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Boston: Votes for Women History Tour of Back Bay

Name: Boston: Votes for Women History Tour of Back Bay
Brand: Wonderplan
Rating: 5.0 (50 reviews)

★★★★★ 5.0 (50 reviews)

2h 30m

About This Experience

Boston’s leading role in the American fight for women’s suffrage is found on the tree-lined streets of its elegant Back Bay neighborhood. This masterpiece of Victorian-era architecture is best experienced on foot, in a small group, with a local guide! Your 2.5-hour tour travels from Boston Common into historic Back Bay, visiting must-see landmarks such as the Public Garden, Newbury Street, and iconic Copley Square.

Our walking tour delves deeply into the years 1870 to 1920, tumultuous decades culminating in women earning the right to vote in the United States. Walk in the footsteps of prolific activists and financiers, visiting the political battleground for pro- and anti-suffrage groups.

With a captivating storytelling approach, Hub Town Tours provides the perfect introduction to Boston's role in the advancement of women’s rights. As we travel past key landmarks and historic homes, your guide shares captivating stories of the Bostonians who assembled the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

Tour Itinerary

10 min

Meet your guide inside the Boston Public Garden, in the northwest corner of the park opposite 67 Beacon Street (02108). Bronze sculptures by Nancy Schön, based on Robert McCloskey's classic children's book (1941), depict a mama duck proudly leading her band of ducklings.

Iconic equestrian statue of George Washington (1859).

15 min

First public botanical garden in the United States (1837).

Site of school founded in 1887 by Pauline A. Shaw, financier of the women's suffrage movement in Boston and founder of Boston Equal Suffrage Association for Good Government.

5 min

Originally established in 1630, this church later became a center of the Transcendentalist movement.

Home of Elizabeth Putnam, anti-suffragist and first woman to preside over a state electoral college.

5 min

Home of Julia Ward Howe, who authored "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (1861) and co-founded the American Woman Suffrage Association (1869).

Home of Blanche Ames, pro-suffrage cartoonist and early advocate for birth control.

Ames-Webster Mansion (1872) was centerpiece of the Ames family fortune and political involvement, including anti-suffragist Mary Shreve Ames and suffragist Blanche Ames.

15 min

Wide central boulevard with greenspace and statuary at the heart of Back Bay development plan.

Home of Mary Shreve Ames, president of the Massachusetts Anti-Suffrage Association.

First women's college club in the United States (1890).

10 min

Former site of Museum of Natural History (1864-1951).

Former MIT chemistry lab, where Katherine McCormick protested against popular fashion as part of the suffrage movement.

15 min

Central public square designed to be the new cultural center of Boston (1883).

Iconic church (1877) recognized by American Association of Architects as one of the top 10 buildings in the United States.

10 min

Third-largest public library in the United States (1848).

Formerly Chauncy Hall, office site of multiple pro-suffrage organizations including Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association and The Women's Journal.

5 min

Finish line of the iconic Boston Marathon.

Hotel Kensington (1884-1967) housed offices of the Massachusetts Association Opposed to Further Extension of Suffrage to Women.

10 min

Popular Boston outdoor attraction lined with shopping, dining, and numerous luxury brands.

Former Spiritualist Temple (1885), where women were allowed to lead public meetings.

10 min

Memorial honoring three famous Bostonians: Abigail Adams, Phillis Wheatley, and Lucy Stone.

What's Included

Included

Small Groups (15 guests max)
Women's Rights Landmarks
Back Bay Neighborhood

Not Included

Gratuity for Guide (optional)
Admission inside Museums
Guides in Period Costume

Meeting Point & Logistics

Start Point

The tour gathers inside the Boston Public Garden—opposite 67 Beacon Street (02108)—beside the Make Way for Ducklings statues, which are located in the northeast corner of the park.