Property Record
2425 ATWOOD AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Hudson Hotel |
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| Other Name: | East Side Women’s Progressive Club |
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| Reference Number: | 94856 |
| Location (Address): | 2425 ATWOOD AVE |
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| County: | Dane |
| City: | Madison |
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| Year Built: | 1917 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19852019 |
| Historic Use: | lodging-hotel |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
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| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | 1987- 2-story, red brick building built in 1917. Relatively unaltered on its exterior except for a small greenhouse addition built in 1981. Originally known as the Hudson Hotel. In 1925 it became the home of the East Side Businessman's Association and the East side Women's Club.In 1954 the building was purchased by the United Community Chest and converted into a Youth Activities Center. Today it is the Atwood Community Center. City of Madison, Wisconsin Underrepresented Communities Historic Resource Survey Report: The East Side Women’s Progressive Club shared the building at 2425 Atwood Avenue as a clubhouse with the East Side Businessmen’s Association from 1925 until 1954. The building was originally built in 1917 as the Hudson Hotel, with the address of 720 Atwood Avenue. A small addition was built in 1981, and a larger addition was built sometime later to house an elevator. The Hudson Hotel was advertised for sale in 1920. The building appears to have had long-term residents and even a dance studio in the interim. The East Side Businessmen’s Association was formed in 1923 and purchased the building that same year for use as their clubhouse. The east side and particularly the Atwood Avenue area was experiencing a renaissance. In 1925, the East Side Women’s Progressive Club was organized in the building. Membership in the women’s club grew rapidly, and the club became the premier social club for women on the east side of Madison. The club followed the lead of the older Women’s Club of Madison headquartered downtown and advocated for civic improvements and civic pride in east side neighborhoods. They promoted a good-quality playground at Lowell School and donated money to make it happen. They worked to foster a community spirit and engaged in philanthropic activities. In the 1940 and 1950s, the club regularly sponsored charity events and public health screenings for east-side kids. The club’s annual “Woman of the Year” award made role models of community leaders. In 1954, the East Side Women’s Progressive Club moved to the newly constructed East Side Businessmen’s Association clubhouse at 3735 Monona Drive. By the 1970s, the club’s public activities consisted mostly of hosting fund-raising events for local charities. The Club continued to meet through the 1980s. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Schenk-Atwood Neighborhood walking tour guide. Madison Landmarks Commission and Atwood Community Center, 1987. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |