Niagara Falls’ Tatler Club is among Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 15 recommendations for the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
During Women’s History Month, Hochul is recommending several sites tied to the stories of women in New York state
The Tatler Club was formed in 1925 in the Falls as a philanthropic, social reform, educational, and women’s rights organization. The club was part of the national Women’s Club Movement, which started in the late 1860s and continued through the 1920s, providing a platform for women to express opinions, exchange ideas, take progressive community action and hold leadership roles unconstrained by male influence or interference.
Founded with the mission of educational enrichment and the discussion of social problems relevant to members, prominent national and international speakers were regularly invited to present programs at the club, covering important topics such as capital punishment, women’s rights locally and abroad, socialism, and women in the workplace.
In 1956, the Tatler Club purchased the former residence of Alice and Peter A. Porter, at 6 Fourth St., which had been constructed in 1876, and remodeled the building to meet the needs of the organization while also preserving its historic fabric. The Tatler Club continues to operate out of the Porter Mansion today.
The state and national registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects and sites significant in the history, architecture, archaeology and culture of New York state and the nation. There are more than 118,000 historic properties throughout the state listed on the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as components of historic districts.
Once recommendations are approved by the commissioner, who serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, the properties are listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where they are reviewed by the National Park Service and, once approved, entered on the National Register.
“New York is defined by its diverse culture and history, and we are continuing efforts to preserve and protect our state’s inspiring stories,” Hochul said in announcing the list. “During Women’s History Month, several of the sites we’re recommending for our historic registers highlight the contributions women have made to New York state — from the Three Arts Club in New York City to the former house of children’s book illustrator Eloise Wilkin. With the addition of all 15 of these sites, we are encouraging the public to learn more about our past.”
Hochul’s recommendations to the New York State Board for Historic Preservation include churches in North Harpersfield, industrial buildings in Troy, and the home of a children’s book illustrator in Canandaigua.
For the complete list of sites, visit our website.