THE WOMEN’S CLUB AT HAGERSTOWN

A History of the Building and the Organization

For more than a century, The Women’s Club at Hagerstown, Maryland, Incorporated has been a vibrant part of Washington County. Its history is closely tied to its gracious clubhouse at 31 South Prospect Street, a Federal-style home built in 1838, and to the generations of women who have gathered there for fellowship, service, education, and community support.

The Historic Home
The stately house that became the Women’s Club clubhouse was built in 1838 by Susan Hughes, an unusually independent accomplishment for a woman of that era. Constructed in the Federal style, the home features a front porch with double stairs leading to the main entrance, a six-panel front door, and a curvilinear transom. Inside, the original staircase remains, with its simple rail and tapered balusters, while the parlors on either side of the main hallway contain antiques and furnishings that reflect the history of both the house and the Club.
During the Civil War, as General Robert E. Lee passed through Hagerstown on his retreat from Gettysburg, he and his staff were entertained at dinner in this house by Dr. Wroe. The property later passed through the Wroe family, and its long history as a private residence became part of the larger story of Hagerstown and Washington County.

The Founding of the Women’s Club
The Women’s Club at Hagerstown grew out of the “Forward Club,” a group of women who had been active in war relief projects during World War I. After the war, these women wished to continue their community service, fellowship, and educational work. Their efforts led to the organization of The Women’s Club at Hagerstown in September 1921. By November of that same year, membership had grown to 337, demonstrating the enthusiasm and need for such an organization in the community.
The Club’s first president was Mrs. Anne Gans, who served for eight years. She had come to Hagerstown from Chicago in 1910 as the bride of Dr. William Preston Miller. Widowed in 1916, she remained in Hagerstown with her two daughters and later married Emmett Gans, a major local developer associated with the development of Fountain Head Heights and its golf course. Her leadership helped shape the early direction of the Club and its lasting commitment to women and community life.

A Permanent Clubhouse
The original home of the Women’s Club was a rental property at 217 West Washington Street owned by Dr. E. W. Ditto, Jr. In 1923, the Club purchased the present property at 31 South Prospect Street from the Wroe heirs. After extensive renovation and remodeling, the new clubhouse opened in March 1924. The building, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has remained the Club’s home ever since.
The 1924 addition transformed the original L-shaped house into a larger facility suited to the Club’s expanding mission. On the first floor, the addition included a dining room, serving kitchen, commercial kitchen, and auditorium, now known as Prospect Hall. On the second floor, bedrooms were added to provide housing for women, a service the Club has continued for more than 100 years. Bricks from the original portion of the house were saved and reused in the addition, preserving a physical link between the old structure and the expanded clubhouse.

Preservation, Fire, and Renewal
Throughout its history, the Women’s Club has served as steward of its historic home, continually updating, improving, and evaluating the needs of the building. In 2006, the clubhouse sustained a devastating fire that destroyed the attic and many second-floor rooms. The Club was unable to use the building for a year while the damage was repaired, though the first floor was spared.
More recently, Prospect Hall underwent a complete renovation in 2022 after it was discovered that its walls were compromised. The stage remains an important part of the building’s history and was the original stage used by the Potomac Playmakers, an offshoot of the Club’s Drama section. Additional renovations completed in 2025 included the kitchen behind the dining room, once used as a serving kitchen, and a first-floor restroom made handicap accessible.
Rooms Rich with Memory
The Club’s rooms preserve many reminders of its past. In the north parlor, historic photographs document Club life, including the first dance class held in 1939. For decades, ballroom-style dancing was taught at the clubhouse to members’ children, continuing until 2009 and leaving fond memories for countless families in the area. The room also includes a hand-carved mirror from Boston, a Victorian courting sofa, and cookbooks created by Club members as successful fundraisers.
The south parlor features the Hamilton bench, donated by Governor Hamilton’s family. His wife served as the Club’s financial advisor for 40 years, and his sister was also instrumental in the formation of the Women’s Club. Other furnishings and displays throughout the building honor the Club’s founders, residents, donors, and members, including a display case once used in the room of a long-term resident and now used to share Club history.
The dining room has also been refreshed with new windows, antique furniture, rugs, and a long-standing silver service. These gifts, donated by Club groups, members, and friends, reflect the generosity that has sustained the Women’s Club across generations.
Mission and Service
As the oldest women’s organization in Washington County, the Women’s Club continues to carry out its original mission: to promote the welfare and education of women in Hagerstown and Washington County. The Club provides a place for social connection, cultural enrichment, and community service while preserving one of Hagerstown’s important historic landmarks.
One of the Club’s most enduring commitments is the provision of clean, safe, affordable housing for single women in need. The second floor contains 12 rooms that have been rented to women for more than 100 years. Residents share bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room area. Over the past century, the Club estimates that approximately 2,000 women have lived in the house, with stays ranging from several months to several years.
The Club also maintains a relationship with Brooke’s House, reserving four rooms for women in its transitional living program. Brooke’s House residents typically stay between four and six months, while other residents may remain longer, with the current average stay around two years. This work continues the Club’s long-standing focus on helping women of limited means.

Community Life Today
Today, the Women’s Club remains an active organization with a membership of more than 250. Members gather for a wide variety of social, educational, and recreational activities, including Mah Jongg, Duplicate Bridge, Crossroads Garden Club, Book Talk, Pickleball, Let’s Do Lunch, Walk for Fun, card-making classes, Tea on Tuesday, craft groups, and theater outings.
The Club also supports many local service organizations, including Children in Need, CASA, REACH, St. Mark’s Food Bank, and Micah’s Backpack. During the Christmas season, members assist with Salvation Army bell ringing and United Way gift wrapping. The Women’s Club Foundation also offers scholarships to local women, extending the Club’s educational mission into the broader community.
Fundraising remains essential to the Club’s operations and preservation work. Its signature House and Garden Tour, held every three years, continues to welcome visitors and raise support for the organization’s mission. The clubhouse also serves as a distinctive rental venue, offering the ambiance of yesteryear along with the amenities of today.

A Living Legacy

The Women’s Club at Hagerstown is both a historic building and a living organization. From its beginnings in post-World War I service to its century-long role in providing housing, fellowship, education, and community support, the Club has remained faithful to its purpose. Its home at 31 South Prospect Street stands not only as a landmark of Hagerstown’s past, but also as a place where women continue to gather, serve, and strengthen Washington County.