U. S. First Female Mayor
In 1917, an all male electorate in Marble Falls chose a women as their mayor. Texas had never seen a women mayor before, even more important, the event was a first for the U.S. Less than three years later, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote, which also made Mrs. George Ophelia "Birdie" Harwood the only woman mayor elected by an all male electorate.
Birdie Harwood ran on a platform of "A bigger town, a better town, a cleaner town and a more progressive town."
Against some critical and less progressive elements, she defended her mayoral run, saying "A womens first duty is to her home and children. When she has raised them up to take their place in the world, it is then her duty to turn to her state and there help make a fit, abiding place for them."
The Harwood administration took over with a promise to publish a semi-annual and annual budget. True to her word, Harwood saw to it that a budget and municipal activity summary were published in the Marble Falls Messenger.
Harwood endorsed prohibition during her tenure. Harwood also called for a clean-up day to burn trash and combat a fly problem in the city. Her administration mandated automobile drivers had to honk their horns when turning corners and to stay to the right of turning posts.
By the end of her administration' Harwood and other city leaders had put Marble Falls on the road to becoming the tourist attraction it is today.