Canton Woman’s Club Turns 100
 | Author:
Linda Huth, Broadwater County Musuem Curator
Linda Huth: MT43 News Board Member and Copy Editor |
Canton Woman’s Club Turns 100
Linda Huth
Broadwater County Musuem Curator
On March 19, 2024, the Canton Woman’s Club will turn 100 years old!!
This club was the idea of Mrs. W. C. Whaley. It was first named “Valley Woman’s Club” but later changed to Canton Valley Woman’s Club.
The first meeting was at the home of Mrs. William (Edna) Gaab and Edna was elected president. Other officers were Vice President – Mrs. Tom Meyers; Corresponding Secretary – Veva Smith; Secretary – Mrs. Ingeborg Merritt; and Treasurer – Mrs. Ray Nobel.
This was a group of country women in the days of the horse and buggy. They came together to become better acquainted, to visit and to exchange ideas. To be able to get together in groups for just plain visiting was always welcomed in those early days of isolation and slow transportation.
In 1925 the Literary Club of Townsend became a service club and changed its name to The Woman’s Club of Townsend.
There was also a Woman’s Club in Toston, which disbanded in 1931 and it was not until 1947 that the Crow Creek Club took their place.
The three clubs, the Canton Club, the Townsend Club and the Toston Club, later the Crow Creek Club, joined to form the Broadwater County Federation.
In 1938 the federation wondered what they could do to benefit the new hospital built by Dr. Bayless and Dr. Nash. It was decided to sponsor a Charity Ball and from 1938 through 1963 they did so and donated $9,644 to the hospital for purchases such as an elevator, dumb-water, blood bank refrigerator and many other items. There were 26 chairpersons for the ball during this time.
In 1964 the name “Charity Ball” was changed to “Youth Benefit Ball”.
In 1976 it was voted to cancel the ball.
Throughout the years this group of women contributed to many worthy causes including, but not limited to:
• Efforts to name the lake “Canton Valley Lake” rather than “Canyon Ferry Lake”, which failed, but they tried.
• A protest was written to “Pictorial” magazine about cigarette ads for women.
• Responsible for much of the improvements to the newly formed park, which became “Heritage Park”.
• Support for the swimming pool.
• Spearheaded a drive for assistance with the dust abatement project on the south end of the lake.
• Reorganization of the Broadwater County Historical Society with a museum and library history as the ultimate goal. In 1976 this goal was accomplished.
In recent years, the club membership has dwindled significantly; holding on until the 100th birthday celebration. The members of the club still support the local community and projects by donating to charities and being aware of the needs of the community and assisting where they can.
To celebrate the anniversary of the beginning of the Canton Woman’s Club, the only remaining club of the county federation of three clubs is partnering with the Broadwater County Historical Society and will have a program reviewing the history of the organizations at 2:00, Sunday, May 19 at the Broadwater County Museum at 133 North Walnut Street in Townsend. There will be a social gathering following the program. Please join us.
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PhotoCredit: Courtesy of Broadwater County Museum, Linda Huth Curator
Image 1 Caption: Sketch of Canton, MT, By Ingeborg Merritt
Courtesy of Broadwater County Museum, Linda Huth Curator
