Early Clubhouse View

In 1911, Mr. and Mrs. D. D. (Helen) Cooley (Dr. Denton Cooley’s grandmother) donated the lot on which the clubhouse would be built. It was customary for Mr. Cooley to gift his wife parcels of land for birthdays and anniversaries.  This acquisition led to many fundraisers by the women of the Club benefiting clubhouse construction including a carnival held at the location of what is now Hamilton Middle School at the north end of Heights Boulevard. Despite all the fundraising, a bank loan was still required. 

Being women of a frugal nature,  the original plans for a more elaborate $4,000 building were scrapped in favor of borrowing $1,200 to have the clubhouse 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 clubhouse is the oldest clubhouse in Houston and has been in continuous use since opening.

Renovation Timeline

• 1910s: The high stage was lowered for the first time 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 when a variety of events were hosted for soldiers stationed at nearby Camp Logan prior to the United States' entry in Worth War 1.
• 1922:   a make-shift kitchen was added to the club house. Subsequently, in 1926 more extensive changes came as the heating system for the clubhouse 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. 
• 1930s: a true kitchen was added in addition to modern lighting reflected by the Art Deco sconces still adorning the main meeting room. The stage was lowered for the second time.
  
• 1953:  the membership voted to spend $1,032 for capital improvements on the clubhouse including the addition of the oak hardwood floors, painting, and bracing the building.
  
• 1957:  the membership voted to install five window unit air conditioners in the club house.
  
• 1978:  the HHWC sold the clubhouse 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 the Heights fire station was secured for HHA meetings.  The HHWC remains grateful to the HHA for maintaining the building and donating the chairs still used today in the clubhouse.  
• 1983:  the clubhouse was entered in the National Register of Historic Places.
  
• 1997:  the clubhouse was deeded back to HHWC by HHA.
• 2006:  the clubhouse received a Protected Landmark Designation from the city of Houston.
  
• 2011:  thanks to a multi-year effort by local historian and past Club President, Anne Sloan, the clubhouse received its Texas Historical Commission marker.
  
• 2017:  an extensive capital improvement project addressing multiple areas including drainage and structure leveling plus side patio re-design was completed.
  
• 2019:  over the course of multiple years, four pieces of ruby red glass donated to the Club from the original Cooley mansion were repaired and installed.
  
• 2021:  lowering of the south restroom floor to the current stage level.
• Present Day:  the clubhouse is attentively maintained by the Club year-round and remains in use.