Woman's Club of Wisconsin - About the Club

We don't accomplish anything in this world alone... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads form one to another that creates something.

- Sandra Day O'Connor

A club of their own

One hundred years after the founding of the United States and only thirty years after the city of Milwaukee was chartered, a group of prominent women gathered in 1876 to discuss the organization of a woman’s club. One honored guest was Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, the author of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and a founding member the Woman’s Club of New England – the first all-female organization of its kind in the country. These visionary women recognized the need for a place to meet at a time when women had limited ways to inform themselves and socialize with peers. Some of these women were Milwaukee ’s most privileged women; all were witness to the many social needs in the young city. They came together for social camaraderie but were determined to bring improvements to their community.

The club’s founders identified several causes where their collective efforts could make a difference: schools for teaching cooking, nursing and other practical arts to enable new immigrants to enter the work force; educational improvements for children; and child care assistance for impoverished families.

A remarkable idea for its time
After ten years of meeting in members’ homes and facing growing membership, the club seriously considered building a permanent clubhouse. In an innovative move for the time, the founders formed the first women’s stock company in the world to handle the business aspects of building a clubhouse.

The formal opening of the Italian Renaissance clubhouse took place in December of 1887.The building was lauded for its architectural beauty and as an asset to Milwaukee ’s cultural life. Designated a Milwaukee landmark in 1970, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Preservation of this exceptional building remains a part of the club’s mission today.

Relevant then, relevant today
At its essence, the club is an organization that mirrors the changing lifestyles and social interests of its members. The founders’ commitment to civic duty, intellectual discourse and an acute concern for the welfare of children was a reflection of the time in which they lived – one of rapid social change. They were community leaders who were financially generous to civic causes, intellectually curious and active in community service, traits that characterize members today.

While engaged in important civic projects, early members also looked to the club for the pleasure of social activities. Social opportunities remain a key ingredient in the club’s continued success. Members forge new friendships, learn from each other, and discover new causes in need of their talents.

Engaged in the community
The rich history of the Woman’s Club’s civic outreach and philanthropic endeavors reflects the changing needs of the Milwaukee community. The club’s longstanding interest in the social welfare of children is evident in decades of support for organizations that serve children.

The club’s recent philanthropic support includes AWE, Artists Working in Education, an art program for Milwaukee school children and clothing drives for the Bottomless Closet, an organization that provides professional clothing, job readiness, post-employment training and coaching services to women re-entering the work force. Each year the club’s charitable Foundation gives tens of thousands of dollars to many Milwaukee area non-profit organizations. Recipients include educational institutions, health and social service organizations and the performing arts.

In honor of the club’s 125 th anniversary, artist Magdalena Abakanowicz was commissioned to create a work of public art as a gift to the city of Milwaukee . Birds of Knowledge of Good & Evil now graces the boulevard on Kilbourn Avenue and pays homage to our members commitment to volunteerism.

Members today feel honored to carry on the tradition of a club founded by courageous and enlightened women. Their impact on the development of many of Milwaukee ’s cultural and civic institutions can still be felt today. While much has changed since its founding, the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin remains a club of thoughtful and socially conscious women. It is a club for women, run by women, and one that each member calls her own.

Mission Statement
The Woman’s Club of Wisconsin provides its members with philanthropic, cultural, educational and social activities, is dedicated to the support of and involvement in community service, and is also committed to the preservation of its registered landmark building.

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