Skip Navigation Links  The Library of Congress >> Researchers
Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room (Serial and Government Publications Division)
  Home >>Topics in Chronicling America

Topics in Chronicling America - Bachelor Maids

Bachelor maids were a cadre of single women in the late 19th, early 20th century. Not to be confused with “old maids” (or “spinsters”), these women opted to be independent of men, live on their own and manage their own business affairs. Young, unmarried women’s social groups, known as Bachelor Maids’ Clubs, began in cities such as New York and Washington, DC. Soon thereafter, smaller clubs began forming in cities and towns around the country. Read more about it!

The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.


Picture

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

  • 1894 Constance Cary Harrison publishes the book, “A Bachelor Maid.”
  • 1907: The Washington Herald newspaper begins publishing the popular column, “Bachelor Girl Chat.” Articles and stories written for Bachelor Girls begin appearing in Women’s Pages in newspapers across the country.

Suggested Search Strategies:

  • [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] Bachelor maids, (or bachelor maidens, bachelor women, bachelor girls), Batch girls, bohemians, The B.G, b-girls.
  • It is important to use a specific date range if looking for articles for a particular event in order to narrow your results. The range 1890 through 1914 will yield the best results.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

Top of Page Top of Page
  Home >>Topics in Chronicling America
  The Library of Congress >> Researchers
  February 27, 2012
Legal | External Link Disclaimer

Contact Us:  
Ask a Librarian