Today the Ridge Historical Society was honored to host the Morgan Park Woman's Club (MPWC) for its monthly meeting and a program on the current RHS exhibit, Threads of Imagination.
MPWC is the longest running women's club in Chicago, and the second longest in the state of Illinois. Formed on November 5, 1889, as "The Ladies Club of Morgan Park," the club adopted its current name in 1897. The famous Gertrude Blackwelder was an organizer of the group. The first meeting was held in the Iglehart House, one of the oldest houses not only in Morgan Park but in the entire City of Chicago, which was moved to its current location at 11118 S. Artesian from its original location at 111th and Western. The purpose of the club was intellectual self-improvement, and educational, philanthropic and civic causes. The Morgan Park Junior Woman's Club is an offshoot of the original MPWC.
MPWC has accomplished much good for the community, from advocating for women's right to vote over 100 years ago; to forming PTAs at the local schools; to working with the Chicago Park District in the 1930s to turn the land that is now Kennedy Park from a waste dump into a bird sanctuary and wildflower preserve; to today's projects including supplying books to local school libraries and clipping news articles for RHS.
MPWC has been recognized many, many times for its accomplishments, including an award from the Red Cross for many hours of service during World War II to just this month being named one of the Illinois 10 Outstanding Club Signature Project winners. The project was collecting socks for A New Direction, the local organization providing services for victims of domestics violence, something MPWC does every year. Interestingly, socks are the #! most requested item at shelters.
Women's clubs have an interesting history. Women's lives traditionally revolved around the home and family, and any "clubs" were usually church-based activities such as caring for the sick. All this changed with the U.S. Civil War, when women used their considerable organizational and management skills for relief efforts including care for the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and veterans. Following was the Progressive Era, that time of great social reform. Long denied membership in men's clubs, women formed their own clubs and became a mighty force to be reckoned with for the good of the country.
As new education and employment opportunities opened up for women, with time women found additional outlets for their interests and skills and most of the early clubs dissolved. But in Morgan Park the legacy of the crusading women of the past lives on.
Picture 1 – Today's MPWC at RHS. Photo by C. Flynn. Pic 2 – The Iglehart House, where it all began on November 5, 1889. RHS newsletter by C. Flynn. .