Strong Women – Sterke Vrouwen
From Sea to Mountains
ZB Library in Middelburg, The Netherlands July 25 – September 30
Nederland Community Library September 21 – October 19
International Cooperation and Sister Libraries
In 2023, ZB Library of Zeeland and the Nederland Community Library in Colorado became Sister Libraries, and now they are organizing joint projects.
The two exhibitions of Strong Women who have made significant contributions to their communities in their own way is the second collaborative project between the two libraries.
ZB LIBRARY
The exhibition in Zeeland features Wilma de Groot from Koudekerke and Goldie Griffith from Nederland, Colorado
About Wilma de Groot
Wilma de Groot (Koudekerke, 1967) decided early on that she would let nothing stop her from doing everything she wanted to do. She forged her own path with creativity and the art of, as she puts it, “always flowing from one thing to the next.” This has brought her many rewards. At the same time, she has also made a significant contribution to the Zeeland community in the areas of fashion, Walcheren costume, and local community life. Her work has also received international attention, including through the “Zeeuws Meisje” project by photographer Rem van den Bosch.
The exhibition highlights various themes from Wilma’s life. It is a tribute to her perseverance, creativity, and connection with people, materials, and her Zeeland roots. A new Zeeland podcast series is launching in conjunction with this exhibition.
About Goldie Griffith
Goldie Griffith (1893-1976, Chicago, Illinois) began her career as a boxer and wrestler. At Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, she learned to ride untamed, bucking horses. Later, she became an actor and stuntwoman. In 1922, she moved to Boulder County, Colorado, where she became a rancher. There, she owned several popular boarding houses and restaurants from which she organized activities and contributed significantly to the community in Nederland, Colorado. The exhibition tells the extraordinary life story of Goldie Griffith; a woman who defied the world to do what she was passionate about.
Goldie’s story is part of the exhibition “Bandit Queens , Cowgirls and Sharpshooters,” at the ZB Library. This American exhibition was curated by Kay Turnbaugh and offered by the Nederland Community Library. Kay Turnbaugh is the author of the book “The Last of the Wild West Cowgirls.” She will be coming to Zeeland on September 13 and 14, 2025, to talk about Goldie and the cowgirls. See some of the images on exhibit in The Netherlands on Kay’s website.
You can find more information about activities surrounding the Strong Women exhibition at: dezb.nl/agenda
Photo: Wilma de Groot by Rem van den Bosch
Goldie Griffith from Kay Turnbaugh collection
NEDERLAND COMMUNITY LIBRARY
Sterke Vrouwen van Nederland: From Sea to Mountains, Nederlander Women making history.
A collection of traditional costume photographs from ZB Beeldbank Zeeland will be on display at the Nederland Library.
The Walcheren traditional costume of the Netherlands, with its hood, takes center stage, alongside the traditional cowgirl hat.
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