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One of
the most active and longest operating women’s organizations in Transylvania
County was the Women’s Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce. 
Established in 1925, they
supported community development and improvement.  In 1933 the name was changed to Women’s Civic
Club.

They participated in Red Cross Drives, helped raise
funds for Christmas Seals, prepared Christmas baskets for residents of the
County Home, held a clothing drive for flood victims in Puerto Rico and sold World
War II bonds and stamps.

The Women’s Bureau operated the Chamber of Commerce office providing

information to visitors during the summer for several years in the 1930s.

It was located in the Crary Hotel beside present day Falls Landing (Pender’s).

The organization raised funds for an extensive school
grounds improvement project and advocated for a public park and swimming
pool.  They supported community wellness
initiatives including promoting the need for vaccinations and development of a
local hospital.

In 1932 they started the Women’s Exchange.  From May through September each year women were
able to sell homemade goods and other items. 
The annual membership was fifty cents and ten percent of all profits
went to the Club.  The Women’s Exchange
operated for several years.

Two projects they were involved with throughout most
of their existence were the Clean Up Paint Up Campaign and the Annual Flower
Show.

In an effort to make “Brevard the Most Beautiful
Town in Western North Carolina” regular work days were organized to clean-up
empty lots, rubbish piles and street liter. 
Some years cash prizes were offered to the child who gathered the
largest pile of trash in his or her neighborhood.  This was part of a nationwide effort to
beautify local communities.

The Annual Flower Show featuring hundreds of
entries of home-grown and wild flowers was held from 1927 through 1942.  Blue ribbon winners in 1928 included garden
flowers from asters to zinnias, wild flowers, Egyptian moss and a rock garden.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s the Women’s Civic
Club helped operate and fund the library which at the time was located in the
“little shack” beside the courthouse. 
They were instrumental in it becoming a public library and receiving
state aid beginning in 1944. 

The last mention of the Women’s Civic Club was
found in a December 1944 issue of the Transylvania Times.

Photographs
and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina
Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library
hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional
photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at [email protected]
or 828-884-1820.

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(828) 884-3151

212 S Gaston St, Brevard, NC 28712