Updated November 2007

Virtual Towanda, Kansas - October 1999 - The Rural Womyn Zone, an online community of feminists and progressive women involved in social change and other activities, has found a virtual home in the town of Towanda, Kansas.

Origin of name
The Town of Towanda web site says that the origin of the town's name is unknown, "but records show the post office was called 'Towanda' when established in 1860. The most widely believed story is that Towanda is an Osage Indian word meaning 'many waters' or 'rushing waters' stated in writings by Mrs. Dan Cupp, an early settler."

Symbolism Important.
Not only is Kansas a virtual geographical center for the Zone, but, as Jo, a Zone member put it, "as 'many waters' we come together, like streams and creeks, from all over the world and meld together in the lake that is the Zone. We are 'rushing waters' using the technology of the movement to the future to hurry past geographic obstacles and share our thoughts and experiences together. We use the speed of e-communication to instantly respond to each other. And as for the other symbolism, well, we're all smart women and we know how many beans makes five!"

Other towns considered as virtual home for the Zone were Towanda, Pennsylvania, population 3,242, and Towanda, Illinois, population 856.  But Towanda, Kansas endeared itself to the group when news got out that the town police chief and officers had turned in their badges at a meeting when over 300 people, a large percent of the town's population, demanded the mayor's resignation.  Since the mayor refused to resign, there is no longer a police department in Towanda. 

Update - November 2005
Rural Womyn Zone received email from a real-time resident of Towanda, Kansas, informing us that there was once again a police department in Towanda, and the Chief was Tim Ferran.  Real-time Towanda has a woman mayor named Karen Gibson. Other women involved in local government in Towanda include Deputy City Clerk, City Treasurer, & City Planning and Zoning Secretary Susan Smith, and City Planning and Zoning Administrator Lisa Long. 

Thanks for contacting us, sisters in Towanda!  

Update - November 2007
Hello, real-time Towanda! We're glad to see that Karen Gibson is still your mayor.  Lisa Long is now the City Planning and Zoning Administrator.