On January 5, 2025, Wyoming will mark the 100th anniversary of Nellie Tayloe Ross’s inauguration as the first female governor in US history with an official day in her honor, Wyo File reports.
This milestone, born from the efforts of Green River High School students, celebrates Ross’s historic achievement and the state’s long-standing commitment to women’s rights.
Nellie Tayloe Ross was sworn in as Wyoming’s governor on January 5, 1925, a time when Prohibition was in effect, televisions were yet to be invented, and Native Americans had only recently gained US citizenship. Wyoming, a state of fewer than 200,000 residents at the time, solidified its reputation as a trailblazer for women’s rights.
Wyoming’s history of gender equality predates Ross’s governorship. In 1869, it became the first territory to grant women the right to vote and hold office, decades before the 19th Amendment extended suffrage nationwide. By 1870, women in Wyoming were already breaking barriers: Esther Hobart Morris became the first woman to hold public office as a justice of the peace, and Louisa Swain became the first woman in the country to vote in a general election.
The idea to commemorate Ross came from Bridgette Nielsen’s history class at Green River High School. Motivated by her story, the students drafted a proclamation to establish Nellie Tayloe Ross Day. Their work was part of a student-directed learning opportunity under Governor Mark Gordon’s Reimagining and Innovating the Delivery of Education initiative, which seeks to modernize Wyoming’s educational models.
Governor Gordon joined Nielsen’s class and Sweetwater County residents in late December to make the proclamation official. He praised the students’ efforts, highlighting Ross’s enduring contributions to banking reform, public health, education, and the well-being of Wyomingites.
Ross’s journey to the governor’s office was shaped by both personal tragedy and determination. Born in Missouri, she moved to Cheyenne in 1902 after marrying lawyer and future governor William Ross. When he passed away suddenly in 1924, just two years into his term, supporters urged Nellie to run for the vacant seat. Campaigning in mourning attire, she won the election by 8,000 votes.
Although she lost her bid for reelection, Ross’s public service did not end there. She became a popular speaker on the Chautauqua circuit and later broke another glass ceiling as the first female director of the US Mint. While much of her life was spent in Washington, D.C., Ross was laid to rest in Wyoming.
