Ellsworth Literature Club Talk

Join the Ellsworth Historical Society and Woodlawn for a talk about the Ellsworth Literature Club.

Founded in 1895 and still active today, the Ellsworth Literature Club offers a fascinating look at the role of women-led organizations in creating opportunities for learning, social connection, and community involvement. Its journals reveal women moving away from male leadership and presenting their own research on subjects ranging from literature and the arts to political history, natural science, travel, and military affairs.

A review of the club’s journals through 1945 shows members were deeply interested in understanding the wider world. During World War I, for example, their attention shifted from planned literary topics to current events, with presentations on the nations involved in the conflict, international relations, and even aviation.

Over time, the club also expanded beyond its original elite membership, welcoming educated middle-class women and building connections with other women’s organizations throughout Hancock County…