HISTORY: NATIONAL WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION

The WCTU was the direct outcome of the great woman's temperance crusades of 1873-1874 which had its beginnings in Fredonia, New York. It was primarily organized to preserve and strengthen the efforts of the crusades which had aroused thousands of Christian women to join in a fight against the growing intemperance of that day.

Some of the prominent crusade leaders recognized that, for the battle to be successful, there must be an organized and unified program. History records that a "Call" was sent out to all state temperance leaders announcing a meeting in the Second Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, Ohio on November 17 - 19, 1874. Out of this meeting was born the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which is the oldest non-sectarian women's organization in the world.

The first elected President of the National WCTU was Annie Wittenmyer. As first National President, she helped the organization grow to 1,000 local unions in 23 states with over 26,000 members.

National Woman's Christian Temperance Union Mission Statement

"The purpose of the NWCTU is to educate all peoples, with the help of God, to choose total abstinence from alcohol, illegal drugs, and tobacco, as a way of life."

For more information on National WCTU, go to http://www.wctu.org

HISTORY of MAINE WCTU:

After the National WCTU was organized, it spread from coast to coast. The call came for Frances Willard, then the secretary of the NWCTU, to organize state unions. In 1874, she visited Old Orchard Beach and attended its famous meetings in the grove near the sea. At that time, the Maine Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized with Mrs. Charles Allen as President and Mrs. Lillian Stevens as Treasurer. In 1878, Mrs. Stevens became President.  

The first local Union organized in Maine, in 1875, was the Stroudwater Union. Lillian M.N. Stevens became its President. The Union met in Quimby Hall, which is now Stroudwater Baptist Church. A beautiful, stain-glassed, memorial window has been placed in the Church in honor of Mrs. Stevens. By 1897 there were 298 organized local Unions in the state of Maine. Each local Union is accountable to the State WCTU, and the State Unions are subject to the National WCTU and the National Unions form the World WCTU.  The Local, State, National, and World Unions are non-profit, non-partisan, and interdenominational. They are dedicated to the education of our citizens, especially our youth, on the harmful effects of alcoholic beverages, other narcotic drugs, and tobacco.

Our Motto: "For God and Home and Every Land"

Our official Emblem: The White Ribbon Bow, which we proudly wear.

Our State Paper is "The Star in the East"