Wilmington: The City That Never Forgot

We've been here before. Or rather — they have.

On April 7, 1916, Alice Burke and Nell Richardson arrived in Wilmington late in the afternoon in their little golden Saxon roadster, causing quite a stir. Delegations from two local suffrage associations met them at 29th and Market Streets. Seven decorated automobiles escorted them into the city. The procession ended at City Hall Plaza, where officials welcomed the women and Alice and Nell made the case for votes for women under the open sky. The next morning they drove straight into a blinding blizzard — five inches of snow — and pushed on toward Baltimore. Because of course they did.

One hundred and ten years later, we took a different route into Wilmington. Our stop was Huxley & Hiro Booksellers, one of those warm independent bookstores that feels like a conversation waiting to happen. Owner Claire van den Broek welcomed us in, and what followed was a lively afternoon that proved the Golden Flyer II has a way of drawing people in.

Author Janet Lindenmuth, who is researching the story of Delaware suffragist Rose Wilson, pulled Jeryl Schriever into a deep exchange about the intertwined histories of Delaware women and the suffrage movement. Joyce Ford, a board member of the League of Women Voters New Castle, and Ann Lopez, LWV Vice President, joined the conversation about what organizing for equality looked like then — and what it looks like now.

One of the day's most memorable moments came unbidden. A young passerby noticed the Golden Flyer II outside and walked in, drawn by curiosity. By the time she left, she was activated — ready to share the Sign4ERA petition with friends at school. That's how movements grow. One person at a time, one car-shaped conversation at a time.

From Wilmington we turn south and west — toward Annapolis and the next chapter of this journey. In 1916, Alice and Nell drove through a blizzard to get to Baltimore. We'll see what 2026 has in store. Whatever the weather, the Golden Flyer II rolls on.