Myrtle Weldon (1890–1971)
Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Marker Inscription
Myrtle Weldon (1890-1971). After earning degrees in home economics, in 1924 she began work as state leader of the University of Kentucky Home Economics Extension program. During her 30-year tenure, subject areas increased and the program grew from 23 to 110 agents. Under her leadership, the Kentucky Federation of Homemakers was formed in 1932. (Reverse) Family & Consumer Sciences Extension in Kentucky- Programs began in 1914 when 17 county agents were hired to focus on canning work. Early agents taught food production, safety, preservation & storage. Programs expanded through the 20th century to meet family needs in health, nutrition, resource management, housing, aging, parenting and leadership development.
Erected by Kentucky Historical Society
The Story
Myrtle Weldon spent three decades, beginning in 1924, building Kentucky's Home Economics Extension program from a modest corps of 23 agents into a statewide network of 110. Trained in home economics, she led the effort that founded the Kentucky Federation of Homemakers in 1932. Her work grew from a movement that began in 1914, when the first county agents taught rural families the practical arts of canning, food safety, and preservation.
Why it matters
Weldon's career shows how women professionals carried modern science and self-reliance into rural American households during the early 20th century.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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