South Cook News

At its March 27 meeting, the Village Council of Palos Park welcomed the Palos Park Women’s Club, which celebrated its 120th birthday as an organization last year.

The board called up Sue Peterson, president of the Women’s Club to share a presentation and the new 120th anniversary plaque which the group was requesting to be hung and displayed at the Kaptur Administrative Center in City hall. The Women’s Club started near the end of 1902, so the group spent much of the 2022 calendar year celebrating its 120th anniversary. Near the end of those celebrations, one of the last big commemorative projects the group came up with was the 120th anniversary plaque.

"Our club is one of the oldest women's club in Illinois and I think one of the most unique," Peterson said. "I feel we are a group of very caring women that care about the community and care about each other. And I think there's a lot of women's clubs that do a lot of community work. But in the years I've been in the club, I'm especially proud of the kinds of friendships that we build with each other, the fun we have doing the projects that we do. And I guess I just consider that unique compared to there's a lot of clubs that do a lot of good things, but we have a lot of fun while we're doing it as well."

Peterson shared a few facts from the long history of the organization. The club's first organizational meeting was held at the club president Martha Coleman’s home at 126th street. That house is now owned by a current club member, whose mother was also a club president. The club continues to hold occasional events there because of the legacy and history within the walls. It holds regular  monthly meetings at the Rec Center, where they are not charged rent  because of an agreement to cancel bonds they bought in 1902.

One of the first benefits the club held was in December of 1902, which raised $18 total. This past December, the club held its annual Bunko event and earned more than $1,000. 

The organization’s very first efforts were passing the Child Labor Act and women’s suffrage. The organization traveled to Springfield in 1913 and were part of the reason women had partial voting rights in the state of Illinois over a decade before federal voting rights were given to women. 

The club also continues to support the local public library, which it helped start many years ago. The club continues its efforts with local schools, shelters, food pantries, police department, the library, and many other initiatives. It remains a very active community organization and has a membership of 153, making it the largest women’s club in Illinois.