American Woman's League Chapter House- Edwardsville

This building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 and served as the American Woman's League Chapter House. The building was added to the National Register in 1980. This structure, like all of the other Chapter houses for A.W.L., was designed by Helfensteller, Hirsch and Watson out of St. Louis in the Prairie style of architecture. It was considered to be a Class II building, designated for clubs with 60 to 100 members and cost $2,500. After the club disbanded, the building was converted into a private residence. Unlike other chapter houses, the Edwardsville location added a porch at the front entrance and did not have a fireplace.

Edwardsville: This house like all of the other Chapter houses for A.W.L. was designed by Helfensteller, Hirsch and Watson out of St. Louis and was considered to be in the Prairie style of architecture. It was considered to be a Class II building, designated for clubs with 60 to 100 members and cost $2,500. After the club disbanded, the building was converted into a private residence. Unlike other chapter houses, the Edwardsville location added a porch at the front entrance and did not have a fireplace.

The house was built on land donated by Charles Willys Terry. The building shows the influence of the Prairie School style and the Mission Style, both of which were popular at the time. Note the horizontal character of the eaves, the banding around the walls, and the long, straight planes of the windows which emphasize the horizontal. Also not the pediment over the triple window, adding a decorative touch.

The house is a one-story, cruciform structure containing an assembly room, salesroom, and kitchen. The exterior had walls with stucco and wood trim, a foundation of concrete, and the roof was shingled with a wide, overhanging gable. The windows have casements and sash and the chimney and fireplace were made of brick. The flower boxes were lined with copper and were located at each corner of the assembly room. There was a front porch added, the fireplace was removed and the interior layout was changed after it became a private residence.

http://hpa.illinois.gov/PDFs/200412.pdf ; https://madcohistory.org/online-exhibits/womens-suffrage-movement-in-madison-county/the-american-womans-league/ ; http://history.ucpl.lib.mo.us/results.asp?search=American%20Woman%27s%20League--Chapter%20Houses