Pacific Coast Women's Press Association (PCWPA; September 27, 1890 - 1941) was a press organization for women located on the
West Coast of the United States
The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast and the Western Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the Contiguous United States, contig ...
. Discussions were not permitted regarding politics, religion, or reform. The members of the association took on causes related to certain public improvements in the way of roads, streets, parks, libraries, village improvement societies, free exhibits of county resources, the suppression of criminal details of sensational cases in newspapers, the suppression of criminal advertising, and school development. To facilitate the work, the association issued printed
monograph
A monograph is generally a long-form work on one (usually scholarly) subject, or one aspect of a subject, typically created by a single author or artist (or, sometimes, by two or more authors). Traditionally it is in written form and published a ...
s.
Establishment

Until 1890, working newspaper women and women authors located along the U.S. Pacific coast lacked protection, benefit and advantages associated with unity. In other parts of the United States, these associations had been established since 1880, most of the earlier ones being organized for purely social purposes.
After nearly three years of planning, 150 invitations were sent out to newspaper women and authors in good standing on the Pacific coast, asking them to meet in
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
on September 27, 1890 at the home of
Emelie Tracy Y. Swett. Fifty women came to the meeting, but everyone invited sent letters of encouragement and pledged herself to support the movement.
History
A Constitution and By-Laws of the
New England Woman's Press Association
The New England Woman's Press Association (NEWPA) was founded by six Boston newspaper women in 1885 and incorporated in 1890. By the turn of the century it had over 150 members. NEWPA sought not only to bring female colleagues together and further ...
were adopted. The primary purpose of the PCWPA was to improve the women's relationships through the frequent interchange of ideas and methods.
The first year was spent in active organization. A library of several hundred books was accumulated and catalogued, and at the close of the year, the Association numbered 125 active members.
The members took on causes related to public improvements in the way of roads, streets, parks, libraries, village improvement societies, free exhibits of county resources, the suppression of criminal details of sensational cases in newspapers, the suppression of criminal advertising, and the development of
kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
s. To facilitate their work, the Association issued printed monographs. The first monograph issued was on the topic of "Country Roads and City Streets", written by
Mary Lynde Hoffman, a large property owner. More than 500 notices were sent to the Association concerning this essay alone.
In its first three years, the only source of income of the Association was through membership and initiation fees and from contributions. In time, the association hoped to erect a building in San Francisco, the rentals of which would suffice to pay the running expenses of the Association, as well as sick benefits, when required.
More than 500 volumes were contributed to the Association's library, besides files of many of the leading dailies, weeklies, monthlies. The Association wanted first to accumulate complete sets of the published works of members, then works by Pacific coast writers, then reference books, and finally, rare and standard books. The organization's librarian was a member of the
American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world.
History 19th century ...
.
The writing of the general newspaper worker was for the most part anonymous in that era. Therefore, the Association did not feel that its ranks were at a disadvantage when compared with those of other press associations. the PCWPA's members was so scattered over a large territory, that it was unable to show many influential
Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
newspaper connections. On the other hand, the Western style of reporting had become popular, with nearly all of the writers retaining from one to six connections with influential
Eastern
Eastern or Easterns may refer to:
Transportation
Airlines
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
* Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
*Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 192 ...
and British periodicals. As a member of the
General Federation of Women's Clubs
The General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), founded in 1890 during the Progressive Movement, is a federation of approximately 2,300 women's clubs in the United States which promote civic improvements through volunteer service. Community Serv ...
, the International League of Press Clubs and the
Woman's National Press Association
Woman's National Press Association (W.N.P.A.) was an American professional association for women journalists. The constitution declared that the object of the association was to advance and encourage women in literary work, and to secure the benefi ...
, the PCWPA was abreast with the spirit of organization, at the same time confident that responsible individualism was its strength.
The organization was discontinued after 1941.
Executive Boards

Emelie Swett Parkhurst founded the Association in 1890.
Nellie Blessing Eyster
Nellie Blessing Eyster (, Blessing; December 7, 1836 – February 21, 1922) was an American journalist, writer, lecturer, and social reformer. She was a grand-niece of Barbara Fritchie.
Eyster was the first President of the Pacific Coast Women's ...
was unanimously elected as the first president. The original Executive Board included
Jeanne C. Smith Carr of
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
, First Vice-President;
Sarah Brown Ingersoll Cooper
Sarah Brown Ingersoll Cooper (December 12, 1835 – December 11, 1896) was an American educator, author, evangelist, philanthropist, and civic
activist. She is remembered as a religious teacher and for her efforts to increase the interest in kind ...
, Second Vice-President;
Ella Rhoads Higginson
Ella Rhoads Higginson ( – December 27, 1940) was an American author of award-winning fiction, poetry, and essays characteristically set in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. She was the author of 2 collections of short stories, ...
of
Whatcom, Washington
Bellingham ( ) is the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It lies south of the U.S.–Canada border, between Vancouver, British Columbia, to the northwest and Seattle to the south.
The population was 91,482 at th ...
, Third Vice-President; Parkhurst, Corresponding Secretary;
Nellie Verrill Mighels Davis
Nellie Mighels Davis (née Verrill; September 10, 1844 – June 24, 1945) was a US civic leader and journalist. In 1897, she was the first woman to report a boxing prize fight ( Fitzsimmons/ Corbett) in the United States. She was also the firs ...
of
Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, officially the Carson City Consolidated Municipality, is an Independent city (United States), independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 58,63 ...
, Recording Secretary;
Mary Olmstead Stanton
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religion
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
, Treasurer;
Isabel H. Raymond of
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz (Spanish language, Spanish for "Holy Cross") is the largest city and the county seat of Santa Cruz County, California, Santa Cruz County, in Northern California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population ...
Auditor; and a supplementary committee consisting of
Mary Camilla Foster Hall-Wood of
Santa Barbara,
Frances Bagby-Blades
Frances is an English given name or last name of Latin origin. In Latin the meaning of the name Frances is 'from France' or 'the French.' The male version of the name in English is Francis. The original Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman", comes from ...
of
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
and
Andrea Hofer of
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
.
In 1892,
Emily Browne Powell succeeded Eyster was as the organization's second president.
[ ] The Executive Officers for that year, in addition to Powell, included Cooper, First Vice-President;
Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman, Second Vice-President; Mrs. James Neall, Third Vice-President;
Minna V. Gaden, Corresponding Secretary; Mary Lambert, Recording Secretary; Ella M. Sexton, Assistant Recording Secretary;
Florence Percy Matheson, Treasurer;
Adeline Knapp
Adeline E. "Delle" Knapp (March 14, 1860 – June 6, 1909) was an American journalist, author, social activist, environmentalist and educator, who is today remembered largely for her relationship with Charlotte Perkins Gilman, which was likely ...
, Chairman of Program Committee additional; members,
Agnes Manning and
Lillian Plunkett.
Notable people
Active members in the first year included
Caroline Severance
Caroline Maria Seymour Severance (1820–1914) was an American abolitionist
Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world.
The first country to fu ...
, the first president of the first woman's club in Boston;
Eliza D. Keith of the ''San Francisco News Letter'';
Carrie Stevens Walter, associate owner and editor of the ''San Josean'';
Rosa Smith Eigenmann
Rosa Smith Eigenmann (October 7, 1858 – January 12, 1947) was an American ichthyologist (the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish), as well as a writer, editor, former curator at the California Academy of Sciences, and the first libra ...
, then of the San Francisco Academy of Sciences;
Mary G. Charlton Edholm of the ''Oakland Tribune'' and
WCTU
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program that "linked the religious and the secular through concerted and far ...
;
Mary Bourne Watson of the ''Morning Call'' of
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
;
Virginia Hilliard of the San Francisco ''Argus'';
Mattie P. Owen, editor of the ''Golden Way''; Mary Lambert of the ''Oakland Enquirer'';
Mary C. Bowman, associate editor and owner of the ''
Santa Paula Chronicle'';
Emeline North, trade and shipping correspondent to
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
, Russia and
Kyiv
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
, Ukraine papers; Mary Lynde Hoffman, author of several treatises on road and street construction;
Anna C. Murphy,
Evelyn Ludlum,
Mary Viola Lawrence (Riding Hood),
Sarah Sanford,
Carrie Blake Morgan,
Julia P. Churchill, and Jane Martin.
There was also Isabel Raymond of the ''Santa Cruz Surf''. Of literary distinction was
Josephine White Bates (d. 1934). Among the members of the Association engaged in editorial work were
Genevieve Lucile Browne of the ''Californian'',
Louise E. Francis, editor of the ''Castroville Enterprise'',
Maggie Downing Brainard of the ''Pacific Tree and Vine'',
San Jose, California
San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
and Mrs. L. C. P. Haskins of Washington. Among those members who were regular contributors to Eastern and local journals, writing upon California subjects, were a number of Pacific Coast writers by adoption.
Helen Gregory-Flesher, a regular contributor to the American Press Association, to the local press, to New York magazines and an occasional contributor to the ''Arena'', was a Canadian by birth and education.
Mary F. McRoberts, an Englishwoman, well known in political and educational circles in England, and a contributor to its press from California, was another newcomer to the Pacific Coast, though a resident of California in earlier times.
Emma Russell Endres, another English woman, and correspondent to the ''London Times'', was a Californian by her adoption of the State as her home, and a busy contributor to the English and American press. Other members whose largest contribution to the press was for Eastern publications were
Carrie Wake Morgan,
Alice Cary Waterman,
Clara Spalding Brown, and
Dorothea Lummis.
Madge Morris Wagner, born on the
Great Plains
The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...
when her parents were enroute to California, was a poet and journalist associated with ''
The Golden Era
''The Golden Era'' was a 19th-century San Francisco newspaper. The publication featured the writing of Mark Twain, Bret Harte, Charles Warren Stoddard (writing at first as "Pip Pepperpod"), Fitz Hugh Ludlow, Adah Isaacs Menken, Ada Clare, Prent ...
''.
Among those of national prominence were
Jessie Benton Fremont
Jessie may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jessie (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Jessie (surname), a list of people
Arts and entertainment
* ''Jessie'' (2011 TV series), a 2011–15 Disney Channel ...
, an author who was instrumental in bringing California into the Union as a free State.
Grace Hibbard, a California poet, was the author of ''California Violets''.
Rose Hartwick Thorpe
Rose Hartwick Thorpe (July 18, 1850 – July 19, 1939) was an American poet and writer, remembered largely for the narrative poem, '' Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight'' (1867), which gained national popularity. It was translated into nearly every lan ...
, author of ''
Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight'', had a note from
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
telling her that she had committed that poem to memory.
Anna M. Morrison Reed, editor of the ''Northern Crown'', was a constant contributor to literature, both prose and poetry. There was also the author,
Lillian Hinman Shuey, and the poet,
Mary Cameron Benjamin.
Kate Douglas Wiggin
Kate Douglas Wiggin (September 28, 1856August 24, 1923) was an American educator, author and composer. She wrote children's stories, most notably the classic children's novel ''Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,'' and composed collections of children's ...
was well known as a kindergarten worker and author.
Virna Woods gained her first literary reputation in the field of descriptive verse. Jeanne C. Smith Carr (initial First Vice-President of the PCWPA Executive Board), was a constant writer for the general press, well-known in Southern California.
Mary Catherine McIntire Pacheco, a Kentucky playwright, was one of California's first published women authors.
There were a few novelists such as
Alice Kingsbury Cooley,
Gertrude Athertonn, and
Mrs. I. Lowenberg, who was also a past President of the PCWPA.
[ ] There were the writers,
Frances Fuller Victor
Frances Auretta Victor ( Fuller; formerly Barritt; pen names: Florence Fane, Dorothy D.) (May 23, 1826 – November 14, 1902) was an American historian and historical novelist. She has been described as "the first Oregon historian to gain regio ...
and
Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman (past PCWPA Executive Board member), as well as the social reformer,
Mrs. M. G. C. Edholmes, and the botanist,
Sara Plummer Lemmon
Sara Allen Plummer Lemmon (1836–1923) was an American botanist. Mount Lemmon in Arizona is named for her, as she was the first Euro-American woman to ascend it. She was responsible for the designation of the golden poppy (''Eschscholzia califor ...
.
Helena Modjeska
Helena Modrzejewska (; born Jadwiga Helena Mizel; October 12, 1840 – April 8, 1909), known professionally in the United States as Helena Modjeska, was a Polish-American actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles.
She was success ...
, whose summer home was near
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana (Spanish language, Spanish for ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, California, United States. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census. As ...
, was made an honorary member.
Emily Brown Powell (past PCWPA president), contributed to the ''Tribune'', ''
The San Francisco Call
''The San Francisco Call'' was a newspaper that served San Francisco, California. Because of a succession of mergers with other newspapers, the paper variously came to be called ''The San Francisco Call & Post'', the ''San Francisco Call-Bulleti ...
'', and many other periodicals.
Alice Moore McComas of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
and her daughter Alice's contributions appeared in several of the best journals.
Lizzie A. Vore wrote continually for the general press and was a well known contributor to the prominent magazines of the day.
Mary E. Hart (1856-1921), owner and editor of the ''Pacific Monthly'', became a resident of
Alaska
Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
, and had charge of the Alaska exhibit at the St. Louis Fair; she was a frequent contributor to the press.
Anna Catherine Murphy Markham wrote short stories for the ''
Overland Monthly
The ''Overland Monthly'' was a monthly literary magazine, literary and cultural magazine, based in California, United States. It was founded in 1868 and published between the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th centu ...
'', ''Yankee Blade'', and other magazines.
Ada Henry Van Pelt and
Clare O. Southard each served as editors of the ''
Pacific Ensign
''The Pacific Ensign'' (previously, ''Bulletin'' and ''Pharos'') was the official organ of the California Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Previously known as the ''Bulletin'' (1885-88) and ''Pharos'' (1888-91), it was published by the Ensign ...
''.
Josephine Clifford McCracken, author of ''Overland Tales'', was one of the early editors of the ''Overland Monthly''. Florence Percy Matheson (past PCWPA treasurer), for many years one of the editors of ''The San Francisco Call'', was a constant contributor to the California press.
Miriam Kerns Weekes was a painter and illustrator of note. Dr. A. M. Beecher was a writer and lecturer, and a member of the famous Beecher family.
Rose O'Halloran was a scientific writer of the Pacific coast. She was one of the most distinguished women in astronomy and science, and was an authority on sun spots.
Other women who were doing important literary work included: Mrs. S. L. Darling, Emily S. Loud, Mary
V. T. Lawrence, Florence Hardeman Miller, Laura Young Pinney, Mrs. Ella M. Sexton, Mrs. Emma Seckle Marshall, Mrs. Virginia S. Hilliard, Rose L. Bushnell Donnelly, Amelia Truesdell, Willina Knight Stringer, Dr.
Minora Kibbe, Ruth Comfort Mitchell, Lydia H. Morrow, Mrs. James Neall, Elizabeth Murray Newman, Laura Lyon White, S. M. Farnham, Mary Fairbrother, Julia P. Foster, Sophie Gardiner, Augusta Friedrich Von Eichen, E. Or. Lightner, De Neal Morgan, artist and illustrator, Mary Tracy Mott, Emeline M. North Whitcomb, Laura Bride Powers, of the ''San Francisco Call''; Kate Elliott, Mrs. N. H. Martin, and Miss Martin McKim.
Mrs. P. T. Dickinson (
Hester A. Benedict) was a poet and past President PCWPA.
[ ]
Abbie E. Krebs (past President PCWPA) had been a newspaper writer, and for some years edited the column of the ''San Francisco Chronicle''.
Sara E. Reamer was the first librarian and historian of the Association. Her early life in California was spent among the mines, during which she was a frequent contributor to the press on subjects of general interest.
''The Impress''
"The Impress," originally ''The Bulletin'', was a monthly paper and the organ of the PCWPA, was founded October 6, 1893 and published weekly.
Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was the editor,
Helen Stuart Campbell
Helen Stuart Campbell (pen names, Helen Weeks, Helen Campbell, Helen Wheaton; July 5, 1839 – July 22, 1918) was an American author, economist, and editor, as well as a social and industrial reformer. She was a pioneer in the field of home econom ...
was the associate. Paul Tyner was the publisher. It was designed to present, from week to week, in crisp, critical paragraphs, the world's news from the Pacific coast standpoint. Questions of the day were discussed occasionally. Reviews of current literature, dramatic, artistic and musical criticism, and articles on art and education, with poetry, fiction, and humor, were among the features of the journal. While not exclusively a woman's paper, ''The Impress'' fully recognized the importance of the great movement of the century, and gave it space and attention. The PCWPA retained a page. The Women's Congress Association was also represented, as well as the Parliament of Women of Southern California, and other similar organizations. ''The Impress'' was valued as a home paper. "The Art of Living" was an important department of the journal conducted by Campbell.
Gallery
Adeline E. Knapp (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Adeline Knapp
Adeline E. "Delle" Knapp (March 14, 1860 – June 6, 1909) was an American journalist, author, social activist, environmentalist and educator, who is today remembered largely for her relationship with Charlotte Perkins Gilman, which was likely ...
Florence Percy Matheson (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Florence Percy Matheson
Helen Gregory Flesher (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Helen Gregory Flesher
Jeanne Carr (Sierra Club).png, Jeanne C. Smith Carr
Lillian Plunkett (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Lillian Plunkett
Lindon W. Bates (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Lindon W. Bates
Louise E. Francis (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Louise E. Francis
Mary Lambert (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Mary Lambert
Mary O. Stanton (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Mary Olmstead Stanton
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religion
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
Minna V. Gaden (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Minna V. Gaden
Mrs. A. H. Van Pelt (1903).png, Ada Henry Van Pelt
Susan Taylor D'Evelyn (The Californian Illustrated Magazine, 1893).png, Susan Taylor D'Evelyn
GENIE CLARK POMEROY A woman of the century (page 589 crop).jpg, Genie Clark Pomeroy
Eugenia Orr Clark Pomeroy (April 27, 1867 – September 21, 1904), later Emerson, was an American writer and journalist.
Early life
Eugenia "Genie" Clark was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on April 27, 1867. Her father, Rush B. Clark (1834–1879 had ...
References
Attribution
*
*
*
*
Bibliography
*
*
External links
Pacific Coast Women's Press Associationat
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
{{Authority control
Organizations established in 1890
Organizations disestablished in 1941
Women's organizations based in the United States
News agencies based in the United States
History of San Francisco
Journalism-related professional associations
Organizations for women writers
History of women in California