For 124 Years, This Book Club Has Connected Fort Dodge Women
For more than a century, the Ingleside Study Club has brought together women of Fort Dodge through their shared love of reading—one of humanity’s oldest forms of connection. The club’s name, Ingleside, means “fireside,” evoking the warmth of gathering around a hearth to enjoy books together.
Founded in October 1901 by eleven women, the Ingleside Study Club has remained active ever since. Today, its twenty-seven members meet twice a month to discuss literature and celebrate their long-standing friendships.
When the club began, women did not yet have the right to vote—a freedom that would come two decades later with the 19th Amendment. From the start, it was a haven for women dedicated to learning and personal growth.
“The original founders of the Ingleside Club were women who invested themselves and their families in constructing the foundations on which Fort Dodge is built — physically, culturally, spiritually,” said Joyce Garton-Natte, current president, retired dentist, and Presbyterian lay minister.
“Members today are, likewise, invested in this city and influential in keeping that foundation firm. Women like Sarah Kelly, our longest-term member with 67 years of membership, personify the commitment and enthusiasm, supportiveness and gentility on which Ingleside was and is formed.”
Legacy of Connection
The club’s enduring presence reflects the passion and resilience of generations of Fort Dodge women, united by friendship, thought, and the written word.
Author’s Summary
For 124 years, the Ingleside Study Club has united women of Fort Dodge through books, fostering education, friendship, and community across generations.