Minnesota Alumnae Society

The Alumnae Club was established on March 19, 1914 "to promote the welfare of the women students at the University, to cooperate with the General Alumni Association and to promote friendship between students and alumnae." One of the organizers was Alice Rockwell Warren ('04) who, in 1922, became the first woman to be appointed to the Board of Regents. Membership was open to any former woman student who had attended the University.

The first project undertaken by the club in 1915 was to furnish and maintain a cooperative house for women students. Horace Newton Winchell, a professor of geology, had originally owned the house assigned to the club by the Board of Regents. It was located on State Street which ran approximately where Northrop Mall is now situated and was in front of where Walter Library now stands. The club named the house the Charlotte Winchell Cottage, in honor of Horace Winchell's wife. The club remained responsible for the house until 1918 when, according to the minutes of the April 26, 1919 meeting, the University decided to take over management of the cottage to make way for the building of the new library. The house was sold and moved to an unknown location. Other cooperative cottages were later donated by the Board of Regents, eventually totaling 13 cottages and were known as the Charlotte Winchell Village. The Alumnae Club maintained an interest in these cottages and gave financial support on occasion.

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