March celebrates the women throughout history who have taken on extraordinary roles to stand up for what they believe in and their passions.
It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t celebrate a couple of our own amazing Council Bluffs' women!
Amelia Bloomer
May 1818- December 1894
Amelia Bloomer was best known for creating the women’s popular undergarments during the late 19th century called bloomers but was also a powerful suffragist who has been noted to have brought the movement to
Nebraska. 
When Amelia lived in Seneca Falls, New York, she wrote a newspaper called The Lily where she discussed women’s rights and other notable interests to women. Although Bloomer passed before the 19th amendment, she still stands strong. She is buried in Council Bluffs at Fairview Cemetery. Bloomer Elementary school in Council Bluffs is named after her husband who also mayor of the city for a time and played a role in the county bar association and led the Western Iowa Republican party.
Ruth Anne Dodge
May 1883-September 1916
Ruth Anne Dodge was the wife of General Grenville Dodge, and she also had a significant role in Council Bluffs next to her husband. Ruth Anne was known to be able to stand firm next to her husband on any ventures he went on, from his time in the Civil War to settling in Council Bluffs. 
During the war, she formed the Soldier’s Aid Society, which prepared any supplies soldiers would need to keep them healthy. Ruth Anne and Amelia Bloomer worked together for a period on the suffrage movement.
She was also deeply devoted to the Council Bluffs Library with her love of reading. She worked with her sister-in-law to raise funds for books and library space. This created the first free public library in the state of Iowa. Ruth Anne is buried in Walnut Hill Cemetery, where the infamous Black Angel honors her and has held some spooky lore over time.
Spring projects & volunteers
We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to assist with our various projects at the Squirrel Cage Jail and RailsWest Museum. Sometimes we have grand-scale endeavors like the one we're currently tackling at RailsWest, while other times we have smaller yet equally important tasks to tackle, such as changing light bulbs. We have over 100 just in the building, let alone the train cars!
We specifically need assistance on the fourth Saturday of each month from 12 pm-4 pm at the RailsWest Railroad Museum.
Upcoming projects this year:
- Depot Work
- Railroad Days (September)
- Flashlight Tours (October)