Woman's Club of Morristown

Last updated
Morristown Woman's Club
Formation1910
Headquarters Dr. Lewis Condict House, 51 South St., Morristown, NJ 07960
Chairperson
Beth Wilson
President
Eileen Saks
First VP, Communications
Mary Ellen Warner
Second VP, Finance
Anna Pullano
Formerly called
  • Woman’s Town Improvement Committee (1910)
  • Woman’s Civic Association (1920)

The Woman's Club of Morristown is a civic organization of Morristown, New Jersey. Its goal is to promote "community, civic, and cultural activities," as well as to preserve the 1797 Dr. Lewis Condict House, currently used as their Clubhouse. [1]

Contents

Notable members included suffragist Alison Turnbull Hopkins [2] and farmer and philanthropist Caroline Rose Foster. [3] [4]

In 2003, the National Park Service listed the Club in "Properties Associated with the Women's Rights Movement" as part of a Women's Rights National History Trail Feasibility Study. [5]

History

Established in 1910, the Club was initially titled the Woman's Town Improvement Committee. Part of its goals aligned with the City Beautiful movement. [6]

In 1912, the Club allied with the all-male Civic Association of Morristown to demand better conditions for the Maple Avenue School, after hearing about its abysmal state, overcrowding, and "vital fire danger." [7] The two groups collaborated to demand that the Board of Education rectify the Maple Avenue School's condition as well as constructing a new school. The Club's leader, Mrs. W. W. Cutler, insisted that a new school was necessary. Editorials about the situation were printed in The Jerseyman as well as its political opposite, True Democratic Banner. [7] After years of debate and referendums, the construction of the new school was approved in 1916; construction began in September 1916 and the new, comparatively spacious Morristown High School was open to students by September 4, 1918. [7]

By 1923, the Club was renamed Morristown Woman's Civic Organization, [8] [9] and it was printed in the Annual Register of Women's Clubs and National Organizations in America. [8] Its President was identified "Mrs. James L. Dexter"; the President's own name is not stated. [8] At the time, the Club was headquartered at 87 Early Street in Morristown. [8]

In 1928, Railway Age reported that the Club (specifically Mrs. D. F. Barkman) were on a Committee supporting D. L. & W. Railroad's railway electrification, which would greatly improve thousands of New Jerseyan's commutes. The lines in question were Hoboken to Dover via Morristown; Passaic & Delaware branch to Gladstone; and the Montclair branch. [10] The cost was estimated to be US$14,000,000–US$18,000,000. [10] The Committee was successful and the entire project was completed on January 11, 1931. [11]

Historical marker of the Dr. Lewis Condict House, outside the current Women's Club headquarters. Lewis Condict House 01.jpg
Historical marker of the Dr. Lewis Condict House, outside the current Women's Club headquarters.

In 1937, the Club purchased the Dr. Lewis Condict House, [1] a "five-bay, Federal-style clapboard house" constructed in 1797. [12] The house was declared a New Jersey Historic Site in 1971, and in 1973 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. [1]

In 1964, the Club held roundtable discussions open to the public about how to combat drug abuse. These presentations led to the 1965 creation of the Committee for Narcotics Preventions of Morris County, led by Anne Louise Sando McGee Groome. [13] Around this time, Sears Roebuck awarded the Club as part of its Community Improvement Contest, specifically for Groome's work in the field of drug abuse. [13]

Philanthropy and events

On April 11, 2021, the Club organized a drive-through charity donation event, in which donors were encouraged to drop off supplies to aid the local homeless population. Supplies included underwear, Walmart and Shoprite gift cards, socks, toiletries, and backpacks. [14]

In November 2021, the Club hosted a Holiday Boutique as a fundraiser. [15]

Each year, the Club grants US$2,000 scholarships to 3 students graduating Morristown High School. The winners are chosen based on scholastic achievement, leadership, and community service. [16] [17]

Throughout the seasons, Club hosts a flea market, rummage sales, and a Holiday Boutique to fundraise for local charities and preservation of the Lewis Condit house. All three of these types of event are being hosted in 2022. [18]

Notable members

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanover Township, New Jersey</span> Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States

Hanover Township is a township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 14,677, an increase of 965 (+7.0%) from the 2010 census count of 13,712, which in turn reflected an increase of 814 (+6.3%) from the 12,898 counted in the 2000 census. The township comprises the unincorporated communities of Whippany and Cedar Knolls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morristown, New Jersey</span> Town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States

Morristown is a town and the county seat of Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Morristown has been called "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the war for independence from Great Britain. Today this history is visible in a variety of locations throughout the town that collectively make up Morristown National Historical Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whippany River</span> River in Randolph, Whippany

The Whippany River is a tributary of the Rockaway River, approximately 20 mi (30 km) long, in northern New Jersey in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy of Saint Elizabeth</span> Catholic high school in Morris County, New Jersey, United States

The Academy of Saint Elizabeth is a private college preparatory secondary school for young women located in Convent Station, New Jersey, United States. Established in 1860, the academy is the oldest secondary school for women in New Jersey. The school is within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, but operates on an independent basis. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1928 and is accredited until January 2027.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whippany Railway Museum</span> Railway museum in Whippany, New Jersey

The Whippany Railway Museum is a railway museum and excursion train ride located in the Whippany section of Hanover Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morristown Field Club</span>

The Morristown Field Club is a sports and social club located in Morristown, New Jersey. It was created in 1881 as the Morristown Lawn Tennis Club. It is the third oldest tennis club in New Jersey after the Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club and the Orange Lawn Tennis Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morristown Green</span> Park in Morristown, New Jersey

Morristown Green, most commonly referred to as the Green, is a historical park located in the center of Morristown, New Jersey, United States. It has an area of two and a half acres and has in the past served as a military base, a militia training ground, and an area for public executions. It is now a public park in which many community events are held. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places, listed as a contributing property of the Morristown District, on October 30, 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Rose Foster</span> American farmer (1877–1979)

Caroline Rose Foster was an American farmer and philanthropist who managed Fosterfields, a working farm in Morristown, New Jersey, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whippany River Watershed Action Committee</span>

The Whippany River Watershed Action Committee (WRWAC) is a member-based, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, which identifies and implements projects to preserve and protect water and the surrounding natural areas. The Whippany River Watershed is an area of 69.3 square miles within Morris County in north central New Jersey. The 16-mile long Whippany River serves the only significant unconsolidated aquifer in northern New Jersey and is a source of drinking water for more than 1 million people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morristown and Erie Railway</span>

Morristown & Erie Railway is a short-line railroad based in Morristown, New Jersey, chartered in 1895 as the Whippany River Railroad. It operates freight rail service in Morris County, New Jersey and surrounding areas on the original Whippany Line between Morristown and Roseland, as well as the Morris County-owned Dover & Rockaway Branch, Chester Branch, and High Bridge Branch. The M&E also operated the Maine Eastern Railroad from November 2003 to December 31, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Essex Fells station</span>

Essex Fells was the terminus of the Erie Railroad's Caldwell Branch in the Essex County community of Essex Fells, New Jersey. Located at the junction of Oak Lane and Chestnut Lane in Essex Fells, the station was also a connection to the Morristown and Erie Railroad, which continued west through Roseland towards Morristown. The next station north from the Essex Fells station was Caldwell heading northward to Great Notch in Little Falls, where the line connected to the New York and Greenwood Lake Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Turnbull Hopkins</span> American suffrage activist

Alison Turnbull Hopkins was an American suffrage activist, known as one of the Silent Sentinels for her protests at the White House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Valley, New Jersey</span> Populated place in Morris County, New Jersey, US

Washington Valley is an unincorporated community in the Whippany River valley within Morris Township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fosterfields</span> United States historic place

Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a 213.4-acre (86.4 ha) farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. Listed as the Joseph W. Revere House, Fosterfields was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 1973, for its significance in art, architecture, literature, and military history. The museum portrays farm life circa 1920.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morris County Park Commission</span>

The Morris County Park Commission (MCPC) is a board of commissioners that manages parks, facilities, and historic sites in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Souls' Hospital</span> Hospital in New Jersey, United States

The All Souls' Hospital was a Catholic hospital based in Morristown, New Jersey. It was run in part by the Grey Nuns of Montreal. Its founding chair was Paul Revere, lawyer, civic leader, and great-grandson of American revolutionary figure Paul Revere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Keese Colles</span> American historian and writer

Julia Keese Nelson Colles (1840–1913) was an American historian, lecturer, and writer who lived in and studied Morristown, New Jersey.

Augustus Lefebvre Revere was an American financier, banker, stock broker, and civic leader from Morristown, New Jersey. He was a member of the Morristown Club, the Morristown Golf Club, the Morristown Field Club, and the Washington Association of New Jersey, the Society of Colonial Wars, and the Memorial Day Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dr. Lewis Condict House</span> United States historic place

The Dr. Lewis Condict House is a historic house located at 51 South Street in Morristown of Morris County, New Jersey. Built in 1797, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1973, for its significance in architecture and health/medicine. In 1937, the Woman's Club of Morristown purchased the house for its headquarters. The house was added as a contributing property to the Morristown District on October 30, 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cutler Homestead</span> United States historic place

The Cutler Homestead is a historic house located at 21 Cutler Street in the town of Morristown in Morris County, New Jersey. Originally built in 1799 by Joseph Cutler for Silas Condict, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 10, 1975, for its significance in architecture, law, and politics/government.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "About Us – The Woman's Club of Morristown" . Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  2. 1 2 Scannell's New Jersey's First Citizens and State Guide ...: Genealogies and Biographies of Citizens of New Jersey with Informing Glimpses Into the State's History, Affairs, Officialism and Institutions ... J. J. Scannell. 1919.
  3. 1 2 Garber, Phil (July 27, 1979). "First Lady of Fosterfields Dies: Caroline Foster Dead at 102" (PDF). Daily Record . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-27.
  4. 1 2 "Caroline Foster · The Legacy of Women of Morris County · North Jersey History Center Online Exhibits". womc.omeka.net. Archived from the original on 2022-05-20. Retrieved 2022-03-27.
  5. ↑ http://npshistory.com/publications/wori/feasibility-study-2002.pdf
  6. ↑ Huhn, Erich Morgan. Power and Prestige: Progressive Membership in Morristown, New Jersey, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 Center, North Jersey History and Genealogy. "The early struggles for public schools in Morristown | Morristown Green" . Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  8. 1 2 3 4 The Register of women's clubs. 1923.
  9. ↑ Presentation of the Graphic Regional Plan of New York and its Environs, 1929
  10. 1 2 Railway Age. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. 1928.
  11. ↑ Whippany Railroad Museum. Informational Facebook post by the Whippany Railroad Museum, 2015.
  12. ↑ Rifkind, Carole; Levine, Carol (1975). Mansions, Mills, and Main Streets. Schocken Books. ISBN   978-0-8052-0473-5.
  13. 1 2 Inc, The Women's Project of New Jersey (1997-05-01). Past and Promise: Lives of New Jersey Women. Syracuse University Press. ISBN   978-0-8156-0418-1.{{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  14. ↑ Contributor, Morristown Green. "Morristown Woman's Club collecting items for the homeless, April 11 | Morristown Green" . Retrieved 2022-08-06.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  15. ↑ "Woman's Club of Morristown hosts Holiday Boutique". New Jersey Hills. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  16. ↑ Contributor, Morristown Green. "Woman's Club of Morristown awards scholarships to three Morristown High grads | Morristown Green" . Retrieved 2022-08-06.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  17. ↑ "Woman's Club of Morristown awards HS scholarships". Daily Record. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  18. ↑ "The Woman's Club of Morristown Clothing Flash Sale Set For Saturday May 14". TAPinto. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.