Founded in 1876, the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin has fingerprints all over Milwaukee history. Consider its early summer vacation schools, the forerunner to Milwaukee Rec, or its efforts to establish the state’s first nursing schools and pass child welfare laws.
“This was when a lot of women stayed at home and didn’t work,” says current president Carrie Matteson. “Their roles were to take care of children. And yet, there were a lot of smart women here in Milwaukee who wanted to further themselves in education, leadership and community service.”
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Several of these women began meeting in living rooms to discuss social issues of 19th-century Milwaukee – a leading concern for co-founder Mary Mortimer – up until the club grew to 90 strong.
To build the club’s first and only home at 813 E. Kilbourn Ave. – pictured here during the 50th anniversary in 1926 – members created the first U.S. women-owned stock company in 1886. They raised money for construction by selling shares, and the building was completed a year later, in 1887. It included a meeting space and a ballroom rentable for events, which continues to host weddings, reunions and more.
Today, the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin is the oldest operating women’s club in the United States. “Relevant then, relevant now,” says Matteson. “We’re still providing back to the community, which is really what sets us apart from other clubs in the city.”
Today, the club continues its civic commitment through speaking events, volunteering, and grants for small-budget organizations like Sojourner Family Peace Center. “We give out around 25 grants annually, and we culminate with a beautiful grant allocation day in our ballroom,” says Matteson. “[Nonprofit leaders] have this day to spend with other nonprofit leaders, and that is really important to them.”
Later this year, the club will be toasting its 150th anniversary with a concert, featuring works by a female composer commissioned by the club.
