“In this museum is where her story meets history,” Soifer said.

The exhibit tells the story of Lansing’s first female educators, doctors, ministers and philanthropists working to establish Lansing as a cultural and educational center of Michigan in its earliest years.

The museum is housed in a beautiful yellow mansion that was slated for demolition by the city until the museum’s founders stepped in to save it in 1980, Soifer said. The hushed environment of the museum house has a regal tone, as though the house is as much a part of the history of the community as anything on display. The exhibit features artifacts, photographs and writings that detail the exploits of these pioneers.

Creating a Community is a revamped display and was originally presented 10 years ago, said Pat Majher, assistant executive director and curator of the Michigan Women’s Historical Center & Hall of Fame. The exhibit was reinstalled to emphasize the importance of women to the city’s founding during this celebratory year. Majher said the museum decided to scale back its usual focus on the whole state to spotlight Lansing during the anniversary.

“Most of these stories are untold,” Majher said. “What we have here really fills in the blanks for half the inhabitants of our state.”

In addition to the usual wall displays, the museum is working toward making its exhibits more interactive for younger guests. Creating a Community features activities where participants can build log cabins, decorate their own suffragette sashes and take pictures behind a cut out of a traditional 19th century dress. Moving toward interactivity in its exhibits is a trend among all museums and a goal for the Michigan Women’s Historical Center & Hall of Fame, Soifer said.

While the exhibit is small, it definitely makes an impact. It’s too easy to take for granted the fierce battles undertaken by Michigan’s women to create opportunities for the generations to follow. One of those featured in the exhibit, Abigail Rogers, founded Michigan Female College to provide higher education to women before MSU or the University of Michigan admitted female students. Rogers died in 1869, one year before her dream was realized when both universities began admitting women in 1870. These battles were waged quietly and have since disappeared from the pages of history books. To forget is to take for granted; these women accomplished too much for posterity for that to happen. Creating a Community reminds us how far we’ve come as a state and all that there is still left to accomplish.

History too often focuses on the contributions of men at the expense of failing to acknowledge those of women, said Gladys Beckwith, former executive director of the center and president of Michigan Women’s Studies Association. Beckwith is a former MSU professor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures and coordinator of women’s studies. The museum is an important resource in educating the public about women’s history in Michigan, she said.

“We really want to tell the stories of women who are sometimes obscured when we teach our children history, when we learn about history,” Soifer said. “What better tribute could we make to these remarkable women?”