Our History

Founded in 1905, the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge has been part of the civic, cultural, and social life of our community for more than 120 years. From the beginning, its members came together not only for friendship and education, but to serve their community and advocate for positive change.

In its early decades, Club women were a determined force in local civic life. Amid resistance, they successfully worked to elect a woman to the Glen Ridge Board of Education years before women had the right to vote nationally. Members also supported public health and education and advocated for reforms including child labor and pure food legislation. During World War I, they organized workrooms and devoted countless hours to producing surgical dressings, garments, and other necessities for American servicemen.

As membership grew, so did the dream of a permanent home. In 1921, the women raised $13,500 to purchase property on Ridgewood Avenue. Their efforts ultimately inspired local businessman Henry Stanton Chapman to make an extraordinary gift in memory of his wife, Emily, a founding member of the Club.

The cornerstone of the new clubhouse was laid in August 1924, and the building officially opened on March 30, 1925. Designed by architect Herbert E. Davis in the American Georgian style, the clubhouse quickly became a gathering place not only for Club members, but for the wider Glen Ridge community.

Over the decades, its rooms have welcomed distinguished speakers, authors, musicians, community organizations, performances, and generations of Glen Ridge families. Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan appeared here in 1926, and author Pearl S. Buck spoke at the Club in 1935. Since 1942, the clubhouse has hosted the Glen Ridge Girls’ Club’s beloved Candy Cane Ball, along with countless weddings, celebrations, concerts, school and community events, and other milestones that have made the building part of the lives and memories of generations of local families.

In more recent years, the clubhouse has also served as a location for film and television productions, providing important revenue that has helped preserve and restore this historic building.

More than a century after our founding, the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge continues to evolve while remaining true to the spirit of the women who came before us: bringing people together, serving our community, supporting the arts and education, and preserving our historic clubhouse for future generations.

Want to hear more? Our audio tour brings the history of the Women’s Club and its clubhouse to life through the people, places, objects, and stories that have shaped it for more than a century. Listen to the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge Audio Tour to discover more. https://www.womensclubglenridge.com/audio-tour

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