History
Chartered, September 17, 1926
Federated (County, State, and District) 1926
Endowment Fund Completed 1927
Foundation Fund Completed 1938
The Julian Woman’s Club was organized September 11, 1926, when eleven civic minded women met at the home of Mrs. H. L. Hildreth, wife of the Dr. Hildreth of Julian. Miss Josephine Seaman, California State Federation Chairman presented a Roberts Rules of Order book and a gavel to the newly formed club. The Julian Woman’s Club held a membership contest in October and closed the Charter membership rolls in November with sixty members.
Their first meetings were at the Foresters Hall which was where the Pacific Telephone Building is on Main Street. Our first projects involved: removing tin cans along our roads and cleaning back lots filled to overflowing with trash, thwarting cows from roaming on the roads and goats from greeting visitors and inspecting their cars; preventing town lots being sold as an Auto Park; and, paving our streets. Fund raisers were dinners cooked for the Chamber of Commerce and Foresters. They also helped organize the Junior Woman’s Club, Girls Scouts, Subdebs, High School Y’s, Tri Y’s, Future Farmers, CEA’s and the Democratic Club. All but the babies had become organized.
Our first Wildflower Show was started in 1926 at an after-noon garden show and, except for some years in World War II, has been held every May. Later projects included; a youth center, establishing a county dump, cleaning up the cemetery, bringing electricity to Julian, and creating Frank Lane Park.
In 1941 the present building was purchased for $350.00, with $100. down and installment payments of $10.00 per month. It was an old warehouse that sat on our current lot lengthwise. A photo of the building is in the Clubhouse. It had a pot bellied stove in the center of the room, a dry sink at the side, a faucet (but no water), and a bucket underneath the sink to catch the water that was carried from up the hill. They used the outside toilet at the house next door.
We had a Kitchenair Band in 1949-51 winning many awards and trophies. We started the Julian Pioneer Museum in 1953.
Since 1951 we have given Scholarships to deserving High School Graduates, with a current focus on vocational and technical degrees. We also donate to local charitable organizations.
Toward the end of the 1980’s, we expanded our fundraising events to include a Quilt Show over the July 4th weekend and a Holiday Home Tour in December. The Holiday Home Tour was discontinued during the 2021 Covid pandemic and a Holiday Boutique was established that same year. The Wildflower Show, Heritage Quilt Show and Holiday Boutique continue to be annual fundraising events.