Marianna Woman’s Club to Celebrate 90 Years

Club activities span eras from corsets to today’s business suits – from 1919 to 2009.

By Sid Riley

On Sunday November 8th what is perhaps the oldest, continually functioning civic organizations in Jackson County will celebrate its 90th anniversary. Festivities will begin at their club house located at the corner of Clinton and Caledonia Streets in downtown Marianna at 2:00 PM. The general public is invited to come and enjoy a historical skit, free refreshments, and great social interaction.

A review of the minutes taken at early meetings of this civic club show that one of their earliest projects was to occasionally remove trash which had collected along the city’s downtown dirt streets. The second year of their existence they took on the worthwhile project of creating Marianna’s first city park, located in the center of the city which they lined with palms and shrubs. Soon after this site was selected for the placement of the Confederate Memorial, which was erected in 1921. This park was, of course, our Confederate Park.

A year later the club placed public outdoor restrooms behind the Post Office, and provided maid service for keeping them clean. An honor was paid to the Marianna Woman’s Club in 1925 when the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs held their annual convention here. Other early projects for the Club included planting shrubbery at the High School, a club cookbook published in the late 20’s, helping an orphan girl, scholarships, and feeding undernourished children in the elementary school.

From these energetic beginnings the club has always been an integral part of the civic efforts within our community. We are fortunate to have them among us, working on the behalf of us all. Remember, the general public is encouraged to come to this event on Sunday afternoon, November 8.