It’s Women’s History Month and the final weeks of the exhibit “A Woman’s Place Was Everywhere: How Working Women Shaped Mendocino” at the Kelley House. This exhibit tells the lesser-known stories of entrepreneurs, nurses, artists, teachers, madams, and philanthropists who laid the foundation for the Mendocino we know today. The women featured are only a fraction of the many who have had a significant impact on the coast over the years, which is why we’ve asked guests to nominate hardworking women from their lives to be featured, including a little bit about who each woman was or the work she did. Below are some of their responses.
Sylvia Coddington: Hero of Mendocino preservation.
Megan Caton: Lost Coast Found, Larry Spring Museum.
Nannie Escola: Teacher and Mendocino historian.
Eugenia Coden: 1940-2015, widowed at 30 years old with 10 kids. She worked as a tailor to provide for her kids and others. Strong, independent till her last days. From Tampico Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Liz Brazill: Dorothy Leonard’s granddaughter, past Kelley House gardener with Martha Wagner.
Margaret Fox: Farm to table pioneer, community nourishment.
Alice Wittig: librarian, radio story time host, mom, part of Mendocino for 30 years.
Judi Macdonald of Comptche: School bus driver, post mistress, CUFD fire lady, mom.
Valerie McMillan: MTC original actor, care giver, grandmother, great-grandmother.
Ronnie Kemper: (now retired) owner of Rainsong Shoes and Clothing, in business in Mendocino for over 40 years.
Amy Solarman: Awesome educator at Noyo High School.
Lolli Jacobson and Elaine Lackey: Started the textile apprenticeship program at MAC, which brought a lot of weavers to the area, including me, thank you ladies!
Eunice Barnes Todd: My grandmother, born in Caspar in 1890. She was a mid-wife for the town of Mendocino, and when the automobile came along, once a year she would go to Ukiah and deliver all the birth records. They were one of the first families to have a car.
Robbi Margaret Halua of the Mendocino Coast Jewish community.
Martha Wagner: Wonderful, delightful person, great gardener and supporter of the Kelley House.
Alice Ivec: Author of local history.
Denise Stenbeck: Teacher and author.
Neva Cannon: Educator.
Aracely Guzman Pedomo: Mendocino Grove caretaker, great mother.
Lynn Illa Bell: 1947-2013, business owner of Surf and Sand Lodge, Fort Bragg community activist, and supporter of working women.
Cynthia Frank: Taught me cooking when she ran the restaurant at “The Well,” and also helped me publish “The Wild Mushroom Cookbook” with her current business, Cypress House
Teresa Sholars: Taught biological sciences at the Fort Bragg branch of College of the Redwoods, She gave me an education for my career of doing botanical surveys for use permits.
Sharon Hanson: Taught me nursery plant propagation, which led to my position at Jug Handle Native Plant Nursery.
Helen Chalfin: Hired me at Jug Handle Native Plant Nursery.
Katy Tahja: Mendocino School Board member, Mendocino Middle School librarian, author of many great books and publications of Mendocino County, Kelley House Memorial Day book sale, Kelley House Docent.
Carla Jupiter: Original owner of the bakery that later became the Goodlife Café, carrying on the tradition she established of baking wonderful pastries and providing a community gathering space.
There’s still time to nominate a woman from your life! Visit the Kelley House Museum to view “A Woman’s Place Was Everywhere” and learn more about the women who shaped Mendocino!
The last day to view “A Woman’s Place Was Everywhere” is Sunday, March 29th, 2026. The Kelley House Museum is open Friday-Sunday, 11am-3pm. Visit the Kelley House Event Calendar for a walking tour schedule.