San Pedro Woman's Club
The San Pedro Woman's Club (SPWC) was a civic organization created in 1905 in San Pedro, California. The organization consisted mainly of the wives of prominent members of the community and was concerned with the improvement of the city.{{Sfn|Christman|2001|p=36}} SPWC was affiliated with the California Federation of Woman's Clubs (CFWC).{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vi1NAQAAMAAJ&q=%22san+pedro+woman%27s+club%22&pg=PA225|title=Who's who Among the Women of California|date=1922|publisher=Security Publishing Company|editor-last=Lyons|editor-first=Louis S.|location=San Francisco|pages=225|language=en}}
About
File:Rudecinda_Sepúlveda_de_Dodson.png heiress and one of the club's founders, donated the land to build the first clubhouse.]]
The club was founded as a literary association in 1905, but re-organized in 1906 under the leadership of Fanny Hogaboom to respond to moves by the city of Los Angeles to annex San Pedro. It quickly became involved in serious municipal improvements to San Pedro.{{Sfn|Christman|2001|p=38}} It became federated in November 1907.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/sanfranciscoblue1909sanf#page/350/mode/2up|title=San Francisco Blue Book|publisher=Charles C. Hoag|year=1909|location=San Francisco|page=351|contribution=Woman's Club of San Pedro|access-date=6 September 2017}} The club, partnering with the local chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) started their reforms by working to eliminate saloons.{{Sfn|Christman|2001|p=39}} SPWC installed drinking fountains in the city as an alternative to needing to purchase drinks in a saloon.{{Sfn|Christman|2001|p=39}} SPWC also persuaded the city council to shut down saloons for one day a week.{{Sfn|Christman|2001|p=40}} They planted trees throughout the city on Arbor Day in 1909.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13601809/|title=3 March 1909|work=Los Angeles Herald|access-date=6 September 2017|via=Newspapers.com}}
In addition to civic improvements, the club also held lectures.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13600776/|title=San Pedro Club|date=21 October 1914|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=6 September 2017|via=Newspapers.com}} Some of the lectures were practical in nature, such as preparing women to vote.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13600829/|title=San Pedro Woman's Club|date=20 October 1915|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=6 September 2017|via=Newspapers.com}} The club was also involved in charity work.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13600502/|title=San Pedro Woman's Club Will Hold 'Charity Day'|date=13 December 1908|work=Los Angeles Herald|via=Newspapers.com}} When the United States Coast Guard ship, USRC McCulloch, had a shipwreck, the crew of the ship were housed at the San Pedro woman's clubhouse.{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailybreeze.com/events/20170727/a-san-pedro-tale-unearthed-with-discovery-of-coast-guard-shipwreck-from-100-years-ago|title=A San Pedro tale unearthed with discovery of Coast Guard shipwreck from 100 years ago|last=Littlejohn|first=Donna|date=27 July 2017|work=Daily Breeze|access-date=2017-09-06|language=en}}
References
=Citations=
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=Sources=
- {{Cite journal|last=Christman|first=Anastasia J.|date=Spring 2001|title='To Have and to Hold': The San Pedro Woman's Club and the Union of Two Cities, 1906-1909 |journal=California History|language=en|volume=80|issue=1|pages=34–47|doi=10.2307/25591594|jstor=25591594|issn=0162-2897 }}
{{Woman's club movement}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1905 establishments in California
Category:Women's clubs in the United States
Category:Women's organizations based in the United States
Category:San Pedro, Los Angeles