Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Overlook Woman's Improvement Club records, 1905-1964
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Overlook Woman's Improvement Club (Portland, Or.)
- Title
- Overlook Woman's Improvement Club records
- Dates
- 1905-1964 (inclusive)19051964
- Quantity
- 3 cubic feet, (4 document cases, 1 flat box)
- Collection Number
- Mss 6010
- Summary
- The Overlook Woman's Improvement Club was founded in 1913. It worked for the improvement of the Overlook District in Portland, Oregon, and cooperated in civic and philanthropic movements until 1964, when it was dissolved. Records include committee reports, the club's constitution and bylaws, agendas, correspondence, minutes, and resolutions. Materials also include yearbooks, directories and documentation of other women's clubs, and information relating to the club's involvement in and sponsorship of various community activities.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Overlook Woman's Improvement Club was founded on October 24, 1913 with 16 members. The Overlook District comprises a small area in North Portland, to the north and west of Overlook Park. The goals of the organization were to work for the improvement of the Overlook District and cooperate in civic and philanthropic movements throughout the state. The club became a member of the State Federation of Women's Clubs on December 22, 1913, two months after its founding. All members were required to live in the Overlook District.
Activities of the club included various neighborhood improvement projects, sponsorship of neighborhood activities, and contribution of funds to various charitable groups. Improvement projects included petitioning the City of Portland for more police and fire protection, paving the roads in the district and acquiring property for Overlook Park. The club sponsored neighborhood activities such as the Children's Floral Parade, the Christmas Tree Lighting, the Overlook Boy's Club, and the Junior Police. The club also contributed to the Scholarship Loan Fund, Children's Farm Home, and Doernbecher Hospital, and had a life membership at the Waverly Baby Home.
When the club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1963, its membership had declined to only 30 members, and in 1964, the organization was dissolved.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The records (1905-1964) of the Overlook Woman's Improvement Club include committee reports, the club's constitution and bylaws, agendas, correspondence, club forms, minutes, financial information, and resolutions. Other materials consist of correspondence, notes and documents relating to the club's involvement in and sponsorship of various community and philanthropic activities. The collection also includes materials related to other women's clubs, such as the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the Oregon Federation of Women's Clubs, and the Portland Federation of Women's Organizations. These materials include newspaper clippings, yearbooks, directories, and documentation, as well as issues of "Oregon Club Digest."
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Overlook Woman's Improvement Club records, Mss 6010, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in four series:
- Series 1: Activities and outreach, circa 1918-1948
- Series 2: Administrative records, 1912-1964
- Series 3: Associations, 1905-1952
- Series 4: Yearbooks, 1914-1956
Acquisition Information
Gifts of Dudley McClure, May 1980 (Lib. Acc 15127), A. M. Scritsmeier, March 1981 (Lib. Acc. 15444), and the Overlook Community Center, via Colleen Spence, August 1994 (Lib. Acc. 21978).
Processing Note
The materials in this collection were received in three donations and were at first assigned two separate manuscript collection numbers, Mss 6010 and Mss 2600. They were later consolidated into a single collection under Mss 6010. Materials that were previously designated as Mss 2600 are located in Box 1, Folder 17 and Folder 19; Box 2, Folder 3; and Box 3, Folder 3.
Related Materials
Other collections at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library that relate to women's organizations in Portland include the Portland Woman's Club records, Mss 1084, and the Portland Women's Union records, Mss 1443.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Activities and outreach, circa 1918-1948Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Blue Bird Club (Camp Fire Girls) - correspondence and notes |
circa 1930-1931 |
| 1 | 2 | Children's Floral Parade
Includes correspondence, news clippings, notes, and catalog advertising materials for parade floats and decorations.
|
circa 1931-1948 |
| 1 | 3 | Christmas tree lighting - correspondence and notes |
circa 1930 |
| 1 | 4 | Halloween Parade - correspondence and notes |
1939-1940 |
| 1 | 5 | Homeless women and children survey
Includes correspondence and completed surveys from various institutions.
|
1920 |
| 1 | 6 | Flyers, programs and signs |
circa 1935-1943 |
| 1 | 7 | Newspaper clippings |
circa 1918-1941 |
| 1 | 8 | Overlook Boy's Club - club manuals and pledge forms |
1929-1941 |
| 1 | 9 | Overlook Junior Police - minutes and attendance log |
1939-1941 |
| 1 | 10 | Overlook Park - petitions for improvement of park |
circa 1920 |
| 1 | 11 | Songs, poems and quotes |
circa 1923-1930 |
| 5 | 1 | Proposed Knox Park - blueprint |
circa 1920 |
Series 2: Administrative records, 1912-1964Return to Top
Club reports, committee reports, the constitution and bylaws, correspondence, minutes, including attendance and financial records, resolutions, and correspondence about the Overlook community house and water mains.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 12 | Club reports |
1913-1933; undated |
| 1 | 13 | Committee reports |
1922-1940 |
| 1 | 14 | Constitution and bylaws |
1913-1916; undated |
| 1 | 15 | Correspondence
Includes letters from Portland Mayors Harry Russell Albee and George Luis Baker.
|
1914-1947 |
| 1 | 16 | History of club |
1927; undated |
| 1 | 17 | Meeting agendas and history of club
Includes address given at General Federation of Women's Clubs Annual Convention, 1948.
|
circa 1913-1927; 1948 |
| 1 | 18 | Institute certificates |
1925-1928 |
| 1 | 19 | Minute books, including attendance and financial records |
1913-1918 |
| 2 | 1 | Minutes in volume, including attendance and financial records |
1924-1931 |
| 2 | 2 | Minutes in volume, including attendance and financial records |
1941-1949 |
| 2 | 3 | Minutes in volume, including attendance and financial records |
1949-1964 |
| 2 | 4 | Volunteer information forms, club forms and notes |
undated |
| 3 | 1 | Overlook community house, playground, and water mains
Includes correspondence and powers of attorney.
|
1912-1917 |
| 3 | 2 | Resolutions |
circa 1919 |
| 3 | 3 | Guestbook - 50th anniversary of club |
1963 |
Series 3: Associations, 1905-1952Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 4 | General Federation of Women's Clubs - correspondence, flyers and souvenir booklets |
circa 1928-1950 |
| 3 | 5 | Booklets and pamphlets - various institutions and clubs
Includes constitutions, bylaws, and objectives of organizations.
|
1905-1934 |
| 3 | 6 | Oregon Club Digest, Volume 1, Numbers 6-9 |
circa 1950-1955 |
| 3 | 7 | Oregon Federation of Women's Clubs - yearbooks, programs, and Forestry Primer booklet |
1926-1950 |
| 3 | 8 | Portland Federation of Women's Organizations - directories |
1923-1952 |
Series 4: Yearbooks, 1914-1956Return to Top
Yearbooks in this series include a brief club description, past presidents, officers, committees, a club prayer, a program of the year's meetings, and a list of members.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 9 | Yearbooks |
1914-1915 to 1925-1926 |
| 4 | 1 | Yearbooks |
1925-1926 to 1936-1937 |
| 4 | 2 | Yearbooks |
1937-1938 to 1947-1948 |
| 4 | 3 | Yearbooks |
1947-1948 to 1955-1956 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Civic improvement--Oregon--Portland--20th century
- Neighborhoods--Oregon--Portland
- Women--Oregon--Portland--Societies and clubs--20th century
Corporate Names
- General Federation of Women's Clubs
- Oregon Federation of Women's Clubs
- Overlook Woman's Improvement Club (Portland, Or.)--Records and correspondence
- Portland Federation of Women's Organizations (Or.)
Geographical Names
- Overlook (Portland, Or.)
Form or Genre Terms
- administrative records
- correspondence
- yearbooks
