L. Frank Baum, a Central New York native and author behind the classic Wizard of Oz series, had a little-known inspiration when creating his magical world. His mother-in-law, Matilda Joslyn Gage, fought for many causes during her life. One of those was women’s rights.

Before the box office hit of "Wicked" was the Wizard of Oz, abook written by Elphaba’s namesake, L. Frank Baum.

“But this room is actually where Frank and Maud were married in 1882… Because this is where their marriage started. This is where, really, the story of Oz begins in this house, and that's something that a lot of people don't know,” said Danielle Nagle, executive director of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Center.

What You Need To Know

  • Matilda Joslyn Gage is from Central New York and fought for equal rights for women, advocated for Natie Americans and was an abolitionist

  • Gage encouraged L. Frank Baum to write down his stories

  • Her statements aginst the evil nature of "witches" might have influenced Baum's writing

When Baum married, Gage became his mother-in-law. She was an abolitionist, feminist, advocated for Native Americans and believed in separation of church and state. Gage worked alongside well-known suffragists, but isn’t well known herself because she was considered well ahead of her time.

“Found a lot of evidence of history written by women suffragists, even in the 1940s, where Matilda isn't mentioned. But we have other collection items that show her name right there alongside Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. So, she really was a leader in the movement. But her work was just seen as too radical,” said Nagle.

Part of her life’s work was writing a book called Women Church and State in 1893, which included a chapter about witchcraft.

“Talking about women and witches as really being people with superior knowledge, women who had scientific knowledge. They were doctors of the time. They knew how to use medicinal plants,” said Nagle. “Challenging the lines, like with women having knowledge, being seen as evil. And so I see that coming through in his writing as well, the duality of good and evil and pulling that into question.”

Gage died in 1898, two years before L. Frank Baum published the Wizard of Oz.

“Without Matilda's influence, I mean, she was the one who encouraged Frank to write down his stories. So, we might not even have The Wizard of Oz,” said Nagle.