Women’s Rights National Historical Park

Wesleyan Chapel

Down the street from the visitors center [1] stand the ruins of the Wesleyan Chapel (126 Fall St.), where the historic 1848 convention took place. Alas, all that remains of the church today are two fragile brick walls and a piece of roof, though a new project to preserve the site by completing the building (while allowing visitors to see the original portions) is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.

The nearby 140-foot-long wall and fountain bears the Declaration of Sentiments: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal. . . .”

Women’s Rights Visitor Center

Across the street from the chapel, in the spacious, two-story Women’s Rights Visitor Center (136 Fall St., 315/568-2991, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, adults $3, under 17 free), you’ll find exhibits on the convention, its leaders, and the times in which they lived. Other sections focus on such women’s issues as employment, marriage, fashion, and sports.

There’s a lot of interesting information here, along with free handouts and a good bookstore.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton House

Also part of the Women’s Rights National Historic Park, the Stanton house (32 Washington St., tours daily June–Sept., $1 pp) is about a mile from the visitors center on the other side of Van Cleef Lake. Stanton lived here with her husband and seven children from 1846 to 1862. During much of that time, she wrote extensively about women’s rights.

Among the many reformers who frequented the Stanton home was Amelia Bloomer, the woman who popularized the pantaloons that bear her name. Though a resident of Seneca Falls [1], Bloomer did not sign the Declaration of Sentiments, believing it to be too radical.

Today, the airy Stanton home has been meticulously restored. Few furnishings remain, but everything is authentic, including the bronze cast of Stanton’s hand clasping that of Susan B. Anthony’s. Stanton met Anthony soon after the 1848 convention, and the women worked closely together throughout their lives.

In the summer months, house tours are offered daily; visitors must sign up for the tours at the Women’s Rights Visitor Center (136 Fall St., 315/568-2991).