History of the Women’s Club
For 100 years, the Women’s Club has been, and continues to be, a vibrant part of Washington County. We are fondly remembered by countless people in this area for the many years of social dance classes offered in our Club House.
The Women’s Club at Hagerstown, MD, Incorporated was organized in September 1921 and by November of that year, 
the membership was 337. An outgrowth of the “Forward Club”, a group of women who had been active during World War I in war relief projects, the Women’s Club was the inspiration of Mrs. Emmett Gans, who served as its first president. She came to Hagerstown from Chicago in 1910 as the bride of Dr. William Preston Miller. Widowed in 1916, she continued to live here with her two daughters and married Emmett Gans, a major local developer (including Fountainhead) from California.
The original home of the Women’s Club was a rental property at 217 W. Washington Street owned by Dr. E.W. Ditto, Jr. The present property at 31 S. Prospect Street was purchased in 1923 from the Wroe heirs. During the Civil War when General Robert E. Lee passed through Hagerstown on his retreat from Gettysburg, he and his staff were entertained at dinner by Dr.Wroe in this house. After extensive renovation and remodeling, the new club house opened in March 1924. The Federal style building, built in 1838, is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Women’s Club continues to host our popular House and Garden Tour every 3 years.
A list of the past Presidents of The Women’s Club Inc at Hagerstown, MD:
Mrs. Emmett Gans – 1920 – 1928
Mrs. Elmer Funkhouser – 1928 – 1931
Mrs. S. Bliss Riley – 1931 – 1936
Mrs. Elmer Funkhouse – 1936 – 1937
Mrs. J. Alvey Long – 1937 – 1939
Mrs. William Preston Lane – 1939 – 1942
Mrs. Frank Thomas – 1942 – 1945
Mrs. S. Bliss Riley – 1945 – 1949
Mrs. Kenneth Spence – 1949 – 1959
Mrs. Lloyd Hoffman – 1949 – 1952
Mrs. J. Cleveland Crice – 1952 – 1958
Mrs. Edward Vail – 1952 – 1960
Mrs. William Noel – 1960 – 1963
Mrs. Marion Veazey – 1963 – 1965
Mrs. Iasaac Litton – 1965 – 1968
Mrs. William Meyers – 1968 – 1971
Mrs. C. Paul Jones – 1971 – 1976
Mrs. William Meyers – 1976 – 1980
Mrs. Maxine White – 1980 – 1982
Mrs. Lois Thompson – 1982 – 1984
Crete Ottinger – 1984 – 1985
Dottie Cochrane – 1985 – 1989
Mary Secor – 1989 – 1992
Mildred Elia – 1992 – 1994
Charlotte Horst – 1994 – 1997
Hazel Chilcote – 1997 – 2001
Janice Porter – 2001 – 2004
Betty McCune – 2004 – 2006
Betty Morgan – 2006 – 2008
Barbara Smith – 2008 – 2010
Mary Ann Kamas – 2010 – 2012
Donna Smith – 2012 – 2014
Joan Schupp – 2014 -2016
Donna Wells – 2016 – 2019
Jane Rozes – 2019 to 2022
Carol Brashears – 2022 to present
Mrs. Arundel – Spring 1922
Mrs. Herring – 19230 1925
Miss Robbs – 1925 – 1926
Mrs. Clark – 1926 – 1931
Miss Anna Bachtell – 1932 – 1944
Mrs. Mary Spriegal – 1944 – 1947
Mrs. Samuella Hurd – 1947 – 1956
Mrs. Jane Gwen – 1956
Ms. Alice Rowles – 1956
Mrs. Maye Ebbert – 1960 – 1961
Mrs. Marie Netherton – 1962 – 1964
Miss Kathryn Robertson – 1963 – 1964
Mrs. Barbara Keesecker – 1964 – 1966
Mrs. Hilda Owens – 1966 – 1975
Mrs. Crete Ottinger – 1975 – 1985
Mrs. Elmira Wolfe – 1985 – 1987
Mrs. Pat Spellar – 1987 – 1993
Mrs. Linda Ogilve – 1993 – present
Learn about Venue Rental
Prospect Hall
The Women’s Club of Hagerstown
