Title: Grand Forks County Homemakers Records, 1922-2016

ID: OGLMC1657

Primary Creator: Grand Forks County Homemakers Clubs (1922-2016)

Extent: 4.5 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 06/02/2017

Subjects: Agriculture, Grand Forks, Grand Forks County, North Dakota, Organizational Records, Women's History - Women's Organizations

Languages: English

The Grand Forks County Homemakers Records is divided into two series: Series 1 consists of material related to the Grand Forks County Homemakers; and Series 2 contains material for the Country Gals Homemakers Club..

Included in Series 1 are record forms (1983-2005) providing summary information and lists of members for individual Homemakers/Family and Community Education clubs, programs for the annual Achievement Day (1962-2016), and scrapbooks documenting activities of local clubs. This series also contains an extensive card index, organized chronologically, listing the officers, members, and project highlights of individual clubs in Grand Forks County (1922-1985/86).

Series 2 is for the Country Gals club, which began in Walsh County in 1956 as the Gay Country Gals. About 1988, this club became affiliated with the other clubs in Grand Forks County. Included in this series are secretary books including meeting minutes and activity information (1956-2006), a treasurer's book (1957-1963), program booklets (ca. 1956-1997), and photographs.

Homemakers clubs began to be organized in North Dakota in the early 1920s. As more clubs started locally, there was a need for coordination at the county level. For Grand Forks County, their county council was organized in 1929 and consisted of the presidents of individual clubs. Local clubs functioned as important social networks for farm women. Working with county Cooperative Extension offices, members of Homemakers clubs were taught and participated in activities to promote a better lifestyle such as food preparation, health care, hygiene, home management, sewing, handicrafts, and decorating. In addition to programs, clubs exchanged ideas and were involved with local charities and 4-H.

While many of the clubs in Grand Forks County were organized in the 1920s and 1930s, others were established as recently as the 1970s. The Grand Forks County Homemakers had an annual achievement day to recognize members of individual clubs and install new officers. For some years, the name was changed from Homemakers clubs to Family and Community Exchange (FCE) clubs to reflect the changing role of the organization.

Agriculture
Grand Forks
Grand Forks County, North Dakota
Organizational Records
Women's History - Women's Organizations

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the Rules and Regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Brenda Beck, Arvilla, North Dakota

Acquisition Method: Donation; 2017-3338

Related Materials:

Bathgate Homemakers Club, OGLMC 1322

Brenna Homemakers Club, OGLMC 1585

Chester Homemakers Club, OGLMC 1393

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Grand Forks County Homemakers Records. OGLMC 1657. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Processing Information: Collection was processed and added to Archon in 2017.