RAGBRAI

Dike, Ia. — RAGBRAI riders could see a piece of history today near Dike: the home of the first women to vote in the U.S.

Jens Theusen is believed to be the first of 67 women to vote in a special school consolidation election in Grundy County the day after Congress passed the 19th amendment August 26, 1920, said Carol Cooper with the League of Women Voters Black-Hawk-Bremer.

And her farm is right on the RAGBRAI route.

The League of Women Voters set up a booth in front of that farm today, and had one in Charles City, home of Carrie Chapman Catt, the force behind the 19th amendment.

But even though some people stopped by, Ron Michaelsen, who lives there with his wife, Marcia, said turnout wasn’t great.

“Most people were more interested in the cheesecake booth down the road, or free water,” he said. “I guess we needed an enticement beyond a history lesson.”

Riders could also sign up in a raffle to win a flag that had flown over the U.S. capitol.

Several hundred have already signed up and the drawing will be in Dike on Aug. 27.

— Regina Zilbermints