preserving the history, preparing for the future

The year was 1893. Queen Victoria was still on the throne of England and Grover Cleveland occupied the White House. It was in this year that a small group of spirited women met and formed the Wenham Village Improvement Society. Its original purpose was to contribute to the welfare of the town’s people making it a better place to live and beautify the Town of Wenham. Their first ‘improvement’ was to spend $8 for six chestnut, two maple, and two evergreen trees to beautify the town. In 1913 the object was expanded to provide a suitable building and grounds for social meetings for the education, improvement and entertainment of the people of the town and vicinity. 

                 Money was first earned through summer garden parties, flower shows, and fairs. In 1912, it was decided to give up these methods of securing funds and to start a Women’s Exchange and Tea House with the twofold purpose of financing the society’s projects and providing on outlet for the product of the home worker. In July of that year, the Wenham Tea House opened for business and has been in operation ever since.

                  Thus began the story of a unique organization, one that has quietly influenced the life of a small town on Massachusetts’s North Shore. The Wenham Village Improvement Society (WVIS), though it has grown and changed and kept up with the changing role of women in our society, has remained true to its history, traditions and mission to ‘contribute to the welfare of the town’s people.’ WVIS has continued through more than one hundred thirty years of private effort.

Contributions to our Wenham community 

WVIS has provided and served lunch for the annual town meeting for almost 100 years. On an annual basis, since 1935, the WVIS Tea House Summer Program had 200 children attendees and employed fifty Wenham teenagers as counselors for the summer.  In 2023, WVIS partnered with the Wenham Museum to form an all-new summer camp, Camp Whirlygig. WVIS annually awards scholarships to college-bound students, and contributes to the Hamilton Wenham Holiday Assistance Fund, Concerts at Patton Park, and various school projects and needs.

  • Since 1950, over $700,000 in scholarships awarded to Wenham students.

  • 1999, $30,000 playground renovation.

  • 2008, donated two pear trees to flank the front doors of the renovated Town Hall.

  • 2009, $5,000 was provided to the Historic Commission for the restoration of the

    Civil War Monument fence.

  • 2010, $45,000 to rebuild the Tea House summer program building.

  • 2010, Continuous support for the Wenham Museum, including a recent gift

    of $5,000 toward educational programs.

  • 2011, $10,000 to resurface the three Monument St. Tennis Courts.

  • 2019, $250 to sponsor Concerts in the Park via The Community House of

    Hamilton & Wenham.

  • 2019, $10, 000 to the Wenham Museum to help paint the historic Richards house.

  • 2022-23, $30,000 in scholarships awarded to Wenham students.

  • 2023, $25,000 to the Wenham Museum for the Whirlygig Camp Program.

  • continued sponsorship of Concerts in the Park via The Community House of

    Hamilton & Wenham.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors is responsible for carrying out WVIS' mission to improve the quality of life in the town of Wenham as well as overseeing the preservation of the historic Wenham Tea House property and park.   The directors also manage important community initiatives including lunch at the Annual Town Meeting when possible, and contributions to numerous local causes and scholarships.

Our 2024 Board Members are:

Kristin Sleeper, President

Alison Hawkins, Vice President

Aime Card, Secretary & Nominating

Marueen Maier, Treasurer

Joanne Frascella, Assistant Treasurer & Finance

Kirsten Alexander, Membership & Development

Peggy McNamara, Historian

Max King, Marketing & Outreach  

Dianne Bucco,  Scholarships

Bethany Minich, Member-at-Large

Donations : All donations are greatly appreciated and support the work of WVIS. Feel free to donate online through this website’s Payment & Donations tab or send a check to WVIS, PO Box 554, Wenham, MA 01984.       

Get Involved

WVIS is seeking interested and enthusiastic Wenham women residents

for various open board positions and standing committees.   

We are always looking for local ladies to help out on the Board of Directors and/or volunteer to get more involved in planning events.

Please contact us with any inquiries:       wenhamvis@gmail.com 

Bylaws

Here are the 2023 Bylaws voted in at our last Annual Meeting, a version where you can see the tracked changes, and the 1994 Bylaws. 

Many thanks to all who worked on our bylaws committee and to our counsel for ensuring they meet current MA law.