Sierra Madre Woman’s Club History

as told by Club Historian Phyllis Chapman, April 25, 2004

In 1907, Sierra Madre resident Mrs. Carolyn Osgood attended a meeting of the Friday Morning Club in Los Angeles, where she was asked if Sierra Madre had a Woman’s Club. The next day, she and her husband entertained two couples at their home with supper and an evening of 500, a popular card game. During the evening, they discussed the possibility of starting such a club. It was felt that there would not be much community support for that type of an organization.

However, an organizational meeting was held in February. Although it was a cloudburst day, many people came to the meeting and it was easy to see there was strong support for a club in Sierra Madre. The first meeting was held at the Episcopal Church Rectory where the Constitution and By-Laws were adopted and signed by 25 charter members.

In March, 1907, the Sierra Madre Woman’s Club was officially chartered with Mrs. Carolyn Osgood serving as President of the 54-member club. The club met in the Town Hall, a privately owned building at the corner of Baldwin and Central (currently Sierra Madre Boulevard). The meetings took place in a second story room with no electricity or gas available. To raise money, the women held many fundraisers, ice cream socials, and chicken pie suppers for which they had to carry everything up the stairs, including cook stoves!

Soon they had raised enough money to purchase land and build a club house. An empty lot was found at 270 West Central. The club’s new house was officially opened in July of 1909. Refreshments for the celebration included cake and Jell-O. The day was so warm that the Jell-O melted and had to be poured into cups to be served. The Woman’s Clubhouse soon became the social center of the community.

The Junior Woman’s Club was organized in 1930 and was very active as an affiliate of the Woman’s Club. According to the bylaws, at 35 years of age the members had to leave the Junior Woman’s Club and join the Senior Woman’s Club. In 1944, not wanting to give up the friendships they had made over the years, many of the junior members split from the Woman’s Club to found the Sierra Madre Civic Club. Today, many women are members of both the Woman’s Club and the Civic Club.

In 1957, the Wistaria Thrift Shop was opened as a means of raising additional funds for the club’s philanthropies. A successful endeavor, the popular store continues to be a major part of our fund-raising efforts.

By the late 1960s, the clubhouse was badly in need of major repairs. The city of Sierra Madre wished to purchase the land owned by the Woman’s Club in order to build new facilities for the city government, police, and fire department. In 1969, the Woman’s Club sold its property to the city for $85,000 and looked for another location for the clubhouse. The original clubhouse was demolished by the city October 15, 1973.

The Essick House was a privately owned home on Sierra Madre Boulevard that had stood empty for several years. Hidden from the street by a high wall, it was in deplorable condition and probably would have been demolished in order to build apartments. But fate intervened when Dr. Robert Winter and David Gebhard surveyed the greater Pasadena area for buildings of distinctive architectural style to be included in a guidebook they were writing. Looking over the crumbling wall at 550 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, they found a sterling example of a John Austin-style Craftsman home. After much research, it was found that Mrs. Jenny Essick had the house built in 1914. Although it was in disrepair, it was sturdily built. The club purchased the property and began an extensive restoration of the building and grounds. Soon the work at Essick House became a community project as local clubs, individual citizens, and professional tradesmen pitched in to complete the work.

September 27, 1972 saw the first meeting of the Sierra Madre Woman’s Club in the restored Essick House. In January of 1974, the house was officially dedicated as the Woman’s Clubhouse with members of the Essick Family in attendance. The building was declared a Point of Historic Architectural Interest by the City of Sierra Madre. Maintaining the Essick house in restored condition is a continuing effort for the Woman’s Club, and one that is undertaken gladly in order to preserve this very special link in Sierra Madre’s history.

Woman’s Club traditions that were started during the 1976 National Bicentennial Celebrations include the Community Prayer Breakfast and Fourth of July pre-parade gathering.

The club donates the Essick House facilities to host the March Chamber of Commerce meeting, the City Council Candidates’ Debate, Sierra Madre’s Rose Float Princess selection, and other community events.

From September through May the Woman’s Club offers luncheon and tea meetings, occasional musical soirees, and a variety of fund raising events at the clubhouse in support of local philanthropies. Members also participate in the larger Federation of Women’s Club meetings and events in the San Gabriel Valley area.