Gibson, Charles Dana, Artist. Help! The Woman's Land Army of America, New Jersey Division, State House, Trenton / C.D. Gibson ; Greenwich Litho. Co., N.Y. United States, ca. 1918. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002712339/.

During World War I, the Woman’s Land Army of America mobilized women to work on American farms in support of the war effort. Operating from 1917-1919 the Woman’s Land Army (WLA) was staffed entirely by women. By the summer of 1918, this national organization had 1000 WLA units in 42 states employing more than 20,000 women, most of whom were college educated.

Under WLA, agricultural production rose steadily from 1917 to 1919. When American farmers realized that women could do useful work, they readily accepted their services. Acknowledgement of the value of women’s agricultural work greatly benefited women’s empowerment. World War I opened women’s eyes to opportunities and educated them on what they could have, a monumental step which led to the adoption of the 19th Amendment granting the women the right to vote.   

The WLA established labor and living standards. The female farm workers, known as “farmerettes”, earned the same wage as their male counterparts and were protected by an eight-hour workday. The number of women per community unit varied from four to seventy workers all of whom were employed on local farms. 

The WLA did not receive government funding or assistance; it relied on private donations and support from non-profit organizations and institutions. The Garden Club of America was a strong supporter, and the Garden Club of Morristown donated $300 to Morristown’s WLA unit.

What is the Woman's Land Army of America?

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum

What is the Woman's Land Army of America

Imagine you are in 1918 America and you hear about the WLA. How do you learn more about it?  Pamphlets were published to distribute information about the new organization. 

According to the pamphlet, what has the WLA accomplished so far?

What makes this pamphlet a useful primary source?

Dorothea (Dolly) Post (1878-1947) was the great-granddaughter of George and Louisa Macculloch and lived at Macculloch Hall from 1918 until her death in 1947. While living at Macculloch Hall, she and her husband, James Otis Post, modernized the home by installing plumbing and electricity. In 1918, she coordinated the efforts of the Women’s Land Army in the Morristown area when she was just 29 years old. 

The Morristown unit of the Women’s Land Army was located at 23 Maple Avenue in Morristown, NJ. Coordinators asked farmers to give women, called farmerettes, “clear instruction and an opportunity to prove our value.”

Standards for What is the Woman's Land Army of America?

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework