The YMCA became a popular place for young people to do recreational activities and volunteer work for the community. With the organization's success, the women's organization of the same name came about to help women develop important skills and provide housing for those who needed a place to live.
History of YWCA
The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) started in 1858 in New York City to aid young, wage-earning women by holding religious meetings, opening boarding houses, and sponsoring recreational activities. The organization was successful, and many cities, factories, and college campuses began starting their own YWCA.
"The creation of the YWCA was linked to the changing social and economic roles of women in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. Spurred by the manufacturing boom, hundreds of thousands of women poured into industrial cities in search of factory work. But resources for these women, particularly safe housing and inexpensive dining options, were scarce. The goal of the YWCA was to meet the immediate needs of wage-earning women. In addition to hosting recreational clubs, the YWCA also offered classes in professional development, education, and personal improvement."
- Temple University Digital Collection
There were two main YWCA branches in the Philadelphia area: one in Center City (1871) and the other in Germantown (1870). They were founded to help the women in Philadelphia with any needs. Summer homes were provided for them to rest, and summer camps were offered to do recreational activities. In 1918, a colored branch was established to make it possible for African American women. It was later integrated in the 1940s with the Germantown branch.
NOTE: The Germantown YWCA building's fate is still in question since 2015. You can view the latest article from 2021 here!
Fun Fact # 1: The Kensington Branch of the Philadelphia YWCA was added in the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
A Mecca For Factory Girls
In the spring of 1909, an old homestead of 10 acres was sold to Anna M. Drayton (1855-1927), wife of Henry E. Drayton (1853-1938), to help wage-earning girls take a break and enjoy time off from the factories in Philadelphia. The idea of helping the girls came from Mrs. Drayton when teaching a chorus class where people were talking about the needs of the female workers. As a result, Mrs. Drayton volunteered to help the workers, and had the local community donate to her cause.
In 1912, the Drayton's transferred the old homestead to the YWCA, and made improvements on the property. Mrs. Drayton continued to collect the annual subscriptions from supporters.
At the Holiday House, there was a swimming hole at the Wissahickon Creek for girls to take a swim and a summer garden to walk around. There were also recreational activities available like tennis and canoeing.
Bibliography
"Google Maps Area Calculator Tool." DaftLogic. Accessed December 26, 2023. https://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-area-calculator-tool.htm.
"Holiday House for Girls at Penllyn." Ambler Gazette. July 15, 1915. Page 4. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_9955.
Mueller, A.H. Atlas of the North Penn Section of Montgomery County, Pa., Plate 29, 1916.
"Penllyn Holiday House." Ambler Gazette. October 24, 1912. Page 2. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_6607.
Robinson, Carla. "City moves to find a new developer for historic Germantown YWCA." Chestnut Hill Local. Last modified December 6, 2021. https://www.chestnuthilllocal.com/stories/city-moves-to-find-a-new-developer-for-historic-germantown-ywca,21889.
"Summer Home For Work Girls." Ambler Gazette. December 28, 1911. Page 1. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_8575.
"The Penllyn Holiday House." Ambler Gazette. April 11, 1912. Page 5. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_8341.
"YWCA History." Temple University Digital Collection. Accessed April 2, 2023. https://digital.library.temple.edu/digital/custom/ywcahistory.
"YWCA in Philadelphia." Temple University Digital Collection. Accessed April 2, 2023. https://digital.library.temple.edu/digital/custom/ywcaphiladelphia.