National Register Listing

Woman's Club of Beaumont Clubhouse

a.k.a. Woman's Reading Club

575 Magnolia Ave., Beaumont, TX

<p>The Woman's Club of Beaumont Clubhouse is historically significant for its long association with the development of cultural and social life in the city. Built shortly after the 1901 Spindletop oil discovery, the clubhouse provided a community cultural center with an auditorium and stage for housing educational activities, socials, banquets, dances, plays, musical concerts and art exhibits. Many members were from prominent families in Beaumont who wanted the city's enrichment to keep pace with flourishing local prosperity and population growth. Since construction in 1909, the clubhouse has been the most important building in the city for fostering the development of music, literature, art, and other fine arts. The Classical Revival building has served as the home of The Woman's Club of Beaumont for 83 years. The building functioned as a Red Cross center during World Wars I and II and a relief shelter during several natural disasters. The property is eligible under Criterion A in the area of Social History and Criterion C in the area of Architecture at the local level of significance.</p><p>Between 1868 and 1890, women's culture, self improvement, and civic clubs proliferated throughout the nation, but they lacked organization. With the founding of the General Federation of Women's Clubs in 1890, "self-culture" clubs gained an organizational structure, official status, and the potential to make themselves heard as a united voice. Their emphasis on personal, cultural and civic improvement appealed to many women, and that enabled a variety of women's organizations to play a prominent role within the progressive feminist movement around the turn of the century and later.</p><p>Women throughout Texas organized clubs, many of which became members of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, organized in 1897. These organizations directed their initiatives toward educational reform and scholarship assistance; health and safety issues; the establishment of social institutions such as museums, libraries, and fine arts programs; conservation, including beautification projects and the establishment of public parks; and greater political issues, including passage of legislation guaranteeing woman suffrage. Estimates suggest that women and women's clubs established about 85 percent of libraries in Texas. Many of these clubs germinated from literary societies and study clubs that women organized, meeting in each others' homes.</p><p>In Beaumont, a small group of women first met on 18 January 1895 and established the Beaumont Literary Club. Mrs. Hal Greer, Miss Harriet Ferrand, Mrs. T.A. Lamb, Mrs E.C. Wiess, and Miss Mary Lamb gathered at the home of Greer. On 24 April 1899, the association became known as the Woman's Reading Club and was affiliated with the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs. In 1908, the group organized as a Department Club that eventually gained several affiliates discussed later.</p><p>From the start, the Beaumont club aspired to construct a building in which to house their activities. Fund raising endeavors for construction of a clubhouse began as early as 1896, under President Leckie Goodhue, who served five presidential terms. In December of that year the Beaumont Journal published a special "Woman's Edition" and donated profits to the club. Solicitations, banquets, suppers, entertaining programs, and membership dues financed the purchase of a lot and, eventually, construction of the clubhouse.</p><p>The Beaumont clubhouse is one of the oldest built in Texas by a Federated Department Club and the only one remaining in continuous use, according to Verne Bratton, former president of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs. Representatives of the club recorded that C.C. McDonald designed the clubhouse c. 1908-1909. McDonald is not mentioned as architect of any other Beaumont building, but probably was one of several out-of-town architects working in Beaumont after the turn of the century. Club records indicate that Travis Willis Thames served as contractor. Although Thames built many properties in Beaumont, a comprehensive list of his work does not exist. In 1909, however, Thames advertised in the city directory as a "Residence Builder." This suggests that he was familiar with residential construction and styles reflected in the architecture of the clubhouse.</p><p>Popular interest in the 1893 World's Fair, widely available pattern books of the era, and the increasing accessibility of pre-fabricated parts influenced classically designed residences at the turn of the century. The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago aroused an interest in reviving classical styles that became prevalent throughout the country during the first half of the 20th century, while pattern books and pre-fabricated parts exposed and proliferated this interest to a larger audience. A Classical Revival residence is generally defined with a full-height porch that is supported by classical columns, and overall symmetry of fenestration. Early variations of classically influenced dwellings often had hipped roofs, centered dormers, and full facade front porches.</p><p>While the clubhouse is not a residence, it bears remarkable resemblance to dwellings of the period and exhibits definitive Classical Revival details. On the exterior, classical columns support a full-height porch that dominates the facade. Each facade has a centered dormer placed on a hipped roof. Other typical characteristics include paired and tripartite fenestration configurations and pedimented dormers with decorative modillions. Interior classical details include the fireplace, the giant columns and the stairway. While Classical Revival influences are prevalent on the clubhouse, the wide eaves and low pitched roof could be interpreted as Prairie School design. The floor plan appears to roughly follow a Four Square plan, which is also common to Prairie School architecture.</p><p>The clubhouse has served many purposes. After the disastrous 1915 hurricane it was converted into a hospital that provided food, shelter and medical care for those the storm affected. During World War I the clubhouse was used for Red Cross fund raising benefits, county sewing units, bandage rolling, making surgical dressings, and as a War Savings Booth. During the 1918 influenza epidemic it was again used as a hospital. After the war, the clubhouse resumed its intended use of promoting culture, education, and the arts in the community.</p><p>In 1926 the club's Charter was amended, stating the purpose of the club and clubhouse.<br>This corporation is formed for the support of any literary and scientific undertaking, the maintenance of a library, the promotion of painting, music, and other fine arts: and the properties belonging to this Club shall be devoted wholly and without charge to the promotion of culture, education, art, literature, painting, music, and other fine arts.<br>The many activities of the club have incorporated use of the clubhouse for these purposes throughout its existence.</p><p>Music has been an important part of the club's development. The Music Department met at the clubhouse during its 66 years of existence, sponsoring many splendid musical events. Since 1929, the Club Chorus has presented concerts open to the public free of charge. In 1932 the club's Piano Ensemble Department was organized, and since that time they have held annual spring concerts open to the public free of charge, highlighting each program, four pianists simultaneously play on four grand pianos. La Petites, consisting of high school girls, was organized in 1933, and was a vital and exciting part of clubhouse activities for 40 years.</p><p>Art, history, and literature were also prominent interests of club members. The club's Art Department was organized in 1914 and, in March 1993, it held the 57th Annual Sabine Area Art Exhibit at the clubhouse with artists participating from eight counties. In 1938 plans were formulated for a museum, and the Museum and Antique Study Department was organized. The museum contains items many local citizens have donated. In addition, the clubhouse accommodates the city's oldest library; the library has been in existence for more than 80 years. A rare collection of music for piano quartets has been gathered for more than 50 years, and a collection of music for choral groups as well. The collection also includes all club records and files. The club was also the motivation for establishing Beaumont's first public library. The Tyrrell Public Library, constructed in 1926, now holds historical and archival collections (Beaumont Commercial District, National Register of Historic Places, 1978).</p><p>The club has taken seriously its role in cultural arts education. In 1927 a Junior Department was organized at the home of then President Mrs. T.S. Reed. Since 1931 the club has provided instruction free of charge for those interested in choral singing, writing, painting, piano ensemble playing, and, more recently, bridge instruction at the clubhouse. Because of its important education function, both state government exempted The Woman's Club of Beaumont from property tax on the clubhouse in 1934 and the federal government exempted the organization from income tax in 1940. Reed worked for these exemptions, from the onset of her 1925 to 1927 presidential term until the club finally secured the exemptions. She also served on the boards of the district, state, and national federations.</p><p>During World War II the clubhouse was again used almost exclusively for the war effort, including county sewing units, bandage rolling, making flags and surgical dressings, and packing and shipping 10,800 Christmas packages to troops. Club members also served breakfasts, arranged dances, and even weddings for troops. These events all took place in the clubhouse.</p><p>Over the years the Woman's Club of Beaumont has shared its clubhouse with the community. Community social events, Oil Producers Association and Chamber of Commerce banquets, musical and literary activities, as well as story hours for children occurred here. Possessing the only auditorium in the city for many years, it was much in demand for community affairs, including theater productions. Music, dancing, and expression teachers used the clubhouse for student recitals.</p><p>The Woman's Club of Beaumont Clubhouse is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places because it is an outstanding architectural landmark of historical significance, long associated with the development of the cultural, educational, and social life in the community, as well as for its varied civic functions, for serving as a relief shelter during times of disaster, and as a Red Cross Center during two World Wars. Instruction in the arts continue, musical concerts and art exhibits are still presented to the public free of charge, and music teachers still present their pupils in recital.</p>

Local significance of the building:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1994.