Date Original
1883-2019
Description
The Aesthetic Club of Little Rock records consist of the bylaws and constitution, executive committee meetings, minutes of club meetings, papers presented, and yearbooks. Photographs of past presidents are also included.
Biographical/Historical Note
The Aesthetic Club of Little Rock is the oldest active women's club in Arkansas. Organized on January 6, 1883, to bring culture to the community by a group of women, the group was led by Mrs. Rufus Polk. In 1893, the Aesthetic Club joined the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, followed by the Arkansas Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1896. Due to rapid expansion of its members, the club began to meet in the Little Rock Arsenal, also known as The Tower, in 1894. The Aesthetic Club provided financial support for the upkeep of the arsenal through the turn of the century and the Great Depression. In 1942, largely through the efforts of the club, the arsenal was renovated, becoming the home of the Arkansas Museum of Natural History and Antiquities until 1997. The Aesthetic Club still meets in the arsenal today, sharing it with the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, which opened on May 19, 2001. The Aesthetic Club year begins in October, the fall of the year, and continues until April, the spring. May is set aside for the Executive Committee and the standing committees of the club, and the summer months are a vacation from club activities. Activities consist of adding culture to members' lives through music, poetry, and papers on various topics of interest, all to escape the stress of everyday life.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
Little Rock, Pulaski County (Ark.)
Language
English
Identifier
MS.000388
Resource Type
Text
Collection
Aesthetic Club of Little Rock records, MS.000388
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Aesthetic Club of Little Rock records, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
