Scarsdale Woman's Club
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Scarsdale Woman's Club
William Bailey Lang's sketch of the Rowsley Cottage (current Scarsdale's Woman's Club)
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The land and building where the Scarsdale Woman’s Club now resides was originally the home of William Bailey Lang (1800-1887). Lang worked as an architect in Boston during the 1830s and 1840s, and in 1845 he published a book of his floor plans and designs. After moving to Scarsdale, perhaps as early as 1858 he likely built and designed this home. Lang remodeled the house in 1872. Lang's heirs sold the property after his death in 1887.
The Scarsdale Woman’s Club origins date back to World War I, but the club did not move its headquarters into the William Bailey Lang house until 1928. The club's aim was “to bring together all woman interested in the Village of Scarsdale and to promote such welfare and to foster a democratic spirit in the community.” The Scarsdale Woman’s Club nurtured several organizations including the League of Woman Voters, the Scarsdale Art Association, and the Friends of the Scarsdale Library. Since the organization settled in the Lang house in 1928, the Scarsdale’s Woman’s Club has offered programs in many areas that include the arts, gardening, literature, community affairs, poetry, languages, travel, and more.
The clubhouse is one and one half stores in height. The building was remodeled by Lang in the Second Empire Style. The last expansion and remodeling of the location took place in 1941. Architect Hobart Upjohn added the classical porch, enlarged the music room, and added numerous French windows.
Sources
- Shaver, Peter D.. Scarsdale Woman's Club. National Register of Historic Places. Published January 2nd 2008.
- About us, The Scarsdale Woman's Club. Accessed February 7th 2021. http://scarsdalewomansclub.org/index.html.
- Marszalek, Dianna. "A Women's Club Is Now Truly Historic ." The New York Times (New York) July 27th 2008. .
- Scarsdale's 18th and 19th Century Heritage Homes, Scarsdale Historical Society. Accessed February 7th 2021. https://www.scarsdalehistoricalsociety.org/scarsdales-18th-and-19th-century-heritage-homes#rowsley.
National Register of Historic Places
Scarsdale 18th and 19th Century Heritage Homes website