VIRTUAL Exhibits

The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Clark County organized the same time women were gaining the vote nationally. Today the LWV of Clark County work to empower voters and defending democracy. This pin is from the LWV archive that is cared for at the Clark County Historical Museum.

This souvenir commemorates the 1917 span of the Interstate Bridge. Many items in our collection still hold stories waiting to be discovered. This is one such item. Alta E. Mason, who is believed to be pictured here, has not shown up in historical records related to the Interstate Bridge. To this day, work continues to idenfity her connection to this iconic structure.

Many women from Clark County have ran for and attanited local, state, and national office. This is one of many local campaing buttons held by the museum. This speicifc pin is for Linda Davis’ campaign. Davis ran as a Republican canidate for the 49th Legilative District in Washington State in the mid 1980s.

This is a parasol is an interesting item because of its ornate nature and detail. It has a gold-colored metal handle with heathery floral relief pattern and a bulb end. It also includes the monogram “Mrs. A.A. Estabrooks” on end. Another mystery of our collection, records have yet to be uncovered that reval the story of Mrs. Estabrooks.

Small wooden desk American flag stand with brass plaque engraved, “Miss Ella Wintler, Legislative Banquet, Olympia B.P.W.C. February 16, 1963.”

Valeria (Val) Ogden was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives in 1990 representing the 49th District, serving for 12 years. This pin is from her campaign for Clark County Freeholder.

In 1856, Mother Joseph led a group of four missionary sisters from Montreal to the Washington Territory. The sisters came with the intention of caring for the poor and sick, establishing a school, and bringing their faith to the community. Subsequently, she would endure a number of arduous journeys throughout the Pacific Northwest over two decades to raise the necessary funds to build and maintain educational and healthcare institutions. The grandest of these efforts was Providence Academy. This reliquary was reported to have been used at Providence Academy starting the 1860s.

The museum holds a large collection of political buttons. This is one of the few buttons representing a natoinal campaign.

Mary Ellen Bates (1920-2013) was a decorated member of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps who served during WWII and Korea. She retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1973. After retirement, she worked on Vancouver’s Planning Commission and the YWCA. This is the WAC uniform belonging to Mary Ellen Bates.

Ella Wintler was born August 10, 1885 in Vancouver. Ella graduated from Vancouver High School in 1903, after which she taught in elementary school for several years. Ella was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1938 and served for ten terms, losing elections when Democrats won the majority and winning when Republicans were in the majority. She retired from politics in 1964. Ella passed away on April 17, 1975.