Trailblazing Women of Western New York Narrative Project: Louise Blanchard Bethune

LOUISE BLANCHARD BETHUNE, FAIA

Pioneering Architect & Equity Advocate

The first professional woman architect in the United States, Louise Blanchard Bethune was a national leader in the architectural profession during the Gilded Age. A staunch advocate for equal pay for equal work, Bethune advocated for co-education and state licensure for the architectural profession. She elevated the design of schools before standards were developed.

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