You’ve likely driven by the Old Stone Church that is now the clubhouse of the Naperville Woman’s Club. Or perhaps you’ve attended the club’s fine art fair year after year at Naper Settlement. Or maybe you remember when club members funded the first outfit for McGruff the Crime Dog. Since 1897, the membership of the Naperville Woman’s Club has been contributing to the rich culture and quality of life in this city.
Now the Naperville Woman’s Club has released a second edition of its Commemorative History. This year marks the Woman’s Club’s 115th anniversary, and the book celebrates their tradition of service.
Members searched Club archives to tell the ongoing story of six generations of women serving the Naperville community. Their efforts, since the Club’s beginnings in 1897, offer unique insights into area development.
The roster of past Club presidents includes women instrumental in Naperville’s growth. Elizabeth Nichols served as president from 1900 to 1902; Ida Goodrich took over the office in 1902; Grace Fredenhagen served from 1941 to 1943, just to name three of the ladies who led the Club. Sections of the book include: charter members; presidents and the accomplishments of their terms; members who served in the military; a history of the clubhouse built in 1899, including Landmark status Naperville City Council granted in 2011; the Club chorus, and Fine Art Fair, which is the oldest Illinois Art Fair in continuous operation.
Naperville Woman’s Club Commemorative History, Second Edition retails for $19.95 and is available at Amazon.com. Eighty photographs illustrate women’s history. The Club released a first edition in 2007, and the new version honors the organization’s accomplishments since then.
For more information visit www.napervillewomansclub.com.
