Coalinga Woman’s Club

Coalinga Woman’s Club. Zenith Hall. January 1905, Mrs. Anria Kerr invited ten lay friends to meet at her home to form the “Coalinga Ladies Improvement Club.” Their goal was to “promote harmony and improve social and civic needs.” In 1907 they joined the General and California Federation of Womans Clubs. , The club was active in planting trees, naming streets, supporting the library, city parks and Coalinga schools. The Halpensis Pine, known as “Coalinga’s Christmas Tree” was planted as one of their many projects. In the early years the ladies’ carried their wash water to water the trees and plants. In 1908 the club had its first Chrysanthemum fete and it still continues each year., In “1913” their name was changed to the “Coalinga Womans Club.” In the early 1920s there were several womens clubs in the area of different oil leases. One of the more active clubs was the “Zenith Club” of young ladies. They had a need for a building and had two barracks moved into town from one of the oil leases. This building is of single wall construction, common to the area at the time. It was renovated for their needs and named “Zenith Hall”., In “1962” the Coalinga Womans Club and the Zenith Club united with the stipulations the building would remain as “Zenith Hall.” This building is recognized by the Fresno County Historical Society as a County Landmark.