Viola Florence Barnes

Viola Florence Barnes (August 28, 1885 – July 1, 1979) was an American historian and author, one of the most prominent female historians in the US in the first half of 20th century.

Born in Albion, Nebraska, Barnes was educated at the University of Nebraska and Yale University. She taught at Smith College (1933) and Mount Holyoke College (1933–1952). In 1940, she was honored by the Women's Centennial Congress as one of a hundred successful women in fields formerly closed to women.

She focused on the history of New England and the Maritime provinces, her most famous work was The Dominion of New England (1923).

Her papers are held at Mt. Holyoke.