About Florence Fifer Bohrer (1877-1960)

Florence Fifer Bohrer played a pivotal role in founding our local League of Women Voters chapter and served on the national LWV board. A true trailblazer, she was elected Illinois’ first female state senator—five years before women won the right to vote.

Throughout her two terms in Springfield and beyond, she focused on improving the lives of people. Her legislative work included helping to establish the state park system and advocating for permanent care for children with disabilities.

Locally, she helped found the Girls' Industrial Home (a precursor to the PTA), the Fairview Sanitarium (now located in today’s Fairview Park, Normal), and chaired the Emergency Relief Commission during the Great Depression. In that role, she was responsible for ensuring that over 15,000 county residents received critical support. 

Florence Fifer Bohrer remains a role model of active, compassionate citizenship.

Learn More about Florence Fifer Bohrer

Photo courtesy of the Pantagraph archive. Pictured are (l to r) Mrs. Harris T. Baldwin, Florence Fifer Bohrer, Marjorie Bomberger, and Mrs. Frank Hixon; 1941 photo by Dorothy Hatfield, League of Women Voters.