Women's Clubs Promoted Community Development and Improvement in County

One of the most active and longest operating women’s organizations in Transylvania County was the Women’s Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce.  Established in 1925, they supported community development and improvement.  In 1933 the name was changed to Women’s Civic Club.

They participated in Red Cross Drives, helped raise funds for Christmas Seals, prepared Christmas baskets for residents of the County Home, held a clothing drive for flood victims in Puerto Rico and sold World War II bonds and stamps.

The Women's Bureau operated the Chamber of Commerce office providing
information to visitors during the summer for several years in the 1930s.
It was located in the Crary Hotel beside present day Falls Landing (Pender's).

The organization raised funds for an extensive school grounds improvement project and advocated for a public park and swimming pool.  They supported community wellness initiatives including promoting the need for vaccinations and development of a local hospital.

In 1932 they started the Women’s Exchange.  From May through September each year women were able to sell homemade goods and other items.  The annual membership was fifty cents and ten percent of all profits went to the Club.  The Women’s Exchange operated for several years.

Two projects they were involved with throughout most of their existence were the Clean Up Paint Up Campaign and the Annual Flower Show.

In an effort to make “Brevard the Most Beautiful Town in Western North Carolina” regular work days were organized to clean-up empty lots, rubbish piles and street liter.  Some years cash prizes were offered to the child who gathered the largest pile of trash in his or her neighborhood.  This was part of a nationwide effort to beautify local communities.

The Annual Flower Show featuring hundreds of entries of home-grown and wild flowers was held from 1927 through 1942.  Blue ribbon winners in 1928 included garden flowers from asters to zinnias, wild flowers, Egyptian moss and a rock garden.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s the Women’s Civic Club helped operate and fund the library which at the time was located in the “little shack” beside the courthouse.  They were instrumental in it becoming a public library and receiving state aid beginning in 1944. 

The last mention of the Women’s Civic Club was found in a December 1944 issue of the Transylvania Times.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.