A special message for historical nonprofits, municipal and civic leaders, and businesses who care about their local history:  

Did you know…

• There are only approximately 20 women’s history trails in the entire United States?

• Women’s history trails are one of THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS to make women’s history visible?

• Women’s history trails can transform a town, boost local business, inspire kids, AND help preserve your town history?

But here’s the really exciting news — YOU CAN CREATE A WOMEN’S HISTORY TRAIL IN ONE YEAR.

Yes, it’s really true! I’ve done it.

In fact, when I hosted a teleconference call with the historian Polly Welts Kaufman who, like me, is an experienced trail developer, we asked our listeners to imagine if ONE YEAR FROM THE CALL — March 2011, National Women’s History Month — we were able to announce the opening of 50 more trails. 100. Even more.

How much would that boost women’s history in the U.S.? Enormously!

What an exciting vision — to have more and more neighborhoods, towns, cities, and states be part of a national momentum to promote women’s history!

In 10 Easy Steps to Create a Women’s History
Trail in One Year here's what you will learn in detail.

Step 1: Selling the Idea and Finding a
Home for Your Trail
(critical to the trail’s long-term success)

Step 2: Forming Your Trail Committee and
Building Your Network
(this is where the benefits start to kick in)

Step 3: Setting Up Systems
(your life will be so much easier if you do)

Step 4: Preparing for and Hosting Your Public Meeting
(a rewarding and creative exercise)

Step 5: Developing the Content of Your Trail
(specific ideas on where to look for information)

Step 6: Determining Your “Product”
(you have options, and you need to set a budget)

Step 7: Fundraising to Support Your Trail
(it really can be fun)

Step 8: Developing Your Product
(working with your creative team)

Step 9: Opening Your Trail
(planning the big day)

Step 10: Now What? — Keeping the Trail “Alive”
(I provide lots of examples)

You will also get:

• sample news releases
• sample book flier
• sample nomination form
• sample brochures
• sample book covers and interior pages from other trail projects
• helpful links
• sample timeline

Please know, however, that you can use these ten steps to create other kinds of history trails.

Frankly, it was a challenge to set a price point for this EBook considering what I would normally charge as a consultant on a trail project.

But it’s so important to me to boost the research and visibility of women’s history, and especially to inspire people of all ages with the stories we can tell about women who overcame obstacles, that I wanted to make sure this material could get into as many hands as possible.

For girls, especially, it sends a very powerful message when an entire community commits to developing a women’s history trail.

I’ve made it easy for you to purchase the book, knowing how many of you represent organizations with varying billing procedures:

• By Paypal/credit card for instant gratification!
• By fax.
• By telephone.
• By mail.

Here's the link to our store.

I hope you will enjoy and use 10 Easy Steps to Create a Women’s History Trail in One Year, and help “do” and promote women’s history throughout the United States. Next, the world!

And please let me know about your trail. I would be honored and thrilled to share in your success.

Your colleague,


Bonnie Hurd Smith 

P.S. Please let your friends and colleagues know about this book. The more women's history the better!