CAMBRIDGE, MD - The Cambridge Woman's Club has opened a new exhibit highlighting the contributions of women to local and national history.
The Women's Hall of History grew out of the clubs' archives. Members uncovered a wealth of documentation of local women's achievements. They decided to create a public exhibit to share those pieces of the past with the community.
Marianne Maye, vice president of the Cambridge Women's Club, said the organization's own history reflects generations of women working to make a difference.
"How amazing it is that a group of women in 1900 decided to get together to form a literary study group and it has existed in various forms until today,” she said.
The exhibit also showcases organizations founded or shaped by women, including the local library, art center and garden club.
"By teaching through fashion and women, to bring to the community something the community may not have known existed right around the block from Race Street,” Maye said.
The exhibit extends beyond local history to explore the broader role women have played throughout American history, including during times of war.
"They served in the factories, building airplanes, they themselves volunteered in the American Red Cross,” Woman’s Club President Ruth Clendaniel said. “They volunteered in the different military groups. So very proud of them."
Many of the artifacts featured in the exhibit were collected through community outreach and donated by people in Dorchester County to bring the stories of local women to life.
The current Women's Hall of History exhibit is a temporary installation and will remain open through September 2026. Members of the Cambridge Woman's Club say they hope to establish a permanent exhibit in the future.
