Anchored in Respectability:

The Evolution of the Christian Woman’s Exchange, 1924-1975

Between 1924 and 1975, the Hermann-Grima House served as a rooming house for more than one thousand women, some of whom stayed for just a few nights as a visitor to the city, and others who stayed for years.  The remarkable ladies of the Christian Woman’s Exchange actively managed the finances and operations of the house during an era when few women were active in business.  The organization, The Christian Woman’s Exchange, operated consignment shops throughout the city and provided monetary support and residences for women. By the 1970s, organization members were leaders in historic preservation and education.

The Hermann-Grima House now includes the history of the Woman’s Exchange on its daily tour through the presentation and interpretation of a boarding house room. By examining museum archives, recording oral histories of emeritae board members, interviewing ”roomers” and their families and researching business records of the organizations, a fascinating look at the independent women of this city has been explored.

This exhibit is made possible by