The Outdoor Art Club’s founding and its extraordinary influence on the early history of Mill Valley remains one of the pillars of all of the 94941.
The organization was founded in 1902 as a nonprofit dedicated to the protection and beautification of outdoor spaces, wildlife conservation, and other civic, literary, and charitable work.
Before women won the right to vote in 1920, women’s clubs like the Outdoor Art Club were one of the only avenues by which women could wield political influence in their communities. In 1890, there were more than 3,000 women’s clubs in the United States, several hundred of which were in California, and by 1910 an estimated 85% of nonworking women were members of at least one women’s club. These clubs lobbied legislators and fundraised in support of a range of progressive causes, including abolition, conservation, educational reform, and labor rights.
For many, many yers, the OAC has hosted speaker series to continue to inform the community. They’re continuing those efforts with a trio of Speaker Series events, the latest of which is a trio of speaker events featuring “Substance & Scandal” on Sept. 18th at 6:30p, “Why does it Matter to You” on Oct. 30th at 7pm. and at 1pm. Book Passage Holiday Book Fair on Nov. 20th.