States. It was a long wait: 144 years, one month, and 22 days since our country declared independence on July 4, 1776. Suffragists such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton began a herculean effort in 1848 to achieve this right, but it wasn’t until 1919 that Congress passed the 19th amendment, which needed three-quarters of the then 48 state legislatures to ratify (approve) the amendment so that it would become part of the U.S. Constitution. West Virginia was the 34th state to ratify the amendment, and at the time, it appeared likely that the amendment would succeed whether or not West Virginia voted for it, as nine more states still had the opportunity to address ratification. But just two more states came forward to ratify after West Virginia (Washington State and Tennessee), making it apparent that had West Virginia failed–and it succeeded by just one vote in the West Virginia state senate–women would NOT have gained the right to vote in 1920. The long wait would have continued indefinitely, and women would have remained third-class citizens in an America that treated women more like property than human beings.
So, West Virginia had to be won, and it was the small town of Romney, population of just around 1,112 in 1920, that became the focal point of the battle. Romney was the home of several key supporters and opponents of the amendment: West Virginia’s Governor John Jacob Cornwell, and State Senator Garnett K. Kump (both supporters); versus opponents, State Delegate J. Sloan Kuykendall, and Joshua Soule Zimmerman, a leader in the Hampshire County Democratic Party. Both Kuykendall and Zimmerman engaged in activities supported by unscrupulous opposition forces, and almost killed ratification of the 19th amendment in West Virginia and for women nationwide.
When you locate this cache, you will find brochures for a walking/driving tour that will help you learn the historic significance of what happened in West Virginia and Romney. You will also be able to visit other geocaches already existing in the town of Romney, which are co-located with key sites along the tour.
Once you complete the tour, you will understand that victory hinged upon the actions of many heroes who did not give up when it appeared it would take a miracle for ratification to succeed in West Virginia. Every West Virginian should be proud of the state’s unparalleled achievement on behalf of women’s rights; and women everywhere should thank Governor John Jacob Cornwell, whose unwavering support ensured women would finally escape being third-class citizens, and could ultimately become first-class citizens with the power of the vote.
Thanks to Romney Mayor Beverly Keadle for allowing use of a town park, the site of the old Romney train depot, to hide the geocache. Bring a lunch and enjoy the park. Please remove any trash with you.
Chief Researchers: Luanne Smith and Jane Ailes
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In addition to this “All Aboard” geocache, other caches (currently in existence) along the walking/driving tour include:
“All Rise”
“250th Celebration Park”
“Have a Cache and a Smile”
“Dewey Decimal”
“Fort Pearsall,” which is within the Indian Mound Cemetery, a location in the walking tour.
This "All Aboard for Women's Right to Vote" geocache is in the park on Depot Valley Road, and is not part of the Wappocomo Station, home of the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad. Get walking/driving tour pamphlets at the bulletin board at the park entrance.
Note, commemorative buttons have been placed in the cache. Take one! If you do, indicate that you have in the log, so a replacement can be added to the cache.
Congratulations to Nubster, who was the first to find the cache on August 4, 2022.