Grand Rapids Woman's Club Records
Scope and Contents
The Collection is organized into the following series: meeting minutes, executive board minutes, records secretary files, subject files and The Player records. The minutes document both the general meetings as well as the executive process. The recording secretary’s files contain data on members and finances. The subject files contain a number of activity reports, some ephemera, certificates and correspondence. The Players Records include a separate constitution, play production licenses, and ephemera related to the production activities, mostly as the GR Woman’s Club. One item advertising a dramatization by the South End Ladies’ Literary Club, however, is included for 1898.
Dates
- 1890-1960, n.d.
Creator
- Grand Rapids Woman's Club (Organization)
Biographical / Historical
The Grand Rapids Woman’s Club was founded on Oct. 7, 1890 under the name “Our Society”, which was changed to “South End Ladies Literary Club” at the next meeting on October 14, 1890.This name has been annotated to the “South Side Ladies Literary Club” in v. 1-3 of the record books. It became known as the Grand Rapids Woman’s Club beginning May 1, 1900. Original founding members were Clara J. Denton, Kittie H. Powers, Effie Van Valkenburgh, Carrie Stover and Miss Fox.
In the late 1890s the membership purchased a clubhouse at 1132 Cass Avenue, SE. The Club was one of several clubs in the City, and was a member of the Grand Rapids Federation of Women’s Clubs (GRPL Coll. #20). Other similar clubs were the Woman’s City Club, and those listed in the related archival materials note.
Extent
3.96 Linear Feet (10 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Grand Rapids Woman's Club was a club in Grand Rapids, Michigan dedicated to social, literary and philanthropic efforts. This collection includes documents of the club, including under its earlier names Our Society and South End Ladies Literary Club or South Side Ladies Literary Club. In addition to the usual minutes, constitution and by-laws, member lists, and accounts, is a scrapbook, and information on philanthropies. Also, a major group within the Club was The Players, which produced amateur stage productions. A separate constitution, play production licenses and various ephemera document this theatrical group. The Grand Rapids Woman’s Club was one of several clubs in the City, and was a member of the Grand Rapids Federation of Women’s Clubs (GRPL Coll. #020).
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donor unknown. Accession numbers G41:BM12; G41:BM14; G41:BM17; 00.[1385].1 to 00.[1390].1; 1986.461
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Grand Rapids Woman's Club
- Subtitle
- Including the "Our Society" and the South End (Side) Ladies Literary Club
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Richard H. Harms
- Date
- August 1989
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Grand Rapids History Center Repository
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497
localhis@grpl.org