Naming ceremony will mark the end of Women’s History Month
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MARCH 15, 2019 – To honor the contribution of both Annie and Abel Van Meter to Missouri, Van Meter State Park will be renamed Annie and Abel Van Meter State Park at a ceremony at the park at 2 p.m. on March 28.
As part of this ceremony, the park will unveil a new exhibit panel. Missouri State Parks partnered with the Women’s Foundation to help capture the story of the important legacy Annie and her husband gave Missouri. The Women’s Foundation promotes equity and opportunity for women of all ages, using research, philanthropy and policy solutions to make meaningful change.
"Annie Van Meter was an incredible woman with a keen sense of business," said Carol Comer, director of the Department of Natural Resources. "She played a significant role in the success of the Van Meter land, and this name change gives visitors the opportunity to learn of this strong, intelligent woman."
After Abel Van Meter died, Annie decided to donate part of her land to the state of Missouri. She stated she had wanted the state to restore and preserve the land because her husband had "always tried to preserve the woods and wildlife around her." She and Abel are both interred in the family cemetery in the park.
"At the Women's Foundation, we're committed to making sure women are represented at all levels – including in our public spaces and historic sites," said Kendall Seal, Vice President of Research & Policy and general counsel at the Women’s Foundation. "Recognizing women's historical contributions is about more than writing them back into history, it also helps empower and inspire women today. We thank Missouri State Parks for working with us to give Annie Van Meter the recognition she deserves and look forward to continuing this progress in the months to come."
For more information about the ceremony, please call the park at 660-886-7537.
Van Meter State Park is located north of I-70 and west of Highway 65 in Miami, 12 miles north of Marshall at 32146 N. Highway 122.
For more information about Missouri state parks and historic sites, visit the web at https://mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.