History of the Salinas Woman's Club

The Salinas Woman’s Club has been steadfastly focused on public service and advocacy on important civic affairs. Community building projects and advocacy range from public education, health, and social services for those in need.

Salinas Woman’s Club was first formed on August 25, 1906. In June 1919, the Salinas Woman’s Club was incorporated.

After the 1906 earthquake, seventeen women formed a service group, the Salinas Woman’s Club, on August 25, 1906, in response to the earthquake damage and destruction in Salinas.

That year, the Salinas Woman’s Club pressed for sanitation, wooden sidewalks, and gaslights on Main Street. These women continued to be active in civic affairs projects, advocated for certain city improvement and volunteered in some worthwhile community projects. The members worked with businesses for donations.

They had fund-raisers and collected club dues. These funds supported club’s activities, events, and donations for city improvement projects.

Salinas Public library from 1909-1960 before being demolished in 1961.

Highlights of their projects included:

Being docents at the National Steinbeck Center, First Mayor’s House, and the Steinbeck House.
Volunteering for the Meals on Wheels, Monterey County Reads/Panetta Institute, Monterey County Historical Society, and Alliance on Aging.
Organizing the Salinas Founders’ Day celebration with Salinas City Council from 2014 through 2019.
Supporting AFS Intercultural programs since 1955
Supporting the WWI and WWII war effort and providing room and board for soldiers’ wives visiting their husbands at Fort Ord military hospital
Applying a grant and fundraising to build the Carnegie Library on Main Street

During the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020 to 2022, the Salinas Woman’s Club learned basic technology skills to continue their meetings via zoom. Ruth Andresen, age 100, organized zoom workshops with the Salinas Public Libraries. Ruth felt that being old was not a valid excuse to avoid being part of the technological age.

Old Salinas Woman’s Club building

215 Lincoln St. Salinas.

Past Presidents of the Salinas Woman’s Club

Mrs. R. L. Porter 1906 – 1911

Mrs. J.B. Bennett 1911 – 1913

Mrs. John Parker 1913 – 1915

Mrs. J.K. Garrigus 1915 – 1916

Mrs. R. Wheeler 1916 – 1918

Mrs. F. Lauritzen 1918 –1921

Mrs. C. Melander 1921 – 1923

Mrs. Anna Rossi 1923 – 1925

Mrs. A. P. Overhouse 1925 – 1927

Mrs. Anna Rossi 1927 – 1928

Mrs. J. T. Riley 1928 – 1929

Mrs. R.E. Shinn 1929 – 1930

Mrs. Russell Scott 1930 – 1931

Mrs. W. C. Theile 1931 – 1932

Mrs. T.G. Emmons 1932 – 1933

Mrs. L. Stirling 1933 – 1934

Mrs. E. J. Leach 1934 – 1935

Mrs. R. N. Kennedy 1935 – 1936

Mrs. C.C. Baker 1936 – 1937

Mrs. A. C. Hughes 1937 – 1938

Mrs. Marion Coutchie 1938 – 1939

Mrs. Minnie McAdams 1939 – 1940

Mrs. Dorothy Lacey 1940 – 1941

Mrs. Mary Dungan 1941 – 1942

Mrs. Horace Wisely 1944 – 1945

Mrs. Lois Armstrong 1945 – 1946

Mrs. Lois Robinson 1946 – 1947

Mrs. Carvel Johnson 1947 – 1948

Mrs. Esther Young 1948 – 1949

Mrs. Wilma Merrill 1949 – 1950

Mrs. Florence Dunn 1950 – 1951

Mrs. Elita Hawley 1951 – 1952

Mrs. Opal Nielsen 1952 – 1953

Mrs. Esther Tysdal 1953 – 1954

Mrs. Winnie Bardin 1954 – 1955

Mrs. Eula Pierson 1955 – 1956

Mrs. Ruth Wing 1956 – 1957

Mrs. Bernice Slater 1957 – 1958

Mrs. Mildred Lutz 1958 – 1959

Mrs. Betty Bomer 1959 – 1960

Mrs. Naomi Douglass 1960 – 1961

Mrs. H. B. Grader 1961 – 1962

Mrs. Jane McKay 1962 – 1964

Mrs. Peggy Johnson 1964 – 1965

Miss Gertrude Waterman 1965 –1967

Mrs. Jeanette Burgess 1967 – 1968

Miss Gladys Stone 1968 – 1970

Mrs. Alyce Arnaudo 1970 – 1971

Mrs. Dottie Barr 1973 – 1974

Mrs. Joanna Farnsworth 1974 – 1975

Miss Bernice Donahue 1975 – 1976

Mrs. Rosemary Masker 1976 – 1978

Mrs. Ruth Freeman 1978 – 1979

Mrs. Verdell Long 1979 – 1980

Mrs. Elsie Rodrigues 1980 – 1981

Mrs. Catherine Erickson 1981 – 1983

Mrs. Billie Angstadt 1983 – 1984

Mrs. Rosemary Masker 1984 – 1985

Miss Arlene Helm 1985 – 1986

Mrs. Ruby Powers 1986 – 1986

Miss Arlene Helm 1986 – 1987

Mrs. Ruth Freeman 1987 – 1988

Mrs. Anita Peters 1988 – 1989

Mrs. Anita Peters 1990 – 1991

Mrs. Heloise Wright 1991 – 1993

Mrs. Esther Bird 1993 – 1995

Mrs. Dolores Badham 1995 – 1999

Mrs. Lois Olsen 1999 – 2000

Mrs. Irene Lasserot 2000 – 2001

Mrs. Dolores Badham 2001 – 2007

Mrs. Rosemary Farrell 2007 – 2009

Ms. Nancy Riddle Iversen 2009 – 2011

Mrs. Pat Kinn 2011 – 2013

Mrs. Rosalie Gray 2013 – 2015

Ms. Carolyn Nelson Swint 2015 – 2017

Ms. Carolyn Jensen 2017 – 2021

Mrs. Susie Kuhlmann 2021 – 2022

Mrs. Jane DiGirolamo 2022 - 2023

Ms. Jeanne Hori-Garcia 2023 --

History of the Salinas Woman's Club

Then and Now

Past Presidents of the Salinas Woman’s Club

This website uses cookies.