Ebell Club of Santa Paula holding 100-year celebration
Santa Paula News
Published: January 09, 2013
The Ebell Club of Santa Paula will be holding its 100-year celebration, “Hats Off (or On) to Ebell Club” on Saturday, March 9 at the First United Methodist Church, 133 N. Mill Street.
Socializing will begin at 12 noon, with catered lunch (tickets required) and fashion show following at 12:30 p.m.
The fashion show will be featuring dresses from Drapers & Damon and vintage fashions courtesy of Carol Beckerdite. On the Hostess Committee for the event are Cathy Sorenson, Jody Ponce, Beth Pallares and Charlotte Wear.
History of the Santa Paula Ebell Club
Dr. Adrian Ebell, eminent German scholar, became convinced that women’s great need was the study of science and philosophy. He conceived the idea of establishing “chapters” in all large cities of the world. The first of these to be formed on the Pacific Coast was the Oakland chapter in 1876. Dr. Ebell died shortly after at age 29.
The Oakland chapter decided to reorganize the society on broader lines. The following year the chapter was named for its founder and the system of study in departments was inaugurated. The aim of these was advancement in areas of general culture.
The Los Angeles Ebell Club was established in 1894, being the second in California and modeled upon the same lines as the original club.
The Ebell Club of Santa Paula, the ninth in the state, was organized November 10, 1913. In 1917 Alice Stowell McKevett donated land for Ebell Park and erected the first half of the building in memory of her husband, Charles M. McKevett. The dining room and kitchen were added in 1928 by Mrs. Harriet McKevett Teague and the McKevett Corporation.
Ebell Club members took care of both the clubhouse and grounds and had many fundraisers to keep the building in peak condition. The McKevett Corporation, owners of the building, paid the property taxes, fire insurance and major improvements.
In 1987 the McKevett Corporation deeded the building to the Santa Paula Community Fund, who in turn deeded it to the Santa Paula Theater Center. The Theater Center understood the Ebell Club would continue to use the building as they had in the past for board meetings, regular meetings and programs. However, the arrangement turned out unsatisfactorily, so negotiations were made with the First United Methodist Church to rent Wesley Hall and move there for our functions.
This arrangement has been quite satisfactory. Even though long time members miss the clubhouse, they realize it is the members who make the Club, not the building.
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