Ladies' Christian Union records, 1850-2001 (bulk 1858-1960)

The records of the Ladies' Christian Union include annual reports, minutes, financial and real estate records, correspondence, photographs, biographical writings, membership lists, ephemera, printed brochures, articles, and manuals. The Ladies Christian Union was founded in New York City in 1858 with the aim of creating and maintaining safe, affordable housing for young, unmarried Christian women employed in the New York area. Between the years 1860-1922, the organization owned and operated a total of eight buildings in Manhattan. In 1871, the "Young Ladies Branch" of the Ladies Christian Union established itself as an independent organization known as the "Young Ladies Christian Association" better known today as the "Young Womens Christian Association" (YWCA).