Cox House Summer Tours Highlight Local Suffrage Leader Lillien Cox Gault

The Nicollet County Historical Society announces the return of summer tours at the E. St. Julien Cox House, beginning Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 1:00 PM.

This summer, visitors can explore the beautifully restored Victorian home at their own pace and see Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence, a Smithsonian poster exhibition on the women’s suffrage movement, displayed on the main floor.

The story of women’s suffrage is a story of voting rights, of inclusion in and exclusion from the franchise, and of our civic development as a nation. Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence, a poster exhibition from the Smithsonian, explores the complexity of the women’s suffrage movement and the relevance of this history to Americans’ lives today. Based on the National Portrait Gallery exhibition of the same name, the poster exhibition addresses women’s political activism, explores the racism that challenged universal suffrage, and documents the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which prohibits the government from denying U.S. citizens the right to vote on the basis of gender.

The Nicollet County Historical Society has created companion interpretation panels that connect the national story to a local one. Lillien Cox Gault, daughter of St. Peter’s first mayor, E. St. Julien Cox, grew up in the house and went on to become a leader in voter mobilization after the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920. She organized registration drives and citizenship schools across Nicollet County, helped establish the local League of Women Voters, and became one of only three women serving as mayor in Minnesota in 1922. The companion panels draw on local newspaper accounts and historical records to tell her story.

Tours are free and self-paced. No reservations are required. Visitors receive a brief introduction and a printed guide to explore the house room by room. Free-will donations are accepted and support the preservation of the Cox House.

2026 Summer Tour Schedule
All tours at 1:00 PM.

Saturday, June 6
Saturday, June 20
Saturday, July 18
Saturday, August 1
Saturday, August 15
Saturday, August 29

For more information, visit https://www.nchsmn.org/series/cox-house-summer-tours/