The American Woman's League was created by the magazine publisher

Edward Gardner Lewis Edward Gardner Lewis (March 4, 1869 – August 10, 1950) was an American magazine publisher, land development promoter, and political activist. He was the founder of two planned communities that are now cities: University City, Missouri, and Ata ...

in 1907. In part, it was a maneuver to lower postal rates by appealing to educational and social opportunities that would appeal to the emerging

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

movement. His magazines, ''Woman's Magazine'' and the ''Woman's Farm Journal'', had been denied second class postal rates because they were judged as advertisements and thus did not qualify for a lower rate as second class mail. Rather than magazine sales representatives making commissions, as was the common practice at the time, the payments went to form local women's "Chapter Houses". Although the local groups began as a marketing venture, many become prominent women's clubs within their communities. The network later became a more traditional organization with dues paid to the national office and became the "American Woman's Republic". The 1986 nomination of an Idaho 1909-built AWL chapter house to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) states that there were 39 other AWL chapter houses once existing in the United States (beyond two in Idaho). with Chapter houses included: * Andover Chapter House,

Andover, Illinois Andover is a village in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 578 at the 2010 census, down from 594 in 2000. History Andover is the oldest community in Henry County. Andover was the first area to be settled as a town within ...

, NRHP-listed * American Women's League Chapter House (Peck, Idaho),

Peck, Idaho Peck is a city in Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States. The population was 197 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lewiston, ID- WA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Many residents of Peck work in nearby Orofino, Idaho. Additionally, Peck r ...

, NRHP-listed * Alton Chapter House *

Annawan Chapter House The Annawan Chapter House is a historic building located at 206 S. Depot St. in Annawan, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Annawan's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's Lea ...

Carlinville Chapter House The Carlinville Chapter House is a historic building located at 111 S. Charles St. in Carlinville, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Carlinville's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American ...

Carmi Chapter House The Carmi Chapter House is a historic building located at 604 W. Main St. in Carmi, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Carmi's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was ...

Deer Lodge American Women's League Chapter House The American Women's League Chapter House was built in 1910 by a local contractor, from plans with Prairie School and Bungalow/Craftsman influences designed by St. Louis architects Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson. It was listed on the National Re ...

Edwardsville Chapter House The Edwardsville Chapter House is a historic building located at 515 W. High St. in Edwardsville, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Edwardsville's chapter of the American Woman's League. The America ...

Katy Hamman-Stricker Library The Katy Hamman-Stricker Library is located at 404 E. Mitchell Street in Calvert, Texas, USA. It consists of a museum as well as a public library and community center and was the first chapter house built by the American Woman's League in the state ...

Maywood Woman's Club The Maywood Woman's Club, also known as the American Woman's League Building, located in Corning, Tehama County, California. The 1909 clubhouse was designed in Bungalow style by St. Louis architects Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson as a "chapter ...

Princeton Chapter House The Princeton Chapter House is a historic building located at 1009 N. Main St. in Princeton, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Princeton's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman' ...

Zion Chapter House The Zion Chapter House is a historic building located at 2715 Emmaus Avenue in Zion, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Zion's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was a ...

References

1907 establishments in the United States Organizations established in 1907 Defunct women's magazines published in the United States Women's organizations based in the United States {{US-org-stub