Every Woman Her Own Architect: Discovering the Forgotten History of America’s First Woman Architect

Louise Blanchard Bethune, FAIA was the first professional woman architect in the United States. Architect and scholar, Kelly Hayes McAlonie, FAIA, discusses Bethune’s life and career including the factors that enabled her to break into the Gilded Age architectural boy’s club. Kelly has uncovered a history that provides insights into the world of the Gilded Age and the architectural profession today. 

Additionally, Kelly will discuss her role in the development of Barbie I Can Be Architect, the career doll of 2011, and describe how her work on Bethune and Barbie led to her fascination with professionalism, fashion, and the image of the architect. 

 Presented by AIA Cincinnati’s Women in Architecture committee,  American Sign Museum, Cincinnati Preservation, and Ohio Valley NOMA.