Yuma Mesa Homemakers Collection

TITLE: Yuma Mesa Homemakers Collection

DATE RANGE: 1948 – 2005

CALL NUMBER: Y-MS 36

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 5.5 linear ft (9 boxes)

PROVENANCE: Donated from multiple sources; some materials were donated by Verda McCain in 2007.  

COPYRIGHT: Copyright is unknown.

RESTRICTIONS: This collection is unrestricted.   

CREDIT LINE: Yuma Mesa Homemakers Collection, Y-MS 36, Yuma County Library District

 PROCESSED BY: Benjamin Findley, April 2014

HISTORICAL NOTE: During World War II the Bureau of Land Management began preparing land for farming in the Yuma Mesa area as a dust abatement measure and preparation for future settlement. In 1948 the first half of this prepared land was sectioned and raffled to military veterans for homesteading. Soon afterward the wives of the new homesteaders formed a social group called the Yuma Mesa Homesteaders. The group was intended to provide entertainment and a means of communication for the inhabitants of the Yuma Mesa. 

In 1952 The Bureau of Land Management opened the second half of the prepared land for homesteading and the group expanded with the new influx of people. Due to the expansion of the club it was decided to change the name of the group to the Yuma Mesa

Homemaker’s Club. Over the years, the club became active in fundraising, raising money for charities and local groups as well as setting up scholarships for local high school students. In 1966 the club became involved in the Yuma County Fair, sponsoring a contestant for the Miss Yuma County Pageant and running a pie booth at the fair. This quickly became a successful annual tradition for the club with the proceeds of the booth supporting the pageant contestant and various charities.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: This collection is consists of various documents and scrapbooks documenting the activities of Yuma Mesa Homemakers Club. In addition to administrative papers dealing with the running of club there are also stories gathered by the club about the early lives of the homesteaders on the Yuma Mesa. The collection also includes 5 boxes of scrapbooks created by members of the club to record yearly events and activities.

The collection is organized in to 4 series:

Series I – Club Documents: This series contains an assortment of materials related to the club including administrative and financial papers, membership and activity information and copies of the club’s monthly newsletter. This series also contains an apron and 2 pins related to the Yuma County Fair Pie Booth run by the club.

Series II – Photographs: This series contains photographs taken during several trips organized by the club.

Series III – Yearbooks: This series contains yearbooks created by the club. There is also a folder which contains rough drafts, planning notes and other materials used in creating the books.

Series IV – Scrapbooks: This series contains a large number of scrapbooks compiled to record club events and activities. Many of the scrapbooks have photographs taken at these events as well as many newspaper articles. The books also contain notices of births, marriages, and deaths of club members and their relatives.

CONTAINER LIST: