The Nineteenth Century Club

The Nineteenth Century Club, established in 1891 by bold visionary women, built this space in 1928 to promote their mission as an educational, charitable and civic center. Today this Landmark building serves as a nonprofit community center and a venue for private celebrations and business events. A vibrant, diverse membership of men and women maintain the commitment of the founders by offering scholarships and space-use grants to nonprofits as well as a wide range of daytime and evening programs. Activities are open to all in our fully accessible building. , , [Top left caption, below picture of Ella Jenkins:] , Lifetime Grammy-award winner, Ella Jenkins, represents the hundreds of notable speakers and artists who have appeared on the two stages of this building, among them Robert Frost, Amelia Earhart, Grant Wood, Jane Addams, Langston Hughes, Elizabeth Berg and Alex Kotlowitz. , , [Bottom left caption, below photo of musicians:] , This music program, in our renovated ballroom space, represents the many high-quality arts and humanities programs, sponsored by the Club and open to all. Through its space-sharing grants, the Club enables other local nonprofits to share the building for their meetings, benefits, performances and community outreach. , , [Bottom center caption, below photo of Grace Wilbur Trout:] , Grace Wilbur Trout, shown here in a suffrage parade, represents early Club members like Anna Lloyd Wright, Grace Hall Hemingway, Dr. Anna Blount, and others who campaigned not only for women's rights but also for many other social causes and improvements in our local community., [Bottom right caption, below photo of students:] , Awarding college scholarships to deserving local students is a cherished tradition. Since 1951, hundreds of students have used their Nineteenth Century scholarships to help them attend the colleges of their choice. Currently, these grants are renewable for up to four years., [Top left caption, below photo of James Fyfe:] , James L. Fyfe (1869-1949) designed this Neo-classical style building with traces of Georgia Revival influence. A Chicago architect and a graduate of MIT, Fyfe lived in Oak Park with his wife, Hannah Beye, a prominent Oak Parker and active member of the Club. James Fyfe served as an Oak Park Village Trustee and President. His name is inscribed on the War Memorial in Scoville Park for his service in world war one.