Women's Histories

The perspectives and stories of women have often been downplayed or excluded from representations of history. In this collection, discover parts of Edmonton’s heritage history by exploring the stories of women.  We continue to learn and grow together as we build this collection to better amplify the voices and stories of diverse women.

A postcard showing Woodward’s department store building. Text at the bottom of the postcard reads “C. Woodward Ltd. Department Store, Edmonton, Alberta.”

Harma-Mae Smit

My Grandma Going Out into the World: Working at Woodward’s

Facing boredom, depression, and loneliness, 1960s stay-at-home mother Harma Smit decided to get a job. In 1967, when Harma found a job at Edmonton’s Woodward’s department store, it was just becoming more common for married women to seek work outside the home. In this addition to ECAMP’s labour series, Harma-Mae Smit recounts her grandmother’s experience in the retail workforce. Relying on family reflections, Smit discusses community reactions to her grandmother’s decision to work, her positive experience as an employee at Woodward’s for nearly two decades, and the material and mental benefits that the added income had for her grandmother and the rest of the family.

Bruce Cinnamon

“Queen of the Link”: Margaret Littlewood, Canada’s Only Woman Flight Instructor during WWII

In 1943, skilled pilot Margaret Littlewood, rejected by the RCAF for being a woman, became the only woman Link Trainer instructor in Canada. Hired by aviation pioneer Wop May at Edmonton’s Air Observer School, she trained 150 pilots, overcame sexism, and later earned Canada’s highest pilot licence—helping pave the way for future women in aviation.

Cathy Roy

Alberta’s Government, the Mainframe Computer, and Women’s Work

In the 1960s, Bill Rogers convinced the Alberta government to invest both computers and the training needed for their workers to program these machines, launching a data revolution. Women dominated these data entry roles under strict, often discriminatory conditions. Despite long hours and limited advancement, they powered early digital governance, pioneering computer use in western Canada and forging lasting professional bonds.

Tessie Oliva, a young Filipina woman, pictured in a nursing school graduation photo wearing a 1960s white nursing uniform.

Giselle General

“She Can Move Mountains”: Tessie Oliva’s Impact on the Nursing Sector in Edmonton

This pioneering Filipino-Canadian nurse’s efforts to support immigrant workers had profound impacts on Alberta’s healthcare system

Senior portrait of a young white woman with dark hair wearing a high-collared dress. Text read “Miss G. Misener.” It is the senior photo of Geneva Misener from Queen’s University.

Pamela Young

“More than a prize scholar or bookworm”: The Leadership and Legacy of Dr. Geneva Misener

Geneva Misener, the University of Alberta’s first woman professor, was a pioneering Classicist and tireless advocate for women’s rights. Born in 1877, she earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, co-founded the Canadian Federation of University Women, and promoted women’s education, suffrage, and sport. Though underrecognized today, her enduring legacy reminds us that individual resolve can drive lasting social change.

A photograph of Robert Goulet in a suit with slicked-back hair speaking to Laura Lindsay, who is elegantly dressed in front of a fireplace.

Katherine Koller

Laura Lindsay, First Lady of Daytime TV in Alberta from 1955-68

When Sunwapta Broadcasting first produced local television in Edmonton in 1954, CFRN aimed daytime programs at the homemaker audience. Laura Banks was the popular face of this programming from 1955-1968, under the stage name Laura Lindsay. Decades after her death, she remains well-loved by women who tuned in for her sewing and cooking demonstrations and celebrity interviews.