ALPHA CLUB

Inscription

ALPHA CLUB
FROM 1910-2001, THIS WOMEN’S
CLUB FUNDRAISED & VOLUNTEERED
TO ESTABLISH READING ROOMS,
PARKS, THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY &
CITY BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS.
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2026

Established in Burlington, Washington, in January 1910, the Alpha Club was a women’s civic organization dedicated by its constitution to “self-culture and civic improvement.” The club’s initial objective was the establishment of a local library. To this end, members opened Reading and Rest rooms in 1911, utilizing donated books and volunteering as librarians. Concurrently, the club secured the city’s cooperation, raised funds to purchase a building lot, and formed a Library Association to serve as a managing legal entity. They then successfully petitioned the Carnegie Corporation for funding, which led to the opening of the Burlington City Library in 1916. Upon its completion, the club transferred its books and furniture to the new facility.

Beyond the library, the Alpha Club organized and participated in annual city cleanup and beautification campaigns beginning in 1910. The group collaborated with the local school district to install sanitary drinking fountains in the middle and high schools, and fundraised for a public city fountain. They also circulated petitions to prohibit livestock from wandering city streets and to initiate a tax vote for adding domestic science and teacher training classes to the public school curriculum.

The club fundraised for school playground equipment and tennis courts, contributed to the anti-tuberculosis league for hospital-bound children, and supported a local educational loan endowment fund. To promote community beautification, they sponsored annual contests with prizes for the best gardens, lawns, tulip beds, parking strips, and birdhouses. Their fundraising supported the creation of multiple municipal parks, and the club directly purchased the land that became Maiben Park.

Educational and community engagement remained a core focus, with members inviting guest speakers to seminars with the Parent-Teacher Association on topics such as juvenile court history, housekeeping, and current events. Members also participated in seasonal events, including the community Christmas tree and the county fair.

The Alpha Club expanded its network by affiliating with the Skagit District Federation of Women’s Clubs by 1914 and federating at the national level by 1917. The organization operated for the civic benefit of Burlington for 91 years until it dissolved in May 2001, donating its remaining funds to the library it helped found.