The History Chicks : A Women's History Podcast

Gertrude Jekyll could turn her hand to anything; deeply involved with the Arts and Crafts movement, she mastered dozens of specialties in her quest to explore the relationship between human lives and their environments.

As her eyesight failed, she turned to large scale endeavors, and changed how the world thought about gardens; turning them from formal displays into living, breathing works of art. She used color, texture, and shape like a painter on a large, ever-changing canvas.

Gertrude’s innovations within her finished gardens - and decades of written work - made her an inspiration for generations of gardeners and landscape architects. And she became one of the most influential garden designers of all time.

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In this revisit from 2019, we wonder: was Annie Londonderry a flim-flam artist or a true pioneer? Maybe both? Her trip around the world on a bicycle may have been controversial - but she was always up for both an adventure and a tall tale.

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Virginia Hall wanted to be a diplomat, but the State Department kept shutting doors in her face …and then she lost her leg in a hunting accident, which seemed like she’d reached a dead end. Never one to accept defeat, she learned how to walk again on a wooden leg nicknamed “Cuthbert,” and headed straight into the world of espionage.
Once she got to France, she ran circles around the Nazi intelligence services during WW2. The Gestapo actually called her “the most dangerous Allied agent in France”; her actions, and those of her compatriots, changed the course of the war.

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Rosa Bonheur was a wild, animal‑obsessed kid who drew before she could read, and knew she was meant for the world of art from an extremely young age.

She didn’t set out to shock anyone; she simply refused to be anything but herself, and the world eventually had to adjust to her. She famously wore trousers (with official police permission) so that she could study horses in stockyards and slaughterhouses, and in order to to venture up rugged mountain ranges to collect more inspiration.

She turned that dedication to pure research into some of the most influential paintings of her time.

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Mercy Otis Warren’s life is one long argument for the idea that political courage isn’t just found on battlefields or in legislatures; it’s found in writing, in conversations, in friendships, and in the willingness to speak plainly (and loudly) when power grows dangerous. She believed deeply that liberty required constant vigilance, and that ordinary people, especially women, have a role to play in creating the nation’s conscience.

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This is one of our favorite subjects ever! In this, we've combined both parts that originally ran in 2020 to revisit Wonder Woman, mega-episode style!

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Fifty-six travelers met in the Windy City to visit some of the subjects we've covered over the years: Bertha Palmer, Frances Glessner Lee, Anne Frank, Georgia O'Keeffe, Jane Addams, and so many more. We took a good look at our favorite history hub - the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, got up close and personal with Tiffany glass, stayed in opulent splendor at the Palmer House, and ate our weight in Chicago dogs and deep dish pizza.

We've learned a lot, and made memories we'll never forget, but the most important thing the city gave us was the friends we made along the way.

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Bertha Palmer wore a lot of labels; Chicago socialite, patron of the arts, real-estate magnate, and all-around Gilded Age powerhouse. Her leadership at the Women's Building of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition drew praise from all over the world. (and criticism, too!) We'll also tell you about her influence on Impressionist art in America, and her surprising third act as a Sarasota land developer.

Visit our website for Bertha's shownotes and a list of sources, and recommendations. The History Chicks.com. On there, you will find also links and codes for all of our amazing sponsors.

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Every once in a while, we like to revisit a subject near and

Audrey was born a child of privilege, but soon became a child

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Hi Friend!

This isn't this week's episode, it's just a couple of travel opportunities we wanted you to know about. For more information and to register for either of these Field Trips, please visit Like Minds Travel!

We hope to see you there!

Susan and Beckett

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