About Us

The Valparaiso Woman’s Club began in 1895 as the Harriet Beecher Stowe Reading Circle. Women interested in educating themselves met together in their living rooms to discuss literature and review writing. Within a few years membership in the group skyrocketed. Departments were added concerning everything from gardening to civic causes. By 1906 the group had so many members and was involved in so much in the community that it began looking for a club home.

The house at 102 North Washington Street, was built in 1906 as the home and office of Dr. D.J. Loring. In 1925, the club purchased this beautiful house with its distinctive red clay tile roof. It was listed on the National Historical Register in 1984.

Generations of club women and their families have decorated and cared for this building over the years. Today, the house contains eight sleeping rooms and one apartment that the club rents to single women referred to us from several social services agencies. The rent is kept as affordable as possible. The clubhouse also contains an office space that is rented out and an apartment for the caretaker/manager.

Our beautiful club room is available for rent to other small groups for meetings, wedding or baby showers, and piano recitals.

In addition to the shelter we provide, the club is an active organization that provides several college scholarships to graduating seniors. The club also sponsors a yearly short story contest, poetry contest and art contest for Porter County students.

The club holds three major fundraisers every year: the annual Porch Sale held the Thursday and Friday before Memorial Day, the “Popcorn Fest” Lunch on the Veranda, and the “Holly Days” Bake Sale.

The Woman’s Club underwent reorganization and the Internal Revenue Service recognizes us as a 501(c)(3) organization under the new name of Valparaiso Woman’s Association, Inc.

Association meetings are held on the second Tuesday (and occasionally the fourth Tuesday) of each month from September through May. Each meeting is a luncheon (at noon) or a dessert (at 12:30) and a guest speaker and/or program is provided. A short business meeting follows. Recently, the association began adding evening meetings for working members.

If you are passionate about education, the arts, and historical preservation, and want to improve the quality of life for women in our county, please join us for a meeting.