The Fargo Fortnightly Club was founded in 1895 as the Fortnightly Literary Club. It became the Fortnightly Club the following year. The first president was Mrs. E. Folsom. The Fortniqhtly Club has taken part in civic and educational affairs in the community as well as carrying out it's own study programs, ususally concerning foreign nations. The Fargo Fortnightly Club become a member of the North Dakota Federation of Women's Clubs in 1896 and Mrs. C. E. Tuller, a vice president of the Fortnightly Club was elected as the first president of the North Dakota Federation of Women's Clubs. The Club maintains a program of student assistance involving loans and scholarships for young women in colleges, business schools and schools of nursing. The Knowlton Fund, Shoeniger Fund and General Federation of Womens Clubs - Shell Oil Company Foundation are the primary programs which perform this function. Several members have achieved notable status. In 1909 Mattie Davis was elected president of the North Dakota Education Association. Mrs. R. M. Pollock was a pioneer in the woman's suffrage, movement and Mrs. 0. A. Stevens was voted North Dakota Mother of the Year in 1967.

The Fargo Fortnightly Club collection consists of correspondence, meeting minutes, treasurers and historians records,constitutions and by-laws, annual program booklets, writings, publications, newspaper clippings and various subject files. The meeting minutes are contained in eight scrapbooks, the years ranging from 1901 to 1980. The treasurers records are contained in one book 1906 - 1952/53 inclusive. The historians records range from 1939 to 1979 but evidence suggests that misplaced records dating earlier have been written. The series of annual program booklets dating from 1895 to 1982 is complete. All newspaper clippings throughout this collection are arranged in chronological order. The writings are arranged in alphabetical order by their source. The subject files contain a wide variety of information. Awards and Citations presented to the Club are kept in alphabetical order from the the source with a separate file for Mrs. 0. A. Stevens, 1967 Mother of the Year. Also included in the subject files are information on the Sakakwea Statue as well as the scholarship and loan funds.
 

Women's Organizations