Mary Louisa Duncan Putnam: Iowa Time Machine February 20, 1903

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On February 20, 1903, Mary Louisa Duncan Putnam passed away. The first female member and president of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, Putnam left a legacy that is represented today in the Putnam Museum and Science Center of Davenport.

Born in 1832, Mary Louisa Putnam moved to Davenport with her family in 1855. In 1863, they built a home called Woodlawn in West Davenport. For more than two decades, Putnam carefully walked the line of 19th-century gender norms while fulfilling her role as a mother and dedicating significant time to the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences. She raised funds, organized events, and helped to develop the organization's publications.

Initially joining the organization as its first female member in 1868, Putnam rose to become president of the academy in 1879. Two years later, her son Duncan passed away, and she spent the rest of her life working to advance the academy in his honor.

Named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1902, Putnam’s legacy continued to grow until she passed the following year. Leaving a significant amount of money in trust to the organization she dedicated her life to, the organization reorganized as the Davenport Public Museum in 1938, before eventually honoring her memory by renaming it the Putnam Museum and Science Center. #Iowa #OTD #History #Science #Museum