The Portland Woman’s Club – one of the oldest still-operating clubs in the city – was founded as a place for women to advocate for their community and have a political voice at a time when they did not have the right to vote. During the women’s suffrage era, and with noted activist Sarah A. Evans as president, the club had more than 500 members.
But today, membership has dwindled to just nine women.
On Aug. 17, those women will host an anniversary celebration inviting the community to learn about the charities they support and join them in keeping the club alive.
The Portland Woman’s Club was established in 1895 with 78 charter members.
“Prior to this club being organized, women met socially at their church or neighbor’s homes for fellowship, to play a card game of whist and to discuss and work on community/church projects,” current member Linda Holt wrote in a club history. “At this time in history, it was a male dominated lifestyle. Community leadership roles and decisions were made by the men.”
The Oregonian first mentioned the club in 1901, when it entered its sixth season and opened its programming to the public for the first time. It also changed its bylaws, according to the article, to allow meeting discussions on all subjects, “religion, politics and temperance having been barred up to the present time.”
Needs of women and children were a particular focus for the club’s advocacy and charity efforts. Over the years, club members supported public safety measures such as milk pasteurization, the hiring of a city meat inspector and more sanitary garbage pickup. They lobbied for public kindergartens and libraries, sold war bonds during both world wars, and provided college scholarships for women at a time when secondary education for women was rare.
In 1922, the Portland Woman’s Club built a clubhouse at Southwest Taylor and 13th Avenue to host their activities. They maintained it as their primary gathering space until 1973, when they began leasing the space to a movie theater. The Movie House operated there until 2000, when the building was sold. Today, the site is home to the West End Ballroom.
Money from the building’s sale went into an investment account. Since then, the club has used those proceeds to support charitable works around Portland, including full-ride scholarships to Mt. Hood Community College and financial support to local charities.
“We’re trying to do as much as we can for the city of Portland,” said Mary Accettura, current president of the Portland Woman’s Club. “Our main purpose is to help out wherever we can.”
The club had gotten smaller – and yes, older – but still had about 30 members when the COVID pandemic hit in 2020.
“We couldn’t do Zoom meetings because the majority of the women didn’t even have computers, no less how to do it,” Accettura said. “When COVID hit, it pretty much just decimated everything, and we’ve never returned to where we were.”
About a year and a half ago, club members discussed whether to even keep going. The club’s then lone male member (yes, everyone is welcome to join) suggested they disband and give the remaining funds to the Ford Family Foundation, a nonprofit that primarily serves rural Oregon.
“And I, being president, I said, ‘Why would we do that? This money was made in Portland, for Portland projects, for Portland people,” Accettura said.
She called for a vote on whether to disband.
“Well, naturally we’ve outvoted him,” she said. “We decided that we would give to where we wanted it to go, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
The club has continued to support numerous local projects, Accettura said, including the Rose Haven Day Shelter, Kenton Tiny Houses, Salvation Army’s West Women & Children’s Shelter, and the local chapters of Make-A-Wish, Meals on Wheels the Alzheimer’s Association.
According to its most recent tax filing, the club distributed $22,000 in grants in 2023.
At the open house, visitors can visit booths to learn about the programs and charities the club currently sponsors and get information on joining the club. Annual membership dues are $30.
IF YOU GO: The Portland Woman’s Club 130th anniversary is 1-4 p.m. Aug. 17 at the World Forestry Center’s Cheatham Hall, 4033 S.W. Canyon Road. The drop-in event is free to attend. Regular club meetings are held at 11 a.m. the first Thursday of the month from September through June in the Sellwood Community Center. New prospective members are welcome to attend. For more information on the club, email Mary Accettura at m.accettura@outlook.com.
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