Peoria Women’s Club Narratives

We are excited to revive a cherished tradition from our early years for this year's Founder's Day celebration. In honor of the club’s 139th anniversary, we invite members to present thoughtful gifts to the club, just as our founding members did in 1896. 

These contributions will help us celebrate our past and look forward to the future of the Peoria Women's Club. Following this announcement, you will find a registry of items requested by the Social Committee. We look forward to celebrating this special occasion together!

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Suffrage cookbooks blended culinary tradition with political strategy, offering women a platform to showcase their skills while advocating for their right to vote. Descendants of post-Civil War charity cookbooks, these publications aimed to raise funds for war victims and church-related initiatives.

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When the Peoria Women’s Club (PWC) was founded in 1886, it became a crucial platform for addressing issues like education, suffrage, and social reform. During this era, Spiritualism also surged, offering comfort and a unique public space for mourning. Séances and mediumship became popular as people sought solace.

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The Peoria Women’s Club (PWC) embarked on an ambitious quest to establish a permanent headquarters, with Lydia Moss Bradley playing a crucial role in bringing this vision to fruition.

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The Peoria Chapter NSDAR was founded on Flag Day in 1896, with Mary Rouse and Lucie Brotherson Tyng among its 16 charter members. Interestingly, Mary and Lucie helped found the PWC a decade earlier.

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Notably, a Shakespeare Class was founded under the Art and Literature department in 1888, preceding the establishment of the first Shakespeare Club in Avon, Illinois, by six years in 1894.

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