Dear friends, visitors, researchers, and supporters:

We want to alert you to a change in the status of the Center for Women’s History & Leadership (CWHL), which has managed the Frances Willard House Museum and WCTU Archives since the 1990s.

As of March 4, 2024, the CWHL no longer stewards the Frances Willard House Museum and WCTU Archives, as our management contract with the National Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (NWCTU) has ended.

Our staff has relocated to the nearby Evanston History Center (EHC). We will no longer be offering tours, programs, and research services at the Willard House and Archives, but our web site at CWHLevanston.org continues to provides access to our digital exhibits, blog posts, and past newsletters. Note our new URL and our new contact email: [email protected]

Reevaluating our mission will be a work in progress for the near future. The EHC’s resources relating to women’s history are a good fit for us, enabling us to address Evanston history in the context of Willard’s life and as the site of the WCTU headquarters since 1900. As Frances Willard said,

“Evanston is remarkable in nothing if not for the ability, individuality, and enterprise of its women.”

We will be sure to keep our wide circle of friends and supporters updated as new developments occur. We are grateful for your interest and support and look forward to continuing our relationship in the future.

CWHL Board of Directors (contact: Susan Comstock, President, [email protected])

CWHL Staff (contact: Janet Olson, Archivist, [email protected])

New address: c/o Evanston History Center, 225 Greenwood Street, Evanston, Illinois 60201 Phone: (872) 302-9761

For information on tours of the Frances Willard House Museum or to make arrangements for research in WCTU Archives at the Willard Memorial Library, please call Nancy Schultz at (847) 864-1396 or email [email protected] 

A note to previous donors: We have greatly appreciated your past generous financial support, which has made it possible for us to create digital content, produce programs, proceed with restoration work at the House, maintain the holdings and research services of the Archives, and fund internships, docents, and staff. Please be aware that financial donations will be gratefully accepted to support the work of the CWHL, but will not go to the support of the Frances Willard House Museum or the WCTU Archives.