"Why stay we on earth, unless to grow?" ––Robert Browning
Nineteenth Century Club Motto

Membership Application Form (PDF)

The Nineteenth Century Club was established in the last decade of the 19th Century as an organization dedicated to fellowship, self-improvement, intellectual stimulation and philanthropy. One major aspect of our philanthropy is the Scholarship Trust that directs the annual distribution of four or more four-year scholarships to local graduating high school seniors. In addition, the Benevolence Trust makes yearly donations to twenty or more local social service organizations. One group of members, the Sewing Group of the Social Welfare Committee, meets weekly to produce hundreds of garments for infants and small children for donation to local agencies. Is bridge one of your interests? Bridge lovers play Scholarship Bridge to raise funds for the Scholarship Trust. Membership dues and donations plus fund raising projects throughout the year supply the funds for these projects.

Membership dues also support the weekly Monday programs following lunch. These span a broad range of subjects ranging from music to literature, art, history and social science. Guest lecturers, panels of experts, artists, musicians and musical groups entertain and inform us.

Come for a Visit

We welcome members who have an interest in life-long learning and service to the community. Anyone desiring to become a member of The Nineteenth Century Club is cordially invited to attend one or more Club programs on Mondays from October through April. You are also welcome to join us for lunch at 12 Noon by making a reservation. Call the Club office at (708) 386-2729 and indicate that you are a prospective member.

Programs, followed by Tea, are free for members; non-members pay a small fee for the program and Tea, which is payable the day of the event. Some programs, such as concerts, cost slightly more. Visit the Club Programs page for lunch prices. Lunch reservations must be made by the Thursday before the Monday you plan to attend. It is not necessary to make reservations for the programs alone.

If you are interested in joining us, after attending one or more programs, you are invited to make a membership application. You may stop at the Club office to pick up an application, call to have one mailed to you, or download one here by clicking on the Application Form link below to open up the file; you can then save to your computer or print it out.

To see photographs of our Club, members, and selected events, please visit our gallery.