Background Note
From temperance societies to tennis clubs, Longmeadow has a rich history of community service and involvement. This collection documents the various clubs, associations, and organizations of Longmeadow and includes items from the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Doane Orphanage, the Longmeadow Country Club, the Longmeadow Improvement Corporation, the Longmeadow Maternal Association, the Longmeadow Temperance Society, the Longmeadow Street Improvement Association, and the Longmeadow Women’s Club.

Much of the collection provides only a snapshot or glimpse of the various activities of these clubs and associations. The Longmeadow Women’s Club, however, has a more complete set of records. Organized in 1893 to “promote improvement in moral, social, and intellectual life,” early endeavors included leading Longmeadow’s effort in aid of the Spanish-American War, providing flowers to the ill, and food baskets to those in need. In 1935 the club began a scholarship fund to assist promising Longmeadow students. Other efforts included working with patients at the Northampton Veterans Hospital and entertaining convalescent children. The club also invited guest speakers, who addressed a variety of topics including literature and the arts, antiques, politics, and ecology. The club disbanded in 1997.

Scope and Content Note
The Longmeadow Women’s Club records include Secretary reports, minutes of Regular and Annual meetings and a nearly complete run of Yearbooks, which include lists of officers, committees, programs, brief biographies of program contributors, and lists of active members.

Other items in the collection include minutes from the Longmeadow Street Improvement Association, 1876-1938, which discuss mowing, sidewalk construction, the Elm tree beetle, and other issues pertaining to maintenance and upkeep. Minutes and a scrapbook from the American Legion Auxiliary provide information on various activities including election of officers, the annual “weenie” roast, poppy sales, suppers, and other activities in support of veterans and their families.
 
Box and Folder Listing