Michigan Woman's Christian Temperance Union records, 1874-2006

Summary

Creator:

Michigan Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

Abstract:

State chapter of national temperance organization founded in 1874; records include correspondence of early W.C.T.U. workers, Alice E. H. Peters and Ella Eaton Kellogg; also minutes, scrapbooks, and other records of individual Michigan W.C.T.U. districts and chapters.

Extent:

16 linear feet (in 17 boxes)
3 oversize volumes

Language:

English

Call Number:

85596 Bj 2

Authors:

Finding aid created by Michigan Historical Collections staff

Background

Scope and Content:

The Michigan Woman's Temperance Union records divide into seven series: Correspondence; Miscellaneous and Publicity; Printed Materials; District Records; County Union Records; Local Union Records; and Photographs. The records document the period of the Michigan WCTU's greatest influence, the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as well as the organization's gradual declining influence following the repeal of the prohibition amendment.

Biographical / Historical:

With the assistance and encouragement of an Ohio women's temperance union, local Michigan women's temperance groups met in Lansing in February 1874 for the purpose of forming a state organization of their own. Later in 1874 this organization took the name Michigan Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). The group's main purpose was to work for the outlawing of liquor sales in the state of Michigan. Like other burgeoning state organizations, the Michigan WCTU was organized in part to assist in the formation of local unions which would then mobilize grass-roots support for various prohibition legislation and local option campaigns. In addition, their membership campaigned for woman suffrage and protective legislation for women and children.

The WCTU's greatest influence was in the years leading up to the passage of the eighteenth amendment. With the repeal of this amendment in 1933, the organization lost much of its focus. While continuing to support prohibition legislation, the organization also began to stress education campaigns about related issues, such as drug abuse and drunken driving. By the early 1970s many unions were disbanding because of declining membership and lack of interest; this trend continued through the 1980s and 1990s, although the WCTU continued its work of educating the public about alcohol and drug abuse.

For more detailed histories of the Michigan WCTU, the researcher should consult A Brief History of Michigan Woman's Christian Temperance Union, compiled by Mrs. J.P. Howard and Mrs. Julia R. Parish (1912) and Guide to the Microfilm Edition of Temperance and Prohibition Papers, edited by Randall C. Jimerson, Francis X. Blouin and Charles A. Isetts (1977).

Acquisition Information:

This record group (donor 5688 ) was first deposited with the library in 1975. Additional records have been received.

Accruals:

Periodic additions to the records are expected.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Material

The library has separately cataloged published materials of the Michigan Woman's Christian Temperance Union. These include newsletters, annual reports, and minutes and reports of the annual convention. The library also has records from individual local chapters, including Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Evart, the Flint Federation, Three Oaks, and Ypsilanti.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Social reformers -- Michigan.
Temperance -- Michigan.
Women -- Michigan -- Societies and clubs.

Formats:

Photographs.

Names:

Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Coats Grove.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Dowagiac.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Eaton County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Genesee County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Grand Rapids.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- La Salle.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Macomb County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- North Adams.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Swartz Creek.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Vassar.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Alma.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Bad Axe.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Barry County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Big Prairie.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Boyne City.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Branch County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Buchanan.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Bronson.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Calhoun County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Cass County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Columbiaville.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Coopersville.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Copemish.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Detroit.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Drayton Plains.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- East Lansing.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Easton.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Flushing.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Fremont.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Gratiot County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Hastings.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Hillsdale.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Holland.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Huron County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Ingham County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Ionia.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Ithaca.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Kalamazoo.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Kent County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Lansing.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Livingston County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Marlette.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Menominee.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Monroe County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Mount Clemens.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Muskegon County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Nashville.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Newaygo.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Niles.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Oakland County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Oceana County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Otsego.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Owosso.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Petoskey.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Pickford.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Pontiac.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Portage.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Sanilac County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Shiawassee County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Saint Louis.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Washtenaw County.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Willard.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Williamston.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Woodland.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union -- Michigan -- Ypsilanti.
Gordon, Anna Adams, 1853-1931.
Kellogg, E. E. (Ella Ervilla)
Peters, Alice E. H.
Willard, Frances E. (Frances Elizabeth), 1839-1898.

Places:

Coats Grove (Mich.)
Dowagiac (Mich.)
Eaton County (Mich.)
Genesee County (Mich.)
Grand Rapids (Mich.)
La Salle (Mich.)
Macomb County (Mich.)
North Adams (Mich.)
Swartz Creek (Mich.)
Vassar (Mich.)
Allegan County (Mich.)
Alma (Mich.)
Bad Axe (Mich.)
Barry County (Mich.)
Boyne City (Mich.)
Branch County (Mich.)
Bronson (Mich.)
Buchanan (Mich.)
Calhoun County (Mich.)
Cass County (Mich.)
Columbiaville (Mich.)
Coopersville (Mich.)
Copemish (Mich.)
Detroit (Mich.)
Drayton Plains (Mich.)
East Lansing (Mich.)
Easton (Mich.)
Flushing (Mich.)
Fremont (Mich.)
Gratiot County (Mich.)
Hastings (Mich.)
Highland Park (Mich.)
Hillsdale (Mich.)
Holland (Mich.)
Huron County (Mich.)
Ingham County (Mich.)
Ionia (Mich.)
Ithaca (Mich.)
Kalamazoo (Mich.)
Kent County (Mich.)
Lansing (Mich.)
Livingston County (Mich.)
Marlette (Mich.)
Menominee (Mich.)
Upper Peninsula (Mich.)
Monroe County (Mich.)
Mount Clemens (Mich.)
Muskegon County (Mich.)
Nashville (Mich.)
Niles (Mich.)
Oakland County (Mich.)
Oceana County (Mich.)
Otsego (Mich.)
Owosso (Mich.)
Petoskey (Mich.)
Pickford (Mich.)
Pontiac (Mich.)
Portage (Mich.)
Redford (Detroit, Mich.)
Saint Louis (Mich.)
Shiawassee County (Mich.)
Willard (Mich.)
Williamston (Mich.)
Woodland (Mich.)