Photo by Davison Images
The Old Stone Church located at 14 S. Washington Street in downtown Naperville has been the clubhouse for the Naperville Woman’s Club for 100 years. Built in 1899, the historic landmark originally was built by the German Evangelical People’s Church.
“This year the Naperville Woman’s Club is celebrating 100 years ownership of our clubhouse,” explained NWC board member Susan Stockton. “I also think it’s interesting that throughout the war years, the Depression and during a time when women weren’t expected to contribute like men, the NWC made many contributions and were a big influence on Naperville history.”
Stockton noted that by 1924, the church had disbanded due to sentiments against Germans after WWI. In 1925, the Naperville Woman’s Club bought the building for $3,500 to use as their clubhouse and eventually made the facility available to rent for weddings, meetings, concerts and various groups including fledgling churches.
Throughout the years, the building required expensive restoration that included the beautiful stained glass window. Many other improvements were made that included the addition of a kitchen in 1940 and handicap accessibility in 2015. Otherwise the building has remained the same. Considered an important part of Naperville history, the landmark structure is one of the last buildings made from the limestone quarry located in downtown.
The Naperville Woman’s Club was presented with as many as eight offers to buy the building, but the women turned them all down – mostly due to the fear that the building would be torn down. Mindful that the building is one of Naperville’s few remaining examples of Gothic Revival architecture with many of its original architectural features intact, including the stained-glass windows, squared bell tower and entry point and pyramidal roof line, the community views the structure as a symbol of the area’s rich history.
To help secure the building’s future, the Club applied for landmark status and in 2011 the City Council approved the application.
The NWC clubhouse also houses historic items from the German Evangelical People’s Church. During their 87th anniversary meeting, the Club was gifted with the Communion Service consisting of the chalice, flagon, paten (plate) and ciborium (covered container to hold consecrated wafers), as well as the pulpit Bible.
The Naperville Woman’s Club is the longest-running service organization in Naperville, founded in 1897 as a literary club by 19 women who were the wives and daughters of prominent town leaders. At the time most people believed women were solely suited for nurturing and serving others while men were expected to succeed in the public world, Stockton noted.
The Club’s focus soon became philanthropic. The women and their families helped found the Nichols Library, contributed some of its first books and helped buy the Bookmobile. In a continued quest for education, the Club provided books, supplies and offered scholarships for local schools. Red Cross fund drives, liberty bond campaigns, gifts for soldiers and the USO were just a few of the efforts the women focused on during war years. And the NWC began the hospital auxiliary, championed a need for a TB sanitarium in Illinois and purchased an iron lung during the height of polio plus played a part in the development of Edward Hospital.
Today the NWC continues to serve the community focusing on art, education and community service by providing scholarships to students and raising funds for local charities and food banks.
Every year their volunteer services provide much-needed recognition of artistic talent in local high schools by hosting a Young Adult Art Contest. This year also marks the 65th year the NWC will put on a Fine Art & Artisan Fair, free of charge to the community—attracting more than 100 juried artists from around the country.
NWC is a nonprofit organization and a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. For more information, visit napervillewomansclub.org.
Looking ahead to June 28-29, 2025
Sponsorship opportunities available for Naperville Fine Art & Artisan Fair
The Naperville Woman’s Club 65th Fine Art & Artisan Fair is set for Sat., June 28 and Sun., June 29, again at Naper Settlement. More than 100 artists will be displaying and selling their works at this juried art fair. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.
The Naperville Woman’s Club relies on community partners for sponsorships, both monetary and in-kind, and volunteers to make the art fair a success. According to Anita Danza and Nancy de la Hoz, NWC co-chairs of this year’s art fair, “Funds raised go to furthering the mission of the club and contribute to the club’s ongoing operations.”
The Sponsorship Committee has designed a variety of sponsorship packages to get sponsors’ names, products and services out in front of the community. Interested potential sponsors are welcome to visit www.NWCFineArtFair.org/sponsors for more information or email the club at sponsorship@napervillewomansclub.org.
Sponsorship co-chairs, Sarah Dore and Deb Klimek, are ready to speak to potential sponsors about the many features and benefits of sponsoring the oldest, continuously running art fair in Illinois. They emphasize that committing to sponsorships now will ensure that your company or organization receives maximum exposure on all of the club’s various media platforms, both electronic and in print.
