Des Moines Women's Club records

Collection

Identifier: IWA0858

Staff Only
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Scope and Contents

The Des Moines Women's Club records date from 1888-2012 and measure 2.25 linear feet. The bulk of the Des Moines Women's Club records are maintained by the Club at its headquarters, Hoyt Sherman Place.

The records are arranged in three series: Bulletins, Yearbooks, and General Federation of Women's Clubs.

The Bulletins series consists of the organization's newsletter from 1921 to 1999.

The Yearbooks record the activities of the Club throughout the year and include calendars, programs, reports, rules and bylaws, and a membership directory, along with board of directors and committee membership lists. Also included are the club's 1935 articles of re-incorporation and bylaws.

The General Federation of Women's Clubs series consists of a folder of materials about the 1946 convention.

Dates

Creation: 1888-2012

Creator

Des Moines Women's Club (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

The papers are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

However, copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user. Users must properly acknowledge the Iowa Women’s Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, as the source of the material. For further information, visit https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc/services/rights/

Biographical / Historical

The Des Moines Women's Club was founded in 1885 as a women's community group. The club was headquartered at Historic Hoyt Sherman Place, a Victorian landmark with a large theater facility that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Maintaining Hoyt Sherman Place was one of the club's early commitments. Des Moines' first public art gallery was housed in a 1907 addition to the building to display artwork acquired by the club. The club's mission was to foster lifelong learning among its members, to improve the community, and to aid in the preservation and enhancement of Hoyt Sherman Place for the benefit of the general public. To that end, the club hosted fundraising efforts, luncheons, and card parties, awarded scholarships, and held an annual Art Exhibition of area artists with prizes for both professionals and amateurs.