Congress in the Archives will feature monthly staff posts on our blog. Today’s post comes from intern Johanna Schein for women’s history month.

Women did not have the right to vote in 1913. Yet through organized lobbying efforts, their influence could still be felt in Congress, especially in terms of environmental policy. Tied to women’s larger effort to extend their traditional “housekeeping” role into the public sector, women’s clubs advocated for a stronger National Park system for the sake of both moral and physical health. When Congress was debating the Raker Bill in 1913, which would grant San Francisco the right to dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park, women’s clubs were among the strongest lobbying groups against the legislation. 

In 1913, the Massachusetts State Federation of Women’s Clubs was just one of the many women’s organizations from across the country that submitted petitions to Congress urging them to protect the Hetch Hetchy Valley from development. In their resolution, the Massachusetts State Federation of Women’s Clubs argued that both women and men found health and inspiration in the Valley. The Federation stressed that with hotels and better transportation, the Hetch Hetchy Valley could be enjoyed by more citizens. According to their resolution, the damming of Hetch Hetchy would be not only unnecessary, but would also be an “irrevocable sacrifice” by the whole nation.

Petition from the Massachusetts State Federation of Women’s Clubs, 11/1913, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 7268076)

The April 18, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, estimated at 7.9 magnitude, was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, claiming more than 3,000 lives. Congress responded to the disaster in several ways. The House and the Senate Appropriations Committees enacted emergency appropriations. Other congressional action included the House Claims Committee handling claims from owners seeking reimbursement for destroyed property. The Senate also passed a resolution asking the Secretary of War to furnish the Senate with a copy of a report on the earthquake and fire. The report on the relief efforts and accompanying captioned photographs, prepared by the U.S. Army, are now housed with the records of the Senate Committee on Printing and include the above photos.

Visit our featured document article for more information on this tragic event and the congressional response.

Photograph of Union Street Car Line After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127302)

Photograph of the Effect of Earthquake on Houses Built on Loose or Made Ground After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127357)

Photograph of Souvenir Hunters After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127316)

Photograph of St. Francis Hotel Showing the Clean Sweep of Fire in the Business Section of All Except Class A Steel Frame Buildings After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127289)

Photograph of a Military Camp on the Fourth Day After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC  2127305)

Photograph of a Typical Bread Line in the Early Stages of Relief Distribution After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 306190)