Palo Alto Stanford Heritage |
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| Inventory photo | Photo taken January 2005 |
The following is from the Historic Buildings Inventory as revised in 1985:
The structure combines Tudor design elements with a Craftsman image. It is a one and one-half story building, surfaced in stucco with some half-timber work in wood. the pavilioned entry is framed and executed in wood. large oak trees surround the building.
The structure is a good example of the Woman's Club houses built all across the country at the time, visible results of the rise of organized cultural and community activities which women sponsored in the later 19th century and increasingly supported in the 20th century.
In Palo Alto, the Woman's Club began in 1894, led by Mrs. Mary G. Campbell, Mrs. Anna Paddock, and Mrs. A. P. Zschokke, its first officers. To begin with it emphasized activities and projects related to the development of basic community services and amenities, including a circulating library. It joined the State Federation of Women's Club in 1898, formally incorporated in 1904, and, amidst its services to Veterans Hospital patients during World War I, broke ground for its club house in 1916. Its activities thenceforth combined cultural and aesthetic interests with social services.
The building is located on a residential street composed of structures of side varied ages and dates.
Note: It was awarded a PAST Commercial Preservation Award in 2010 for the remodeling of the restrooms to fit the craftsman interior of the clubhouse which, by matching the historic windows, also resulted in enhancing the exterior character along Cowper Street.
Note: The mis-spelled carved sign over the entry was a gift and rather than embarrass the donor, it was hung as presented.
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| Before: aluminum window | After appropriate window |
 Main room photo taken May 20, 2012 PAST Preservation Week Celebration |
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| Corner stone | Location map |
This structure was built in 1916 and is a Category 2 on the Historic Buildings Inventory. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. The architect was Charles Hodges and the builder was Frank W. Fox. The property measures 84 by 100 feet.
Sources: Palo Alto Times 6/16/16, 9/23/16, 1/2/17; Palo Alto Historical Association archives: Woman's Club
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