Hidden in the heart of Glendale is a local treasure with more than a century of history.
The Glendale Woman’s Club clubhouse sits inside a charming Craftsman-style home that once served as the original Town Hall of Glendale. The building itself was constructed with just $3,000 raised by club members, reflecting the determination and community spirit that still defines the organization today.
Inside, the clubhouse preserves pieces of Glendale’s past. Historic ephemera, news clippings, and artifacts honoring the women who helped shape the city are displayed throughout the building. Many of these items are showcased inside original windows that were carefully saved and repurposed during the building’s modernization in 2019.
Today, the Glendale Woman’s Club operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, continuing a long tradition of volunteer service.
The club’s impact reaches back to a time before Arizona even became a state in 1912. Members of the Glendale chapter of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs helped clear the land that became Bonsall Park, a central gathering place in downtown Glendale.
They also operated the town’s public library, managing the collection and serving readers until the city formally assumed responsibility for the library in 1922.
These early efforts helped shape Glendale’s civic and cultural life at a critical moment in its history.
Founded on the idea of women working together to strengthen their community, the Glendale Women’s Club continues to live by its motto: “Living the Volunteer Spirit.”
Membership remains welcoming and accessible. Annual dues are $40, and club president Cheryl Kappes playfully quips that joining requires answering “yes” to just three questions: Are you breathing? Are you 18 or older? And are you a woman?
The club was originally founded in 1901 by schoolteacher Lettie Jack, and the legacy continues today. In fact, Jack’s granddaughter – now living in Tucson – remains a member, showing that supporters don’t have to live in Glendale to stay connected to the organization.
Continuing its commitment to recognizing women’s contributions, the club helped raise funds to install a statue honoring Frances Willard Munds, Arizona’s first woman state senator and a prominent suffragette leader.
The statue was unveiled in 2024 at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, just outside the Arizona State Capitol.
Literacy has long been a focus of the organization. Today, the club partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free books to children up to age five in participating ZIP codes.
Members also work with Habitat for Humanity, helping ensure that every home built in Maricopa County includes a free little library stocked with at least 25 books. Studies show that children who grow up in homes with at least 25 books have a greater chance of long-term academic success.
The Glendale Woman’s Club is part of the larger General Federation of Women’s Clubs, founded in 1890 by journalist Jane Cunningham Croly. Nationally, the organization has advocated for initiatives such as street lane markings, seatbelt laws, and child car seat safety standards.
Locally, members continue to support veterans, seniors, group homes, literacy programs, and health initiatives throughout the community.
The historic 3,790-square-foot clubhouse is also available for event rentals, helping support the club’s mission and ongoing programs.
To celebrate the GWC’s 125th anniversary, the club will host a special event on March 25, 2026, from 12–2 p.m., featuring guest speaker Shirley Robbins Jaffe of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who will share stories of the Revolutionary War and beyond. Lunch is included for $10, and guests are asked to RSVP by March 21 at rsvp2gwc@gmail.com. To learn more about the club’s literacy initiatives, visit gfwcreads.com. For additional information, or to join or donate, visit glendalewomansclub.com and help ensure this remarkable legacy of community service continues for generations to come.
