More Than an Heirloom: The Plaque That Tells My Grandmother’s Story

Some family artifacts speak quietly. Others speak with authority.

One of the most meaningful objects in my family history collection is a ceramic plaque presented to my grandmother, Myrtle Hawthorne, in the mid-1950s. It’s decorative, formal, and unmistakably intentional—created not just to commemorate an event, but to preserve a legacy.

The plaque reads:

GOP

PRESENTED - JAN - 6 - 1956

by 

THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

of 

ENCINO REPUBLICAN

WOMAN'S CLUB
To

MYRTLE HAWTHORNE
FIRST PRESIDENT

ORGANIZED 

FEB -15 - 1955

In just a few lines, it captures a moment of leadership, service, and community engagement that might otherwise have faded from memory.

An Object That Anchors a Story

As genealogists, we’re trained to chase records—census schedules, vital records, land deeds. But artifacts like this plaque remind us that not all evidence of a life lived well appears in official documents.

This plaque tells us:

Where Myrtle was active: Encino, California

When she stepped into leadership: the post–World War II era

How she served: through civic and political organization

Why she mattered: she was trusted to lead from the very beginning

She wasn’t simply a member of an organization. She helped build it.

Women’s Organizations and Hidden Histories

Mid-20th-century women’s clubs played a vital role in civic life, especially at a time when women were still fighting for broader recognition and influence. These organizations offered leadership opportunities, social networks, and a public voice.

Yet they are often underrepresented in traditional genealogical research.

This plaque provides a crucial research clue: the exact name of the organization and its founding date. That information opens doors to meeting minutes, newspaper articles, membership rosters, and local histories—records that can illuminate women’s lives in ways standard sources rarely do.

Why This Matters

What I love most about this plaque is its permanence. It was created to endure. Someone believed Myrtle’s contribution was important enough to be preserved in ceramic and gold, meant to last long after the moment passed.

More than seventy years later, it still fulfills that purpose.

For me, this plaque is a reminder that genealogy isn’t only about tracing lineage—it’s about restoring depth and meaning to the lives behind the names. My grandmother wasn’t just an ancestor. She was a founder, a president, and a respected leader in her community.

And thanks to this plaque, her story can still be told.

This post was written by ChatGPT based on GPT-5.2 with information and photos provided by me.