Our History

• Jan 19, 1909 – Organizational meeting, 13 women gathered, call it Mothers’ Club or Cedarburg Woman’s Club (CWC). Membership grew to 39, then 65 within the year. Members met at each other’s homes. Mission was to work with schools to advance education and the well-being of the community’s children. Annual Dues – 25 cents soon raised to $1.00 with penalty of 5 cents if late. (Today $50) 
• Many social events in the first few years, first project; donated bust of George Washington to high school….. bracket broke and bust fell. Second project was better, teachers were hosted at a members’ home. 
• Member Picnic at Cedar Lake; wagon horses became ill, needed to wait for replacements to get all back to Cedarburg. Maybe a scandal if horse had been driven to death.
• 1911 – CWC becoming more community minded. Hosted first Memorial Day Service… since taken over by American Legion. Early on members learned the power of advocating: Dangerous railroad crossing on Washington Av (currently The Interurban Trail) a signed petition by community members was presented to the mayor who referred it to a committee. CWC members went to State Railway Commission and got satisfactory results immediately.  CWC received a letter regarding forming a circulating library from State Librarian.
• 1912 – Woman’s Club Joined the General Federation of Woman’s Club (GFWC).  Cedarburg Public Library was formed by CWC 3 members, the mayor, and 3 community members. First it occupied the 2nd floor room at Cedarburg Bank (today PJ Schmidt Investments). Books came from a Traveling Library. Only open two days a week.  Many members in club and the community donated books. By 1913 it outgrew its’ original space. Cedarburg Library Board organized. It included 3 club members, the mayor, and 3 citizens. Goal was to raise money for a new library as the current library on the second floor of the Fire Department was difficult for some to use. Plus, it was only open two days a week.
• 1914 – CWC saw more needs for the children of Cedarburg. They raised money for a Boy Scout House through card parties and Bake Sales. CWC rented it for their meetings. (currently a storage building across from Behling Field)  
• 1915 – With the Cedarburg Fire Department, the Club started the first Fourth of July Celebration, a parade along with other sane activities for citizens in City Park. More card parties to raise funds for civic organizations like the Fire Department. CWC meetings included informative speakers from all fields of life, along with literary programs. 

• Members volunteered for Red Cross and aided their country as they all had the same fears and anxieties. CWC supported community by donating playground equipment for City Park (now Cedarburg Park on Portland Road).
• 1938-39 – CWC members advocated with Senators & Congressmen in Washington DC about a needed gymnasium at the high school, the WPA came to the rescue built one (Now the Community Center Gym).  During WWII, CWC voted to use library funds for war bonds, bombers, airplanes, and instead of snacks at meetings, money was donated to the USO. They also supported a Cedarburg High School band. 

• 1949 – Big decision vote, support the Cedarburg Girl Scouts. When members determined they needed a Girl Scout House, they started a community drive with a “Mile of Pennies” fundraiser. In 1952 – House was built and shared by CWC for their meetings. Many Bridge marathons (open to non-members) were sponsored by and run by CWC to support the Girl Scout/Woman’s Clubhouse. A library fund was also implemented again. 
• 1954 – Decision – Focus on one large fund raiser in addition to bridge playing. An Annual Antique Show, which became renowned throughout the Midwest started. It was a two-day show held in October featuring over 30 dealers from the Midwest featuring a Tea Room serving home-made soup, home-made turkey salad, and homemade desserts. Members planned, cooked, and baked everything. Girl Scouts served as helpers in the Tea Room. A Pantry sold desserts to take home, and a CWC Quilt crafted by members was raffled off. As time went on community merchants also donated wonderful prizes. This lasted over fifty years (1998). The yearly proceeds (many times over $10,000) benefited community and Cedarburg High School needs. Among them were scholarships for Girl Scouts to summer camps, Senior Citizen transportation van, Ozaukee Community Services, a new community pool, an annual substantial CHS scholarship, Rosemary House (home for battered women and their families, now Advocates LLC), Jail Literacy, and more. 
• 1970’s – CWC contributed toward a finally free-standing Cedarburg Public Library and the Girl Scout/Woman’s Clubhouse was freshened up and enlarged. Federation projects were also strongly supported, Operation Smile (financially & assembling over 100 dolls), the environment with “Trees for Tomorrow” drive, and conservation. Community support was still important, so donations continued to be given to many non-profits like Family Sharing, Ozaukee Family Sharing, and Portal Industries. 1990 – CWC donated a blue spruce to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the GFWC on the front lawn of City Hall, now the community Christmas Tree.
• 2000 – 2020’s – CWC continues its mission to help community and its children. Again, the library outgrew its space, so a new one was built in 2010 to which the CWC donated. The proceeds from our current annual 2-day Garden Walk fundraiser and raffle provide funds to maintain the Girl Scout/Woman’s Clubhouse, and the annual scholarship given to a CHS student. Club meetings still feature informational speakers, and the community non-profits.  All receive donations to support their goals. Our community and its children are important to the CWC. A current big donation receiver was Parkview Elementary School, for their All-Inclusive Playground.

  The CWC honors the past, does the very best it can in the present, and wishes the members of the future great success.Long live the Cedarburg Woman’s Club.

We thank Dorothy Marks for the extensive history she created for the 100th Anniversary of CWC in 1998 and Carol Szudrowitz, editor of InTouch CWC newsletter previously created by Patrica Raab.