![\"Brooklyn](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Brooklyn-Bridge-during-sunset-1024x576.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Brooklyn Bridge<\/a> is a must when visiting Brooklyn, but it wouldn\u2019t be here today if it weren\u2019t for Emily Warren Roebling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emily was the wife of Washington Roebling, the chief engineer in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the daughter-in-law of John A. Roebling, the civil engineer who designed the bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After her father-in-law died from a bridge-related accident, Washington took over supervising the bridge\u2019s construction. He then became incapacitated from caisson disease (also known as \u201cthe bends\u201d), leading Emily to take over the project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Emily acted as a liaison between her husband and the workmen, delivering instructions and managing day-to-day operations. At the bridge\u2019s opening in 1883, Emily was the first person to cross over it in a carriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A plaque on the bridge honors all three Roeblings. Yet Emily gets her due with Brooklyn Bridge Park<\/a>\u2019s Emily Roebling Memorial Plaza. Underneath the bridge, this public space has great skyline views of this bridge as well as the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Local tip:<\/strong> In Brooklyn\u2019s Columbia Heights, look for Emily Warren Roebling Way<\/a>. The corner between Pineapple Street and Orange Street was renamed in her honor, complete with street sign to commemorate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Around the turn of the century, immigrants on New York City\u2019s Lower East Side faced harsh living conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this neighborhood, Lillian Wald founded the Henry Street Settlement to offer residents health care and educational and recreational programming. Through the settlement, Lillian spearheaded campaigns for social reform and public health and helped to make public nursing a respected profession. One lasting result? It established the Visiting Nurse Service of New York<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Henry Street Settlement is still in operation and has a history center on Wald and her work. Learn more through online<\/a> or in-person at exhibits and on various tours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Greenwich Village would have looked a lot different if NYC\u2019s Parks Commissioner Robert Moses had his way. In the 1950s, Robert, whose city development projects caused a lot of controversy, wanted to build an expressway directly cutting through Washington Square Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In turn, many women from this neighborhood joined in its opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shirley Hayes, then a young mother of four, initiated what would stop all vehicle traffic right through the park with the seven-year-long \u201cSave the Square!<\/a>\u201d campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t $39<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n Jane Jacobs, an author and urban preservation activist, also got involved in these grassroots efforts. Along with Shirley and others, Jane helped establish the Joint Emergency Committee to Close Washington Square Park to Traffic. All their work shut down Robert\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fun fact: <\/strong>Washington Square Park, a popular hangout spot, is one of the stops on our Greenwich Village Walking Tour<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following the JFK assassination, the former First Lady settled in New York City with her children, Caroline and John Jr. She would also be instrumental in saving an NYC icon from the wrecking ball. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the \u201970s, Jackie Kennedy Onassis led a historic preservation campaign to protect Grand Central Terminal<\/a> from demolition. Her efforts also aided in giving Grand Central landmark status. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two areas inside the terminal dedicated to her. Its main entrance on Park Avenue is called Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Foyer, while a wall plaque with a bronze relief of her is on view in Vanderbilt Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bonus: <\/strong>In Central Park, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir<\/a> gets its name from Jackie having jogged there frequently \u2014 her apartment overlooked the park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of Central Park, this is another must-visit spot for Women\u2019s History Month. Why? It boasts the sculpture by the first woman to receive a public art commission in New York City, Emma Stebbins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She sculpted the \u201cAngel of Waters\u201d at the famous Bethesda Fountain, a key photo spot in the park and a backdrop in many New York movie scenes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its design is based upon the biblical story of the angel who gives the waters of the Bethesda healing powers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Local tip:<\/strong> While in Central Park, head to the Women\u2019s Rights Pioneers Monument at The Mall. This bronze sculpture features feminist pioneers Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This museum in Manhattan\u2019s Murray Hill was the private library of financier J. Pierpont Morgan. While Morgan\u2019s wealth let him purchase many rare books and manuscripts, it was Morgan\u2019s personal librarian who gave his collection its prominence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For 43 years, Belle da Costa Greene worked for Morgan and then his son, J.P. Morgan Jr., in curating the family\u2019s private collection. Her work would turn this library building into a public institution in 1924. Belle also served as the museum\u2019s first director, a position she held until her retirement in 1948.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Historically, Wall Street<\/a> and the financial sector in general has been largely male-dominated. However, women in New York have made names for themselves here too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, in the 1870s, sisters Victoria Woodhull and Tennessee Claflin opened the first female stock brokerage firm<\/a> in New York City. And Victoria would do something even more unique \u2014 she was the first woman to run for president (in 1872!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fun fact: <\/strong>A century later, Wall Street broker Muriel Siebert<\/a> was the first woman to become a member of the New York Stock Exchange and the superintendent of banking for New York State.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t $42<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n This park<\/a> in southeastern Brooklyn is named for the first Black woman elected to Congress back in 1968. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Brooklyn-born Shirley Chisholm<\/a> served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, until 1983. She was active on Congressional committees focusing on military veterans and education and labor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1972, Shirley would become the first woman to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. During her years of public service, she was a strong advocate for civil and women\u2019s rights as well as for underserved communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This First Lady, who was born in New York City, lived in the city throughout much of her life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Among other organizations where she volunteered her time or worked, Eleanor is often associated with the United Nations in Manhattan\u2019s Turtle Bay. In 1945, President Harry S. Truman appointed her as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The next year, she became the first chairperson of the UN\u2019s Human Rights Commission, where she played a major role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. If all this sounds pretty interesting, you can go on a guided tour<\/a> of the UN Headquarters and see the General Assembly Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The daughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney became a sculptor and an American arts patron in the early 20th century. In 1914, she began exhibiting American artists\u2019 work by creating the Whitney Studio in Greenwich Village. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After offering to gift her over 500-piece art collection to the Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a> was rejected, Whitney started her own museum focusing on American artists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Opened in 1931, the Whitney Museum of American Art<\/a> changed locations over the years. It\u2019s currently based in Manhattan\u2019s Meatpacking District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Macy\u2019s in Herald Square is a popular NYC shopping destination, but did you know that much of the department store\u2019s success is due to its first female executive? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Margaret Getchell LaForge, a distant cousin of R.H. Macy, moved to NYC from Nantucket in search of a job at his then-new store. Her knack for numbers promoted her to bookkeeper but her skills in customer service, management and marketing led to her role as the store\u2019s superintendent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She\u2019s credited with encouraging the use of Macy\u2019s famous red star logo. She also developed interesting window displays \u2014 like dressing two cats in doll\u2019s clothes and putting them inside baby cribs to sell photos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While on the job, Margaret met her husband, Abiel LaForge. Sadly, despite her accomplishments, Margaret was asked to give up her salary when Abiel was promoted to partner. Her influence in retail remains today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re familiar with the Statue of Liberty<\/a>, you\u2019ve probably come across these famous lines: \u201cGive me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These words were created by Emma Lazarus in her poem \u201cThe New Colossus,\u201d and it\u2019s engraved on a plaque on the Statue of Liberty\u2019s pedestal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Born in New York City, Emma was a Jewish American author who was heavily involved in charitable work for refugees. At Wards Island, she worked as an aide for Jewish immigrants who had been detained by Castle Garden (a precursor to Ellis Island<\/a>) immigration officials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t $79<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n In 1883, Emma was asked to write a sonnet for an auction to raise funds for building the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty, so she penned \u201cThe New Colossus,\u201d inspired by her Sephardic Jewish heritage and experience working with immigrants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more about this poem and New York\u2019s immigrant history on our award-winning Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a story I bet you\u2019ve never heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This versatile writer with a sharp wit was a regular at this grand hotel in Midtown with other influencers of her day. Collectively, they formed The Algonquin Round Table, later known as \u201cThe Vicious Circle\u201d and met for lunch at the hotel daily for almost 10 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a charter member of this group, Dorothy Parker had quite the resume. She held jobs with Vogue and Vanity Fair and was a founding member of The New Yorker\u2019s editorial board. As a screenplay writer, she earned an Academy Award nomination for A Star Is Born in 1937.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, The Algonquin Hotel has an onsite restaurant<\/a> named after this famous table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fun fact:<\/strong> A tradition since the 1920s, started by actor John Barrymore, the hotel has a lobby cat lounging around. If you want to hear what a day in the life of a cat caretaker is like (part brushing, part managing the cat\u2019s fan mail), Cond\u00e9 Nast Traveler did a brilliant feature<\/a> on the woman who got the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Located in Hudson Yards, this shared public space honors Congresswoman Bella Abzug (pictured above), a Bronx-born lawyer and women\u2019s and civil rights activist. When running for Congress, she used the slogan, \u201cThis woman\u2019s place is in the house\u2026 the House of Representatives!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bella wore lavish hats as her trademark and was involved in landmark legislation. In the \u201970s, she spearheaded a law enabling married women to have credit cards in their names and introduced the first gay rights bill in Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Local tip:<\/strong> If you\u2019re in the West Village, you might come across Bella Abzug Way at the southeast corner of Bank Street and Greenwich Avenue. It\u2019s near where she once lived.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLillian Wald, Henry Street Settlement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Henry](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Henry-Street-Settlement-in-NYC.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nShirley Hayes and Jane Jacobs, Washington Square Park<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Washington](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Washington-Square-Park-in-New-York-City-1024x683.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"person](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/10\/greenwich-village-history-w600h405-500x405.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t![\"Greenwich](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/10\/Greenwich-Village-Walking-Tour-1-250x250.jpg\")
\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\tJacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Grand Central Terminal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Busy](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Busy-Grand-Central-Station-New-York-1024x683.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEmma Stebbins, Central Park<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/A-group-of-people-standing-Bethesda-Terrace-1024x681.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBelle da Costa Greene, The Morgan Library & Museum <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/The-Morgan-Library-Museum-in-Madison-Avenue-NYC-1024x683.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nVictoria Woodhull and Tennessee Claflin, Wall Street<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"American](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/American-Flag-in-front-of-Federal-Reserve-Building-in-Wall-Street-NYC-1-1024x683.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Skyscrapers](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2018\/12\/View-of-skyscrapers-in-Wall-Street-in-New-York-City-2048x1365-1-500x500.jpeg\")
\n\t\t\t![\"The-raging-bull-during-Wall-Street-Insider-Tour-2048×1154\"](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/The-raging-bull-during-Wall-Street-Insider-Tour-2048x1154-1-250x250.webp\")
\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\tShirley Chisholm, Shirley Chisholm State Park<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Danielle](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Danielle-Mastrion-Paints-Mural-Of-Shirley-Chisholm.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEleanor Roosevelt, United Nations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Row](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Row-of-Flags-1024x682.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, Whitney Museum of American Art<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Gertrude](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Gertrude-Vanderbilt-Whitney-1916-by-Robert-Henri.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMargaret Getchell LaForge, Macy\u2019s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Macy's](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Macys-department-store-entrance-in-NYC-1024x768.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEmma Lazarus, Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Close](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/Close-up-Lady-Liberty-monument-in-New-York-City-1024x575.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Statue](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/06\/Statue-of-Liberty-and-Ellis-Island-Guided-Tour-1-500x500.jpeg\")
\n\t\t\t![\"Statue](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2020\/06\/Statue-of-Liberty-and-Ellis-Island-Guided-Tour-2-250x250.jpeg\")
\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\tDorothy Parker, The Algonquin Hotel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/The-lobby-of-the-Algonquin-Hotel-in-NYC-1024x683.webp\")
Bella Abzug, Bella Abzug Park<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/New-York-mayor-Edward-Koch-with-congresswoman-Bella-Abzug-and-President-Jimmy-Carter.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAlice Austen, The Alice Austen House<\/h2>\n\n\n\n