Having played a big role supporting women for 100 years and advocating for the women’s suffrage movement, this year the UW Women’s Center should be celebrating its centennial anniversary. Celebrations for this milestone, however, have been postponed for one major reason: They don’t have a building to celebrate it in.

Indeed, at the tail end of the summer, Cunningham Hall, which houses the Women’s Center, was uprooted from its original location behind Gerberding Hall and moved, via trailer and 28 dollies, to its current location on north campus.

Cunningham Hall was constructed in 1909 as part of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, a world’s fair exhibiting the accomplishments of the Pacific Northwest. It’s one of only two buildings still standing from this era.

“There have been a lot of women’s organizations that have folded recently,” observed Joanne Factor, who has offered a self-defense course through the Women’s Center for the past 12 years. “And, I think it’s important to have that continuity and to know that there is a resource center that women can go to.”

During the early 1900s, the building played an instrumental role in the women’s suffrage movement. From the start, it housed meetings for the National Council of Women and the National American Woman Suffrage Association. It also accommodated the everyday needs of women as a restaurant and childcare service. After the feminist movement briefly lost momentum in the mid-1900s, the Women’s Center was reclaimed and named after Imogen Cunningham, a groundbreaking female portrait photographer.

The program has since evolved into a support system for women, both personally and professionally, helping students facing issues from domestic violence to academic obstacles.

“Education is not just about a degree. The courses [offered through the Women’s Center] help students make it through everyday struggles. We provide a safety net,” said Sutapa Basu, director of the Women’s Center. “Besides, you can’t do well academically if you’re struggling personally.”

Cunningham Hall is not expected to reopen until spring of 2010, after the 100th year anniversary. Until then, the center is housed in a maze of drab offices in Bagley Hall.

“It’s not conducive to our services, and it’s so cold. But we’re here temporarily, so I’m OK,” Basu said.

While the administration of the Women’s Center must endure several more months of cramped temporary housing, Basu said she is excited about the move.

“I like the new location because it’s a lot more visible,” Basu said. “Now you’re greeted by it immediately. It’s almost symbolic — you enter the campus from 15th and it’s like, welcome to the Women’s Center.”

One year after the Women’s Center opened, women were given the right to vote. Basu said that, while the center couldn’t plan anything this year because of the move, this spring they will celebrate the building and 100 years of women’s suffrage.

“To me, it represents people who fought for our rights,” Basu said. “It’s not just for women, but it’s a place where a lot of human rights issues were discussed. … [This building] is a part of U.S. history as well.”

Reach reporter Celina Kareiva at news@dailyuw.com.