Saugatuck Woman's Club
P O Box 909
303 Butler Street
Saugatuck, MI 49453-0909
General Questions: saugatuckwc@gmail.com
for Rentals: 843 318-0707 or Hummingbird843@aol.com
Our History TIMELINE...
(The first Woman's Club was established in 1866. The Michigan State Federation of Woman's Club was organized in 1895.)
1904 Ladies met at the home of Hattie Bird on the hill on Allegan Street to form a Reading Club that became the Woman's Club.
1910 The group outgrew meeting in homes. So the ladies rented the hall upstairs over Koning's Hardware.
1914 The Saugatuck Woman's Club building fund was started with $25 from proceeds of a play given by Mrs. Jay Myers.
1915 The Woman's Club became the largest club in Allegan County. It was the chief social and literary function in town.
1934 Miss Minnie Breuckman bequeathed her home to the Woman's Club. The club's library was moved into the donated house. The first official meeting of the Club year was in the new location (Breuckman's House) on Oct. 5, 1934. Minnie also gave the lot behind the house to allow the club to build the auditorium after the Woman's Club incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 1934.
(The first Woman's Club was established in 1866. The Michigan State Federation of Woman's Club was organized in 1895.)
1904 Ladies met at the home of Hattie Bird on the hill on Allegan Street to form a Reading Club that became the Woman's Club.
1910 The group outgrew meeting in homes. So the ladies rented the hall upstairs over Koning's Hardware.
1914 The Saugatuck Woman's Club building fund was started with $25 from proceeds of a play given by Mrs. Jay Myers.
1915 The Woman's Club became the largest club in Allegan County. It was the chief social and literary function in town.
1934 Miss Minnie Breuckman bequeathed her home to the Woman's Club. The club's library was moved into the donated house. The first official meeting of the Club year was in the new location (Breuckman's House) on Oct. 5, 1934. Minnie also gave the lot behind the house to allow the club to build the auditorium after the Woman's Club incorporated as a non-profit corporation in 1934.
1935 On September 9 there were 64 members who signed an "official authority to proceed" to build the auditorium at once according to the plans drawn by architect, Mr. Tallmadge. On September 25 at 4:30 p.m. the ladies had a very simple ceremony to start the building. The women planned to have a grander ceremony once the building was built and paid off.
1936 The Club authorized the Board to proceed with the building of the auditorium by borrowing funds.
1938 The new auditorium was dedicated.
1936 The Club authorized the Board to proceed with the building of the auditorium by borrowing funds.
1938 The new auditorium was dedicated.
1969 The library outgrew it's space in the Breuckman House and moved into a store front across Butler Street. Later it outgrew that space and moved into it's present location in Douglas.
1970 The Breuckman's House was used as a historical museum of an earlier Saugatuck. People donated books, historical objects, and art exhibits.
1980 The club was on the edge of bankruptcy. There was much discussion about the lack of funds. It was decided to rent the Breuckman House for a store and to rent the auditorium.
1988 The Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck held its first July and August festival in the Saugatuck Woman's Club auditorium. 2018 is now the 30th year of Chamber Music concerts at the Woman's Club.
2004 The Club celebrated its 100th year with 100 members.
Today the Club offers educational and informative programs while contributing to the library, scholarships for students, supporting Christian Neighbors and other local worthy causes, and combining with the Historical Society on some projects. The Saugatuck Woman's Club has had financial shortfalls again, but looks forward to many more years of continuing its purpose, "the promotion of the higher interest of humanity through philanthropic, civil, literary and educational work" with the help of the newly formed Friends of the Saugatuck Woman's Club organization's help.
Febrary, 2017 information compiled from Club minutes by Donna St. Andre.
1988 The Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck held its first July and August festival in the Saugatuck Woman's Club auditorium. 2018 is now the 30th year of Chamber Music concerts at the Woman's Club.
2004 The Club celebrated its 100th year with 100 members.
Today the Club offers educational and informative programs while contributing to the library, scholarships for students, supporting Christian Neighbors and other local worthy causes, and combining with the Historical Society on some projects. The Saugatuck Woman's Club has had financial shortfalls again, but looks forward to many more years of continuing its purpose, "the promotion of the higher interest of humanity through philanthropic, civil, literary and educational work" with the help of the newly formed Friends of the Saugatuck Woman's Club organization's help.
Febrary, 2017 information compiled from Club minutes by Donna St. Andre.
Past Presidents...
1904 Mrs. C. E. Hodge 1964-65 Mrs. J. Kettlewell
1905 Mrs. A. Thompson 1965-67 Mrs. H. Taylor
1906 Mrs. J. B. Zwemer 1968 Mrs. J. Bauer
1907 Mrs. A. W. Coates 1969-70 Mrs. J. Gorgas
1908-09 Mrs. W. A. Woodworth 1971-72 Mrs. F. M. Heath
1910-11 Mrs. S. M. Dailey 1973-74 Mrs. N. P. Steinberg
1912-13 Mrs. D. A. Heath 1975 Mrs. E. Bernard
1914-15 Mrs. E. J. Lybarker 1976 Miss F. Thexton
1916-17 Mrs. R. J. Walker 1977-78 Mrs. C. G. Sanford
1918-19 Mrs. J. F. Henry 1979-80 Miss F. Thexton
1920-21 Mrs. W. H. Allen 1981-83 Mrs. J. Greco
1922-23 Mrs. G. W. Goshorn 1984-86 Mrs. Jane Van Dis
1924-25 Mrs. H. A. Jackson 1987-88 Mrs. H. Peters
1926-27 Mrs. E. H. House 1989-91 Mrs. A. Dalman
1928-29 Mrs. G. B. Miller 1992-93 Mrs. C. G. Sanford
1930-31 Mrs. E. L. Leland 1994-96 Mrs. D, A. Langhorst
1932-33 Mrs. W. A. Comey 1997-98 Mrs. Jane Van Dis
1934-35 Mrs. A. B. Davis 1999-00 Mrs. E. Llassen
1936-37 Mrs. R. E. Madden 2001 Mrs. D. B. Houser
1938-39 Mrs. W. J. Wilson 2002-03 Mrs. J. Curtis
1940-41 Mrs. Irene Sheridan 2004-06 Mrs. Joan Phillips
1942-43 Mrs. R. Waddell 2007-08 Mrs. Patricia Birkes
1944-45 Mrs. F. H. Wicks 2009-11 Mrs. Karen Drongowski
1946-47 Mrs. G. Hoffman 2012-13 Mrs. Charlotte Houseman
1948-49 Mrs. L. R. Brady 2013-14 Mrs. Cheryl Cunningham
1950-51 Mrs. H. Pierce 2015-16 Mrs. Donna St. Andre
1952-53 Mrs. W. B. Carr 2017-2018 Mrs. Karen Killackey
1954-55 Mrs. E. Beler 2019-2020 Mrs. Patricia Huyge
1955-56 Mrs. A. O. Bainbridge 2021-2022 Mrs. Lora Keller
1958-59 Mrs. J. Edgecomb 2023 Mrs. Lora Keller & Mrs. Karen Wessel
1960-61 Mrs. H. Taylor
1962-63 Mrs. E. House
LIFE MEMBERS Mary Ann Curtis
Mary Olendorf
Shirley Reeves
Lois Rhees
1904 Mrs. C. E. Hodge 1964-65 Mrs. J. Kettlewell
1905 Mrs. A. Thompson 1965-67 Mrs. H. Taylor
1906 Mrs. J. B. Zwemer 1968 Mrs. J. Bauer
1907 Mrs. A. W. Coates 1969-70 Mrs. J. Gorgas
1908-09 Mrs. W. A. Woodworth 1971-72 Mrs. F. M. Heath
1910-11 Mrs. S. M. Dailey 1973-74 Mrs. N. P. Steinberg
1912-13 Mrs. D. A. Heath 1975 Mrs. E. Bernard
1914-15 Mrs. E. J. Lybarker 1976 Miss F. Thexton
1916-17 Mrs. R. J. Walker 1977-78 Mrs. C. G. Sanford
1918-19 Mrs. J. F. Henry 1979-80 Miss F. Thexton
1920-21 Mrs. W. H. Allen 1981-83 Mrs. J. Greco
1922-23 Mrs. G. W. Goshorn 1984-86 Mrs. Jane Van Dis
1924-25 Mrs. H. A. Jackson 1987-88 Mrs. H. Peters
1926-27 Mrs. E. H. House 1989-91 Mrs. A. Dalman
1928-29 Mrs. G. B. Miller 1992-93 Mrs. C. G. Sanford
1930-31 Mrs. E. L. Leland 1994-96 Mrs. D, A. Langhorst
1932-33 Mrs. W. A. Comey 1997-98 Mrs. Jane Van Dis
1934-35 Mrs. A. B. Davis 1999-00 Mrs. E. Llassen
1936-37 Mrs. R. E. Madden 2001 Mrs. D. B. Houser
1938-39 Mrs. W. J. Wilson 2002-03 Mrs. J. Curtis
1940-41 Mrs. Irene Sheridan 2004-06 Mrs. Joan Phillips
1942-43 Mrs. R. Waddell 2007-08 Mrs. Patricia Birkes
1944-45 Mrs. F. H. Wicks 2009-11 Mrs. Karen Drongowski
1946-47 Mrs. G. Hoffman 2012-13 Mrs. Charlotte Houseman
1948-49 Mrs. L. R. Brady 2013-14 Mrs. Cheryl Cunningham
1950-51 Mrs. H. Pierce 2015-16 Mrs. Donna St. Andre
1952-53 Mrs. W. B. Carr 2017-2018 Mrs. Karen Killackey
1954-55 Mrs. E. Beler 2019-2020 Mrs. Patricia Huyge
1955-56 Mrs. A. O. Bainbridge 2021-2022 Mrs. Lora Keller
1958-59 Mrs. J. Edgecomb 2023 Mrs. Lora Keller & Mrs. Karen Wessel
1960-61 Mrs. H. Taylor
1962-63 Mrs. E. House
LIFE MEMBERS Mary Ann Curtis
Mary Olendorf
Shirley Reeves
Lois Rhees