Queen Anne Fortnightly Club Celebrates 125 years

Here is an important bit of local history shared in a press release by Queen Anne Historical Society board member and Fortnightly member Georgi Krom

Nov. 9, 2018

On Thursday, Nov. 8th, the Queen Anne Fortnightly Club celebrated its impressive history during an evening event at the Sunset Club in Seattle. The Queen Anne club was started in 1894, making it one of the oldest women-only organizations still active in Washington state. As Fortnightly enters its 125th year, members reflected together on a successful journey from 1894 to the present day.

Clubs for women were extremely popular throughout the nation beginning in the mid-nineteenth century. Founding Fortnightly member Anna J. Sheafe (1847-1920) started the club as a study group for 10 women living in Queen Anne. Other early members included Anna Herr Clise, Harriet Stimson, and Nettie (Mrs. Charles H.) Black who went on in 1907 to establish Children’s Orthopedic Hospital (now Seattle Children’s).

Today’s club has 27 active members and 11 associate and life members. Several women are daughters of past Fortnightly members. Club meetings are held mostly in private Queen Anne homes from Sept. to June. A yearly topic of study is chosen by committee, and individual members give talks on that theme the following year. Recent lectures have focused on technology, non-fiction books of the Pacific Northwest, and historical or living individuals of personal interest. The club has decades of written and photographic archives which are often shared at current meetings.

A love of Queen Anne and deep friendships have served the Queen Anne Fortnightly Club well for 125 years.