Quiet Revolutions

“Several small towns have put the entire local government into the hands of women.”

That’s Laura Stockton Starcher in the top left corner. Don’t worry, she’s got this. And look at the other women in on the scheme—look how happy they are!

Once upon a time, in the tiny town of Umatilla, Oregon in the year 1916, women quietly and efficiently staged a coup of their town government. This is their true story…

The town of Umatilla was named for the Indigenous people who were there first. Around 1863 it became a happening Western town with 3 hotels, 22 saloons, 6 mercantiles and 3 grocery stores. It was powered by the Gold Rush and agriculture. But by 1916, just about 200 residents remained and they were not happy with how the town was run. The old boys network in charge—led by Mayor E.E. Starcher—was not bothered about making improvements like, say, turning the streetlights on, ensuring the sidewalks were in good condition, or reigning in the wild dogs that roamed the town. But not everyone was content to accept this status quo.

One night at a card party, a group of women decided to do something. They decided to run for office themselves—seven of nine seats on the city council were up for election, as well as the position of mayor. While most American women were still waiting to be enfranchised via a federal amendment, women in Oregon got the right to vote in 1912—this would be a good flex of their newfound power.