 | Houston Heights Woman's Club |
The Club was organized for the purpose of literary study and discussion on January 15, 1900 by sixteen women at the home of Mrs. C.R. Cummings as the Heights Literary Club during an era when few women attended university. This was also an era when a movement was sweeping the country with women's clubs launched in multiple cities for similar purposes. Club Colors of white and gold were initially selected along with a Club Flower, the Maréchal Neil Rose, a yellow climbing rose. A Club Motto was also chosen: "Seek wisdom and strive to do good." By April, the group sought to do more than study literature and voted to make a small monthly assessment so that calls for charity might be met. This was the beginning of much charity work sponsored by the club.
During 1905, the club members labored to start a library for what is know known as Heights High School. Money was raised to purchase books and equipment. With assistance from city libraries and cooperation from the school board the library became a reality, debuting a still ongoing commitment to area schools. The Club was also federated that year, joining the General Federation of Women's Clubs - a membership that continued through the end of the century.
By 1909, the membership had outgrown the Presidents' parlors as meeting rooms due to the Club's popularity. Mr. O.M. Carter granted permission for the meetings to be held in a room at the powerhouse of his electrical plant on 19th St.
During the presidency of Mrs. W. G. Love, the Heights Woman’s Club (HHWC) started the first Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at Cooley Elementary School.
The charter for the club was obtained by Hortense Sparks Ward, the first woman admitted to the Texas Bar, in 1911, the same year in which Mr. and Mrs. D. D. (Helen) Cooley (Dr. Denton Cooley’s grandmother) donated the lot on which the clubhouse would be built.
Due to the increased membership and a desire to expand beyond the literary focus, a decision was made to evolve into a departmental club for music study, civic needs, art and crafts, social events and literature: the foundation for the 21st century present-day Club. The mission statement was updated to reflect changing times: "to seek wisdom and strive to do good by supporting any literary and scientific undertaking, the maintenance of a library, and the promoting of painting, music and other fine arts." In 1911, the Houston Heights Music Study Club was organized, subsequently joining the HHWC. By 1912, as a result of the enthusiasm to learn china painting, the Arts and Crafts Club was formed and also became part of the HHWC.
Being women of a frugal nature, the original plans for a more elaborate $4000 building were scrapped in favor of borrowing $1,200 to have the club house built. Durable cypress wood was used for the siding: the same wood remains in place today. The doors officially opened as the Heights Woman's Club on September 3, 1912 featuring one main meeting room with a high stage. The HHWC club house is the oldest club house in Houston, and has been used continuously since opening.
Hortense Sparks Ward spoke on the "Legal Status of Women in Texas" at the first Club meeting held in the new clubhouse in October 1912. The 1912-1913 yearbook which functioned as both a calendar and membership directory featured an end section entitled "Laws of Married Women in Texas." The section informed women of their legal rights on a range of matters from property ownership to wills and divorce - a substantial topic for women of that generation.
The high stage was lowered twice as women's hemlines rose in the early years of the 20th century. It was deemed unseemly for the audience to view women's ankles on stage. Especially given that the clubhouse hosted a variety of events for soldiers stationed at nearby Camp Logan prior to the United States' entry in Worth War 1.
During World War I and World War II, the American Red Cross used the club house to make surgical dressings for the soldiers. (All social activities at the club house were suspended during this time.) Instead of holding meetings. club members joined to prepare bandages.
Upon the city of Houston's annexation of the Heights in 1918, the Club was renamed the Houston Heights Woman's Club, the name presently in existence.
The 1919 Pandemic does not appear to have affected Houston as severely as other areas; Club business continued.
In 1922, a make-shift kitchen was added to the club house and in 1926 the heating system for the club house was changed from coal to gas. The original chimney has been plastered over and the resulting column painted to match the rest of the interior while remaining a lasting structure of the clubhouse.
By the 1930s, a true kitchen was added in addition to modern lighting reflected by the Art Deco sconces adorning the main meeting room.
As a testimony to the importance of education and learning, the HHWC erected the Memorial Garden at the Houston Heights Public Library in 1936.
During World War II, a total of 2,669 volunteers made 1,176,699 bandages at the club house for the American Red Cross.
Throughout the 1950s, the Club issued a $100 scholarship annually to a graduating senior at Heights High School.
In 1953, the membership voted to spend $1,032 for capital improvements on the club house including the addition of the oak hardwood floors, painting, and bracing the building.
In 1957, the membership voted to install five window unit air conditioners in the club house.
In 1978, the HHWC sold the club house to the Heights Homeowner’s Association (HHA) for $10 due to increasing challenges in affording the expense of maintaining the house. The HHA used the building for many years, until they secured the Heights fire station for their meetings. The HHWC remains grateful to the HHA for maintaining the building and donating the chairs still used today in the club house. The club house was deeded back to HHWC in March, 1997.
Subsequently, a need was identified to grow the membership by including women who were unable to participate in the traditional daytime programs leading to an evening expansion in November 2006 offering an added variety of charitable and social activities.
Thanks to a multi-year effort by local historian and past Club President, Anne Sloan, the Clubhouse received its Texas Historical Commission marker in 1911 and corresponding listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2025, both the day and evening groups unified as one Club with all programs and activities open to all members.