National Society of the Colonial Dames of America facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Colonial Dames of America

Dumbarton House is the Society's Headquarters in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Abbreviation	NSCDA
Founded	April 8, 1891
Type	Non-profit, lineage society
Focus	Historic preservation, education, patriotism
Headquarters	Dumbarton House
Membership	15,000
Executive Director	none, Edith Laurencin (Acting Director)
Publication	Dames in Uniform

The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA) is a special group for women in the United States. To join, a woman must have an ancestor who lived in an American Colony before 1776. This ancestor also needed to have helped the colonies during that time. The NSCDA has 44 smaller groups across the country. Their main office is in a historic building called Dumbarton House in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.. Edith Laurencin is currently the acting director of the society.

History of the NSCDA

The NSCDA was started in 1891. It was founded shortly after a similar group, the Colonial Dames of America (CDA). The CDA was set up to have one main group in New York City that controlled everything.

However, the NSCDA was designed differently. It was created as a group of state societies. This meant each state's group had some freedom to make its own decisions. Another well-known group, the Daughters of the American Revolution, also formed around this time.

The NSCDA began its work in historic preservation in 1897. Their New York Society helped save the Van Cortlandt House. Since then, the NSCDA has worked to protect and share the stories of many historic places.

What the NSCDA Does

The NSCDA includes 44 groups across different states. Their main office is at Dumbarton House in Washington, D.C. Besides working with museums, the society also helps students with scholarships. They also support other projects that focus on saving history, showing patriotism, and educating people.

The NSCDA owns or helps manage many historic house museums. These are old homes that have been preserved so people can visit them and learn about the past. Some of these important places include:

• Andrew Low House, Savannah, Georgia
• Burgwin-Wright House, Wilmington, North Carolina
• Henry B. Clarke House, Chicago, Illinois
• Dumbarton House, Washington, DC (the society's main office)
• Governor Stephen Hopkins House, Providence, Rhode Island
• Gunston Hall, Mason Neck, Virginia
• Haywood Hall, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Old Indian Agency House, Portage, Wisconsin
• Hoover-Minthorn House, Newberg, Oregon
• Liberty Hall, Frankfort, Kentucky
• McElroy Octagon House, San Francisco, California
• Plum Grove Historic House, Iowa City, Iowa
• Stenton, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Ximenez-Fatio House, St. Augustine, Florida
• Mount Clare, Baltimore, Maryland
• McAllister House Museum, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, Wethersfield, Connecticut
• Hotel de Paris Museum, Georgetown, Colorado
• Joel Lane Museum House, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Old First Presbyterian Church of Wilmington, Wilmington, Delaware
• Tate House, Portland, Maine
• Moffat-Ladd House, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
• Whitehall Museum House, Middletown, Rhode Island
• William Hickling Prescott House, Boston, Massachusetts
• Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia
• Peachfield, Westampton, New Jersey

Well-Known Members

Many notable women have been members of the NSCDA. These women have made important contributions in various fields, such as writing, art, history, and public service. Here are a few examples:

• Helen Gilman Noyes Brown (1867–1942), a generous supporter of good causes.
• Carol Cadou, a museum expert who used to be the executive director of the society.
• Sarah Johnson Cocke (1865–1944), a writer and community leader.
• Alice Creelman (1858–1952), an artist and art dealer.
• Mary Mayo Crenshaw (1875–1951), an author.
• Ella Loraine Dorsey (1853–1935), an author, journalist, and translator.
• Anne Lyon Haight (1891–1977), an author and collector.
• Mary Hilliard Hinton (1869–1961), a painter and historian.
• Jane Tunstall Lingo (1924–2007), a journalist.
• Anne Hazen McFarland (1868–1930), a doctor and editor of medical journals.
• Florence MacKubin (1857–1918), a portrait painter.
• Mary Martha Presley Merritt (died 1994), a politician.
• Mary Lane Morrison (1907–1994), a writer, historian, and preservationist.
• Theodora Agnes Peck (1882–1964), an author and poet.
• Isabel Weld Perkins (1876–1948), an author and social figure.
• Delia Lyman Porter (1858–1933), an author and social reformer.
• Sara Agnes Rice Pryor (1830–1912), a writer and community activist.
• Sarah Corbin Robert (1886–1972), an expert on meeting rules.
• Eron Rowland (1861/2–1951), a historian and author.
• Marion Margery Scranton (1884–1960), an activist for women's right to vote.
• Sarah Logan Wister Starr (1873–1956), a humanitarian.
• Lilian Carpenter Streeter (1854–1935), a social reformer and author.
• Presley Merritt Wagoner, the 40th President General of the DAR.
• Eva Ingersoll Wakefield (1892–1970), a writer and poet.
• Margaret Anderson Watts (1832–1905), a social reformer.
• May Rogers Webster (1873–1938), a naturalist.
• Anne Hollingsworth Wharton (1845–1928), a writer and historian.
• Helen M. Winslow (1851–1938), an editor, author, and journalist.
• Anna Wolcott (1868–1928), an educator.
• Frances Fisher Wood (1852–1938), an educator and scientist.

Related Groups

Here are some other groups that are similar to the NSCDA, often focusing on American history and ancestry:

• Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)
• Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.)
• The Mayflower Society
• Society of the Cincinnati