Sue Garwood provided our program about the Earliest woman in Rice County.
Women have always been essential contributors to Minnesota history, though history
hasn’t always recognized them as significant. Many women’s stories are mothballed, hidden out of sight in history. As we record men’s history within the County, so do we remember and tell of women’s roles in our county's birth and growth into what we see today.
The earliest evidence of settlement is more than 13,000 years old by the Archaic Indians. The first contact with natives and settling Europeans (French, Canadian, and English) was in 1650. Demographics once Minnesota became a state in 1858 in Rice County were booming, with 7,532 residents. 46% of which were women.
The woman of the county was not only wives, farmers, or teachers but also land owners and town creators and helped establish both Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges. In 1860 46 women owned land in the county, including Sarah Morris, who founded Morristown. Ann Loomis North, with her husband, founded Northfield. Ann was the town’s most outstanding publicist. Writing many letters and promoting the area to friends out east, many of which chose to move here at her encouragement.
There is much history that the woman of Rice County has given with their minds, grit, and grace to share their stories. You can find much more information at the Rice County Historical Society or by attending any of Sue Garwood’s presentations around the community. A full schedule of opportunities is on the Rice County Historical Society website. https://rchistory.org/ 
