A Brief History of The Village Club
The idea for the Club came from Marian Gilbreath, who after lunching at the Pasadena California Town Club, came home eager to see a similar club in the Birmingham area.
Contact was made with a nucleus of 30 women in the community. Each of these women supplied a list of names from which membership was selected. The response for membership was overwhelming, resulting in a waiting list.
The 30 charter members signed the Articles of Incorporation in May 1956, establishing The Village Woman's Club as a charitable and educational organization. A Board of Directors was elected, and the first official meeting was held in June.
By fall, the first classes were offered, community service was underway with members volunteering their time and talent, a theater trip to New York was planned, and the first issue of The Villager was published. All this was accomplished in the first year without the Club having a room or roof to call it's own.
Prior to settling in the present clubhouse, meetings were held at other clubs and the Community House in Birmingham. The Martha Baldwin House which still stands on Maple Road, was rented and served as the Club's office. The ladies decorated and furnished that location with the help of trading stamps. Coffee and tea were available in the afternoon. A milk-glass dish welcomed monetary contributions to defray the cost.
Property was purchased at the corner of Woodward and Chesterfield (where the Masonic Temple now stands), with the members intention of building a clubhouse. However, the property was sold before plans could move forward on the project. Finally, the Winningham House, the Club's present site, was purchased in 1961. With expanded facilities, signing could be offered providing the Club with a true social dimension in addition to its charitable and educational purposes. As the years passed, however, federal tax laws necessitated separation of the social part from other activities of the organization. Accordingly, The Village Club was established for social and educational purposes. The Village Woman's Club remained the charitable branch , eventually becoming known as The Village Woman's Club Foundation.
The Village Club has grown, expanded and remodeled, while always retaining a gracious and inviting ambience for "The Ladies of the Club".