Rochester Women's Club

Originally, the Rochester Women's Club was an auxiliary of the Rochester Country Club ( a local men's organization.) Mrs. Greenwood Hartley (Kit, as she was know to all) was the founder of the Club and was the President for the first 10 years. Along with Kit, the founding members who signed the Charter on May 17, 1932 were Grace M. Hartley, Pearl R. Coggeshall, Amelia Clapp, F. Mildred Kirby, Julia C. Bowen, and Lillian Snell. As club membership grew, the members felt a need for a clubhouse. In 1932, the Club purchased land from Mrs. Arthur C. Kirby and the construction of the clubhouse began. The Club was organized with ideals to serve the community and the Clubhouse gave greater opportunity to do so. The large hall (which is now renovated into office space leased by the Town of Rochester) was used by the young men of Rochester for a basketball league. The Clubhouse was used as a meeting place for boy Scouts and Girls Scouts and is currently used by local Girl Scouts for their meetings. In 1944, the Club was instrumental in working with the Town to erect an honor roll in the Center of town, honoring those men and women who served in World War II. During War years, the Club was actively involved with Red Cross work, folding bandages and knitting for our armed services.