First All Women Town Council / Mayor Mary's Home

Erected in 2024 from the bricks and foundation stones of Mary Woolley Chamberlain's own house, this monument marks the all-woman board Kanab elected in November 1911, after five women were put on the ballot as a joke. They served two years, passed eight ordinances, diked the town against floods, and persuaded the Postmaster General to stop liquor arriving by mail. The plaque calls them pioneer mothers who worked tirelessly. It does not mention that the mayor signed everything as Mary Howard, an alias she used to avoid federal prosecution for polygamy.

What the plaque says

Utah's First All-Women Town Council, in Kanab 1912-1914. Luella Atkin McAllister - Treasurer, Blanche Robinson Hamblin - Councilor, Mary Woolley (Howard) Chamberlain - Mayor, Tamar Stewart Hamblin - Clerk, and Ada Pratt Seegmiller - Councilor. As the first elected all-women government in Utah and one of the first in the nation, these pioneer mothers, ages 26-41, worked tirelessly to pass ordinances aimed at the town's safety, sanitation, and beautification. They believed their election was intended as a joke, but after due consideration, the women decided to tackle the job and see what they could do. Their election and numerous accomplishments earned them a place in history. Mary declared, "We have always been united in our labors, have laid aside our personal feelings, and always worked for the public good." Reverse Side - Mayor Mary's Home. In 1896, the citizens of Kane County elected Mary Elizabeth Woolley Chamberlain as the County Clerk, making her Utah's first female to hold that position. She later became Utah's first female Mayor, serving Kanab from 1912 to 1914. It was in 1916 that Mary, at this location, envisioned and designed the charming bungalow depicted in the image above. This seven-room dwelling was carefully planned with innovative, labor-saving features for maximum efficiency. Mary took immense pride and joy in her new "beautiful and cozy" abode. In 1918, she hosted a service to dedicate her home "to the Lord that it might be protected...and be a refuge of peace and love for my family and friends forever." This monument, constructed from the original bricks and foundation stones from Mary's home, stands as a tribute to honor her enduring legacy.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Kanab — 0.3 mi
  Little Hollywood — where hundreds of Western movies were filmed
• Best Friends Animal Sanctuary — 4.6 mi
  The largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the United States
• Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park — 11 mi
  Sweeping dunes of coral-colored sand framed by red cliffs
• Mount Carmel Junction — 15 mi
  The crossroads where the road to Zion meets the highway to Bryce

More markers nearby

• Powell Survey — steps away
• Kane County Veterans Memorial — steps away
• Jacob Hamblin — 0.2 mi
• Fort Kanab — 0.3 mi