Welcome to The Dayton Woman’s Club!
Stop in and visit! Our doors are open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. If you’d like to explore the whole house, join us for a full tour on the first Wednesday of each month—just be sure to reserve your spot in advance!
The Dayton Woman’s Club is an integral part of the community and Dayton’s history. Since our founding in 1916, our purpose has remained the same: to serve as a place for education and culture, and to bring people together for activities that strengthen and empower our community. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we welcome everyone—regardless of gender—to visit our historic landmark and join us as members.
Join Us for Lunch!
Every Wednesday, 11 am to 1 pm
Open to the public – All are welcome
We are pleased to announce that we provide, whenever possible, farm-to-table produce along with our homemade and from-scratch meals and desserts!
Carry-out is also available.
Parties of 5 or more require a reservation made at least two days in advance.
Please call 937-228-1124 and leave a message for reservations or carry-out.
Our menu changes monthly – please check back often.
Private lunches for groups over 20 can be scheduled any day of the week. Pre-registration required.
The cost of each meal supports our mission of empowering women and strengthening our local community with historic preservation, cultural activities, and educational programs.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Guided Tours of The Dayton Woman’s Club
Upcoming dates: June 4th at 1:00 pm
Tours are given on the 1st Wednesday of the month.
Take a tour of our historic Victorian mansion circa 1850. Learn about the history of the building, as well as the founding women who were leaders in the community and used the Club to promote music, art, education, civil rights, and suffrage.
ONLINE TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED
$10 per person
ART SERIES
Paint & Sip: Acrylic Workshops
Adult Class: Friday, May 30, 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Child-Friendly Class: Saturday, May 31, 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Unwind with a creative Paint & Sip at The Dayton Woman’s Club. Enjoy step-by-step instruction from guest artist Nero Lee, complimentary beverages, and optional box dinners.
ONLINE TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED
DWC Members: $38, Adults: $45, Child: $35
Class attendants will paint this adorable little gnome!
June High Tea with Harpist Leah Estes
Saturday, June 5th
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Join us for our June High Tea, featuring live harp music by Leah Estes. Enjoy a three-course tea service in our historic Victorian mansion, accompanied by the soothing sounds of one of Dayton’s finest harpists. Seating is limited—reserve your spot today!
ONLINE TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED
$38 DWC Members, $45 General Public
WOMEN VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION
Honoring the Service and Legacy of America’s Women Veterans
Thursday, June 12th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
ONLINE TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED
FREE for Women Veterans, $15 for all other guests
Join us as we honor Women Veterans Day with special guest speaker Abby Auclair, a local Vietnam War veteran and Army nurse. Women veterans receive free admission and a complimentary copy of Empowered Women: Ohio Women in the Military by DWC Vice President Kim Villalva.
Beverages & light snacks will be served.
Pre-Theatre Dinner: Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony
Thursday, June 13th
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Planning to attend the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony? Begin your evening with a delicious themed dinner at the Dayton Woman’s Club. Enjoy soup, salad, entrée, dessert, and beverage in our elegant historic setting—just a short walk from the Schuster Center.
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
$45 for adults, $21.50 for children
WOMAN MATTERS SPEAKER SERIES
Navigating Change with Courage
Tuesday, June 17th
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Join us for the launch of our Woman Matters Speaker Series—an uplifting evening of heartfelt storytelling, practical life insights, and empowering conversation with the authors of Widows Among Us. Their experiences offer wisdom for any woman navigating change or supporting others through life’s transitions.
ONLINE TICKET PURCHASE REQUIRED
$15 per person
Optional boxed dinner available.
DWC HISTORY
The second mistress of 225 North Ludlow was a lady of means. Susannah Harshman Winters Darst was a daughter of Valentine Winters, co-founder of Winters’ National Bank. Susannah’s husband Napoleon Bonapart Darst was a successful merchant in Dayton.
They purchased the Steele home in 1861. According to history, Mr. Darst began renovations in 1865. With five young children, the third floor with a mansard roof was sorely needed to accommodate their active family. In addition, at least two servants, young women, lived with them. A rounded dogleg staircase that reached from the first floor to the mansard roof was a necessity.
At the top of the second-floor landing is a large room, I assume, the “Master Bedroom.” Directly on the right is a small, lovely room facing east. During the Victorian Era, a lady must have a “Morning Room.” One elegant feature that remains in the house today is six imported marble mantelpieces.
The Darst Family Moves In
By Mollie Hauser, DWC Historian
Susannah Darst
Napoleon Darst
One such piece remains in Mrs. Darst’s Morning Room. We find three mantelpieces on the third floor.
To enhance the first floor, Mr. Darst had woodwork of white walnut (butternut) installed. Marble mantelpieces today remain in the two parlors. The pièce de résistance is the entryway with wood carvings that give a message to all who enter.
There are double storm doors with carved eagles, perhaps to indicate loyalty to President Lincoln and/or the Civil War. Next is a gracefully carved acanthus leaf archway to indicate renewal and a gargoyle atop as protector and guardian. This single door in enhanced with frosted glass on which we find the house number, 225. Mrs. Darst had beautiful gardens that, alas, no longer exist.
Mr. Darst died in 1895, and Susannah lived until 1909. They are both buried at Woodland Cemetery.
Original marble mantlepiece
Original marble mantlepiece
Hand-carved staircase
Carvings adorn the entrance
TAKE A LOOK AROUND!
Kim Faris gives an inside look into DWC’s historical past and our mission for the future.
