Arrangement note
Biographical/Historical note
Access Restrictions
Usage Restrictions
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Preferred Citation note
Related Archival Materials note
Scope and Contents note
Title: Chico Women's Club Records
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.324
Contributing Institution:
California State University, Chico, Special Collections, Meriam Library
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
9.67 Linear feet
23 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1933-2011
Abstract: The records of the Chico Women’s Club contains documents relating to the clubs administrative activities, projects, and club
history.
Language of Materials note: English
Arrangement note
Arranged chronological/series order.
Biographical/Historical note
Founded in 1913, the Chico Art Club for women was a social and service oriented club focused on women and the arts. Mrs. Margaret
March founded the club and early members included prominent Chico citizens such as Annie Bidwell. In 1933 the club building
was finished. It is used as a community gathering place and is rented out for various public and private events. Many of the
clubs early records were lost in a fire in 1950 when a 10 year old boy broke into the clubhouse and set fire to club property.
The building suffered $6000 worth of damage and members had to meet in other locations while the building was refurbished.
In 1961, the Chico Art Club officially changed its name to the Chico Women’s Club to more clearly define the club’s purpose.
Though once a part of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) and the California Federation of Women’s Clubs (CFWC),
Chico Women’s Club is now independent from any larger groups. During the 1990’s the club saw dwindling membership and almost
disbanded, it was during this time that membership in the larger Women’s Club organizations ceased. Though the club still
focuses on women in the arts they also contribute to many community and global improvement projects. Over the years the Chico
Women’s Club has hand a major hand in the development of Annie’s Glenn, Caper Acres and preservation efforts at the Bidwell
Mansion. The club also made use copies of the Bidwell Papers, available at Special Collections CUS, Chico. More recently club
members have been involved in projects such as a TimeBank and Micro-financing.
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research without restriction.
Usage Restrictions
Collection is open for research. Two scrapbooks are restricted due to fragility. They are open to research with staff supervision.
These two scrapbooks are as follows: Box 13: Chico Art Club 1948-1949 Box 13: Chico Art Club 1949-1955
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Gift of the Chico Women’s Club. Yearbooks 1933-1934, 1940-1941, 1955-1961 pulled from vertical file, Accession 2010-042
Preferred Citation note
Chico Women’s Club, MSS 324, Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico.
Related Archival Materials note
MSS 142 American College Club Records Box 1 Folder 1 (contains several Chico Art Club Yearbooks)
The California Federation of Women’s Club records 1900- held at the University of California, Santa Cruz lists box 24 as containing
records from Chico Women’s Club 1988.
Scope and Contents note
The Chico Women’s Club (also known as Chico Womens Club) records contain records dating from the 1930’s through the 2000’s.
Earlier records are scarce and the bulk of the records date from the 1950’s through the 1990’s. Administrative records, including
club minutes and yearly reports make up a large portion of the collection. There are also a fair number of press books and
scrapbooks most of which contain newspaper clippings, photos, and yearbooks.
The Chico Women’s Club Records contains many documents on committees and community projects including: Annie’s Glenn, Caper
Acres, Bidwell Mansion Restoration, Bidwell Papers, California Heritage, Indian Affairs, Citizenship, Veterans, Safety, Crime
Prevention, HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation), Legislation-Special Program, Arts Department, Health, Today’s Living, Make
a Wish, Status of Women, and International Affairs.
Interspersed within the Chico Women’s Club records are items related to the GFWC and CFWC as the club often participated in
committees and projects organized by these two larger groups. The Chico Junior Women’s Club records form a separate series
as they had their own meetings and projects.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
California Federation of Women’s Clubs.
General Federation of Women’s Clubs .
Chico (Calif.)--History.
Women – California – Chico – History.
Women – Societies and clubs.