NSCDA History

Opening Doors to America's History

Since the NSCDA's founding in 1891, our organization has worked to help tell America's many stories and amplify women's voices. The NSCDA serves as stewards of historic properties, curators of collections, archivists of historic artifacts, and researchers of genealogical histories. We're one of the first women's organizations to honor women in the military, and during two world wars, we partnered with the Red Cross to support our troops.

In addition to serving as stewards of historic properties, The NSCDA built the Spanish-American Monument (1902) in Arlington National Cemetery, the Church at Jamestown (1907), and the Plymouth Canopy (1921) at Plymouth Rock as reminders of significant events in American history. In 2020, our organization launched Great American Treasures, an alliance of more than 60 historic homes and sites all across the country. Today, the NSCDA is researching the free and enslaved women who contributed to the formation of our country to help tell a fuller history of our nation's founding.

1890s
- 1891, NSCDA Founded
  The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA) is started in Philadelphia as a national organization of federated state societies.
- 1896, Historic Home Preserved
  The New York Society of The NSCDA becomes custodians of Van Cortlandt House in the Bronx.
1920s
- 1928, National Headquarters Purchased
  The NSCDA buys Bellevue, a Federal-period house in Washington, D.C. to serve as its National Headquarters and renames the home Dumbarton House.
- 1928, Scholarship Program Established
  The American Indian Medical Scholarship is started to give students of Native American descent the opportunity to pursue careers in nursing or in the field of health care and health education.
1940s
- Supporting the War Effort
  The organization raises funds to support a U.S.O. center for several years and donate supplies to the Red Cross.
1950s
- Expanding Research
  State societies begin collecting biographies of colonial women as part of the organization's ongoing research.
1960s
- National Essay Contest Started
  The Congressional Essay Contest is a highly interactive, civic-focused scholarship seminar for high school students to visit Washington, D.C.
1970s
- Collaboration with the Smithsonian
  The NSCDA helps provide the National Museum of American Art with an inventory of pictures and portraits by American painters prior to 1914.
2000s
- NSCDA Recognized
  The NSCDA receives the prestigious Trustee Emeritus Award for Excellence in its stewardship of historic sites from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
2020s
- Documenting History
  The NSCDA starts the Great American Treasures (GAT) Museum Alliance and becomes involved with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.