A Cornerstone of the Community

During Palo Alto's formative years, the Club was the women's arm of local government and school affairs at a time when women were ineligible to vote or hold political offices.

Uniting people and place, The Woman's Club of Palo Alto builds on a proud history of public engagement. Our members apply themselves in creative and philanthropic ways to accomplish great things both in the local community and within the club.  Learn more about our philanthropy and community outreach.

The Woman's Club of Palo Alto is a member of the General Federation of Women's Club as well as a member of the California Federation of Women's Club.  In terms of membership, we are the largest club in the state of California.  

Woman's Club or Women's Club?

The official name of the club is The Woman's Club of Palo Alto, not the Women's Club of Palo Alto or Palo Alto Women's Club. (Despite the sign at our venue) 

By using the original name, The Woman's Club of Palo Alto, we strive to honor our historic roots and express gratitude for the intense activism of our early members.

The Woman’s Club of Palo Alto originated in the 19th Century during the Woman Suffrage movement and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Movement. Alice Park, an active club member, worked hard for women’s rights locally and abroad and Emily Pardee Karns Dixon, twice president of The Woman's Club of Palo Alto led the successful local drive for California women’s voting rights in 1911.