Knoxville’s Hatcher-Hill Development Company, LLC, donates $500,000 to launch expansion campaign as the Suffrage Coalition announces purchase of the museum’s permanent home
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 6, 2025) – In a morning filled with symbolism, surprise, and heartfelt celebration, the Suffrage Coalition announced that it has successfully raised $2 million and purchased 706 South Gay Street, the future home of the Women’s Suffrage Museum, slated to open in 2028.
The event took an unexpected and inspiring turn when Knoxville developer Tim Hill, Co-Founder and President of Hatcher-Hill Properties, LLC, announced a $500,000 donation to help expand the museum’s footprint to include the adjacent 708 South Gay Street building.
Hatcher-Hill’s donation, made possible by a shared passion for history and preservation, kicks off a new $2.9 million fundraising campaign to secure and restore the additional property, doubling the museum’s size to over 20,000 square feet. Upon completion, it will stand as the largest institution in the nation dedicated solely to telling a much more complete story of the women’s suffrage movement.
“This extraordinary gift will help us locate and preserve much more of the many shades of the suffrage story,” said Wanda Sobieski, Founder and President of the Suffrage Coalition. “Because of Hatcher-Hill’s generosity, the Women’s Suffrage Museum will have the space it needs to tell this story fully and beautifully. Tim Hill’s belief in our mission is a gift to the entire community.”
A Celebration Rooted in History and Symbolism
The announcement unfolded beneath a 36-star U.S. flag banner on loan from the Tennessee State Museum, paying tribute to Tennessee’s decisive role as the “Perfect 36th” state whose ratification of the 19th Amendment made women’s suffrage law.
Sobieski arrived in a 1929 Ford Model A Tudor, owned by Stephen Wickizer, and walked a yellow carpet to the podium in authentic suffrage attire. Yellow roses, the emblem of the suffrage movement, adorned the space as guests gathered for the reveal.
In one of the day’s most dramatic moments, a 23-by-35-foot architectural rendering of the planned museum was unveiled, cascading from the top of the 706 South Gay Street building as the expanded vision was revealed.
“Today marks the culmination of more than 30 years of passion, perseverance, and purpose,” said Sobieski. “The Women’s Suffrage Museum will be a tangible, enduring tribute, a place where the legacy of the courageous women who fought for the right to vote is preserved, interpreted, and taught for generations to come.”
Leadership, Legacy, and a Transformative Gift
Former Knoxville Mayor Madelyn Rogero introduced Hill, praising his leadership and dedication to preserving Knoxville’s history. Rogero has long been a supporter of the Suffrage Coalition and a key advocate in helping Sobieski’s vision become reality.
“From the earliest days of this project, I have believed deeply in the importance of telling this story right here in Knoxville, where the spirit of progress has always run strong,” said Rogero. “This gift represents the best of who we are as a community, people who honor our past while investing in our shared future.”
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon also joined the celebration, presenting an official City of Knoxville proclamation recognizing the museum’s cultural and historical significance.
“Located right here in Tennessee, the Women’s Suffrage Museum will celebrate the brave women who secured the right to vote,” said Kincannon. “Knoxville is proud to be the home of this national treasure, a place where history and innovation meet to inspire the future.”
Rebecca “Becca” Ensminger McCombs, a descendant of Febb Ensminger Burn, whose letter persuaded her son, Rep. Harry T. Burn, to cast the decisive vote for ratification, shared her reflections.
“Something I love about this museum is that it will hold many stories, some famous, some quiet,” said McCombs. “It will be a place that tells our sons and daughters, ‘Your voice matters. Use it well, and also listen.'”
A Call for Donor Support
Hill took the podium to share his remarks before presenting the $500,000 check to Sobieski.
“Knoxville’s story is America’s story, rich with people who had the courage to make an impact,” said Hill. “The suffragists gave us one of the most powerful examples of that courage. Supporting this museum is a way to honor them, and to preserve another piece of Knoxville’s historic downtown for future generations.”
Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, Executive Producer and Director of Museum Development for the Women’s Suffrage Museum, and Co-Founder, Builder, and former Chief Operating Officer of Titanic Museum Attractions, praised Hatcher-Hill’s gift as the catalyst for a new era of support.
“Today’s announcement and Tim Hill’s generosity take our dream to a new level,” said Kellogg-Joslyn. “But this is just the beginning. We invite all who believe in the power of women’s stories and in preserving history to join us. Through donor support, we will bring this museum to life for generations to come.”
According to Kellogg-Joslyn, $2.4 million remains as the fundraising goal for the purchase of the 708 South Gay Street building, and those wishing to contribute to the ongoing fundraising campaign can visit www.womenssuffragemuseum.org to learn more about the museum’s mission, explore its story, and make a tax-deductible donation.
“This day belongs to Wanda Sobieski and to everyone who believed in her vision,” added Kellogg-Joslyn. “For three decades, Wanda has worked tirelessly, collecting more than 1,000 artifacts, raising funds to build two monuments that now stand proudly in downtown Knoxville, and never losing sight of her dream to give these stories a permanent home. Because of her leadership and the support of so many, that dream is finally beginning to take shape.”
