History

The year was 1987. Six women - Bonnie Rose Hough, Anne Latta, Ann Kennedy, Rita Levy, Nancy Nakai, and Patricia Warren – recognized that virtually no records of women’s achievements had been recorded in Marin County. That fact promoted them to redress the situation, and establish the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame.

It is hard to imagine Marin County without the work of countless women shaping the life, culture, mores, and landscape of Marin. The founders were joined by other enthusiastic volunteers to develop the methodology to identify, recognize and record for posterity the substantial contributions of Marin women, a process that is still largely used today.

As the project progressed, the Marin Women’s Commission, YWCA Marin and American Association of University Women rallied to ensure the launch of the Hall of Fame by providing essential resources and funds for what would become an annual induction celebration. The inaugural event was a sellout, and HERstory began to be more fully appreciated by county officials and residents.

The first eight honorees were inducted into the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame in a celebration held at Dominican College in March 1988:

Etta Allen, Business & Professions
Mimi Farina, Arts
Patricia Hallinan, M.D., Medicine & Social Change
Ann T. Kent, Community Service (posthumous)
Edna Muse, Community Service
Vera Schultz, Public Affairs
Elizabeth Terwilliger, Education
Mae Wygant, Community Service

Today over 140 women have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and we invite you to explore the biographies of these extraordinary women!