The TFWC had its origins with local women's clubs throughout the state of Texas. Many of these clubs were organized for "self-culture and intellectual development." Over time the idea that local clubs would benefit by sharing and communicating with other clubs in the state grew among various club members. In 1894, a Woman's Congress was held at the
Texas State Fair in
Dallas. The ideas and networking opportunities for many different women's club members from across Texas helped shape the TFWC. As early as 1895, the Wednesday Club of Fort Worth put forth idea to create a federation of women's clubs. However, it was Mrs. Edward Rotan (
Kate Sturm McCall Rotan) in
Waco who finally reached out by letter to invite various clubs to send representatives in order to create the TFWC. The TFWC first organized under the name of the Texas Federation of Literary Clubs in 1897. Rotan was voted the first president of the TFWC. The twenty-one original charter clubs of TFWC were the American History Club and the Pathfinder's Club of
Austin, the Magazine Club of
Cleburne, XIX Century Club of
Corsicana, several clubs from
Dallas, including the Current Events Club, the Pierian Club, the Shakespeare Club and the Standard Club, the Ariel Literary Society of
Denton, The Women's Wednesday Club and the '93 Club of
Fort Worth, The Wednesday Club of
Galveston, the Women's Club and the Ladies' Reading Club of
Houston, the Owl Club of
McKinney, the Shakespeare Club of
Sherman, the Quid Nunc Club of
Tyler, the Social Science Club of
Terrell, the Literary and the Woman's Club of
Waco and the XXI Club of
Denison. The TFWC limited club membership to groups who were recommended by two other clubs already in the TFWC and most members were
white and
middle or
upper class. Later, TFWC would be involved in establishing the creation of the
Texas State Library and Archives Commission. TFWC, along with the
Texas Library Association and George Garrison of the
University of Texas, helped pass the 1909 bill to create the Texas State Library. TFWC was also heavily invested in creating "traveling libraries," throughout Texas. TFWC maintained responsibility for these libraries until 1916 when the Texas State Library took over. TFWC has also been involved in historic preservation. In 1904, they helped to raise money to purchase the
Alamo Mission and the grounds surrounding it. In 1916, there were 450 clubs with a membership of 16,000. TFWC worked to influence women to run for local
school boards. In 1923, the group began to publish the
Texas Federation News. In 1932, the first cornerstone was set for the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs Headquarters in Austin. Club membership decreased over time, with a membership of 13,000 women and 500 clubs in 1985 and in 1992, 384 clubs. == Notable members ==