About Us

The Woman’s Friend Society has been a positive and often pioneering force in the charitable life of Salem, Massachusetts, since the society’s founding in 1876. Through Emmerton House, providing affordable housing for women, and the outreach work of its committees, the Society continues to contribute actively to the Salem community.

​

In today’s active non-profit world, it’s difficult to imagine how innovative the founders of the Society were when they recognized and acted on the needs of Salem’s “less fortunate” women. Beginning with the Girl’s Reading Room on Essex Street, the Society created a place where girls and women could meet, even if some of the initial participants did not know how to read. It was an immediate success, attracting girls and young women who then brought their friends. It was also the first of many endeavors that were worthwhile, often ahead of their time, and made quality improvements in the life conditions of many women. 

​

It soon became apparent that more than a meeting place was needed. These girls and women needed jobs. The establishment of what was called the Intelligence Office and later, the Admission and Investigation Office, sounds fairly subversive to modern ears, but was, in the lingo of the day a “bureau of employment.” And, if not subversive, it was definitely considered progressive. In fact, “progressive” describes most of the activities of the Society, many of which were first-of-their-kind efforts that flourished and eventually became independent.

Only a few years after they began their efforts, the Society realized the largest problem for these women was adequate housing. They leased a few rooms from a boarding house on Daniels Street, but the need rapidly grew. In 1879, beloved Salem philanthropist Captain John Bertram offered the Society half of a house on Elm Street for a period of five years. If they could run it successfully for that time, he would gift it to them. Sadly, Bertram died in 1882. However, his daughter, Jennie M. Emmerton fulfilled her father's wishes and gifted that part of the house to the Woman's Friend in 1884. They obtained the other half through fundraising. It was officially named Emmerton House in 1950 in Jennie's honor. To this day, it houses single women who are employed and/or students for a period of five years, at an affordable weekly rent. With the burden of high rent removed, women at Emmerton House can put that energy into discovering who they are, what they want out of life, and make the plan to achieve it.