Lois Norton is the winner! The Peck Chapter House of the American Woman's League is the answer for Week 167 of Orofino History Trivia a special feature to celebrate the history and heritage of Clearwater Country. Join in the discovery! Monday: A gathering place for women Tuesday: Prairie style Wednesday: Cost $1,200 to construct Thursday: Part of a national organization Friday: Built in Peck The Peck Chapter House of the American Woman's League, which now serves as the town's library, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It retains the distinctive features of the Prairie Style buildings designed for the organization by the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsch and Watson. To qualify for this type of chapter house, the Peck group had to have 30 paid members and raise the $1,200 needed for its construction. AWL also had designs for larger, more expensive buildings for chapter houses in larger towns. However, this Class I building, built in 1909, has seemed to suit the purposes of not only the Peck Chapter of AWL, but a variety of other uses including a church, ceramics shop and now the library. Over the years, it has also served as a meeting place for the families of the area. The only other AWL building built in Idaho was in Payette and it no longer exists. AWL was the scheme of St. Louis publisher and land developer Edward Gardner Lewis who believed that women's suffrage would create a need for education and other programs that addressed women's issues. He established the league in 1908. The organization offered a wide constellation of services to its members: a correspondence school, chapter houses, an art academy, a lendig library, an outlet for sales of member handicrafts, a widows' retreat and a loan and relief fund. AWL was reorganized in 1911 when Lewis enterprises went bankrupt. It became American Woman's Republic. By 1920, with women's suffrage realized, the national organization was no longer active. The Peck Chapter House has the typical fireplace with bas relief of "Woman's Mission" which the organization believed was to be a homemaker. It also has the emblem of AWL above the front door. The city purchased the building in 1985 from the Peck Community Church to be used as a library. The city provides the maintenance and the Prairie Library District has responsibility for the operation. Sponsored by: | |
Window on the Clearwater P.O. Box 2444 Orofino, ID 83544 208-476-0733 Fax: 208-476-3407 |