Last September, the Signal Mountain Community Guild (SMCG) leadership shared concerns about the direction and future of the Guild. Since then, SMCG has reached out to membership for input, reviewed the results of a membership survey, and met with members who voiced concerns for the organization’s future. Based on the feedback received, it was concluded that there are not enough participants willing to take on leadership roles to continue this organization. SMCG is, therefore, set to dissolve at the end of May 2026.
Among a small group of membership, there was a clear desire to continue some social aspects of the Guild, such as lunches, dinners, book club and craft events in which mountain women could get together with friends and newcomers for conversation and connection. Along those lines, a few members have proposed establishing a “Mountain Neighbors and Newcomers” social media group where dates and events could be communicated to those interested. In the next few months, SMCG will contact those on its current member email list to notify them of any new social media pages and determine who would like to be included on a future email list to receive notifications or invitations for events from this new group. Only those indicating permission will be included on future communications.
Guild Room Furnishings
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to visit the Guild Room at Signal Mountain City Hall, you know how nicely it’s been decorated and maintained. Many of the quality furnishings and any usable supplies will be offered to the general public for sale, with a tentative sale date of May 2. A confirmed date, as well as photos of furnishings offered, will be posted on our website www.smcguild.org and SMCG’s social media pages (Facebook: Smc Guild, and Instagram: @smc.guild) sometime this month.
The Dogwood Luncheon
SMCG’s biggest social event, the Dogwood Luncheon, will not be held in 2026. However, there has been interest from the Walden’s Ridge Guild (WRG) in taking over this event, with special emphasis on honoring the Woman of the Year. If this event is adopted by WRG, the Dogwood Luncheon will be reinstated in 2027 under the WRG organization.
Joining the Walden’s Ridge Guild
While WRG considers taking on the Dogwood Luncheon, members would also like to invite all current and past members of SMCG (as well as all women within the 37377 zip code) to join their Guild. As with SMCG, there are no membership dues. Recently, a number of SMCG’s members attended one or two WRG meetings and can attest to a lovely, welcoming, and fun group of women. WRG has been in existence for almost 70 years and has supported the welfare of the residents of Walden’s Ridge in a myriad of ways. It is currently an ongoing supporter of Walden’s Ridge Emergency Services and the Bachman-McCoy House. In recent years, WRG has held china sales to benefit McCoy Farms and Gardens, raised funds through annual commemorative ornament sales, and provided planning and volunteers for some of the various events held at McCoy. You can learn more about WRG, including upcoming meetings, by following them on Facebook at Walden’s Ridge Guild.
SMCG - A Retrospective
For nearly 100 years the Signal Mountain Community Guild (SMCG) has warmly welcomed newcomers, provided volunteer and financial support to local organizations, hosted community events, and generally served as a cohesive force in the Signal Mountain community. The Guild first organized as the Women’s Community Guild on June 6, 1928, with 13 members and changed the name at the November meeting that same year.
Following its organization, the women of SMCG began serving the community by fundraising and helping to support a number of groups that existed on the mountain during the first half of the 20th century including the Bonny Oaks School, the Crittenton Home, and the Vine Street Orphanage. In addition, these industrious women formed welfare groups to assist families in need on Walden’s Ridge. They taught women how to cultivate vegetable gardens and can and preserve produce, ran a bureau for the sale of surplus produce, created a clearinghouse for jobs, provided transportation for visits to doctors and hospitals, and raised funds to offer educational assistance to children. The current Signal Mountain Social Services (SMSS) organization evolved from these efforts.
Beginning in the early 1940s, Guild members, in collaboration with local garden clubs, helped to enhance the natural beauty of the mountain by planting thousands of dogwoods, red buds, and flowering shrubs. SMCG also donated funds toward the construction of public outdoor spaces including the pavilion at Althaus Park, the Pumpkin Patch, and other area parks.
The Guild sponsored the Dogwood Luncheon, which culminated in the month-long Annual Dogwood Festival on Signal Mountain every April. The luncheon served as the forum for the presentation of the local Woman of the Year, an award SMCG instituted in 1969.
In more recent years, the luncheon became the primary fundraising event for SMCG. Funds raised at the luncheon have been granted to local service and educational groups including SMSS, Walden’s Ridge Emergency Services, the Mountain Education Foundation, Bachman Community Center, and the Lone Oak Clinic and Community Center. In addition, SMCG awarded a $1,000-$1,500 scholarship to be used by the recipient towards his or her continuing education at an accredited institution.
Guild meetings were held in members’ homes until the Signal Mountain Family Center and Town Hall complex were completed in 1979, which included the construction of the Guild Room. Over the years, the room served as a meeting place not only for the Guild but for other cultural organizations as well.
SMCG began raising money for the creation of a Guild room in the early 1950s with fundraising efforts that included benefit bridge parties, participation in the Labor Day Barbecue with the Lions Club, and the sale of maps of Signal Mountain and the Signal Mountain directory. The publication of the Signal Mountain Phone Book served as a major Guild fundraiser for over 60 years. The Guild published the last directory in 2019 due to a dwindling demand and lack of desire to be included in printed phone listings.
Just as the demand for printed materials has faded with technological advances and cultural shifts, the desire for organized women’s civic groups is also on the decline - particularly among younger generations. Therefore, the current leadership recognizes that the time has come to say farewell to this venerable civic organization. SMCG has successfully served its initial purpose to provide “community enrichment and (preserve) human and natural resources ...” for Signal Mountain inhabitants. Many thanks to all the women of the Signal Mountain Community Guild who worked tirelessly to achieve this purpose over the past 98 years.
by Jennifer Ricci and Kathy Peeples
Among a small group of membership, there was a clear desire to continue some social aspects of the Guild, such as lunches, dinners, book club and craft events in which mountain women could get together with friends and newcomers for conversation and connection. Along those lines, a few members have proposed establishing a “Mountain Neighbors and Newcomers” social media group where dates and events could be communicated to those interested. In the next few months, SMCG will contact those on its current member email list to notify them of any new social media pages and determine who would like to be included on a future email list to receive notifications or invitations for events from this new group. Only those indicating permission will be included on future communications.
Guild Room Furnishings
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to visit the Guild Room at Signal Mountain City Hall, you know how nicely it’s been decorated and maintained. Many of the quality furnishings and any usable supplies will be offered to the general public for sale, with a tentative sale date of May 2. A confirmed date, as well as photos of furnishings offered, will be posted on our website www.smcguild.org and SMCG’s social media pages (Facebook: Smc Guild, and Instagram: @smc.guild) sometime this month.
The Dogwood Luncheon
SMCG’s biggest social event, the Dogwood Luncheon, will not be held in 2026. However, there has been interest from the Walden’s Ridge Guild (WRG) in taking over this event, with special emphasis on honoring the Woman of the Year. If this event is adopted by WRG, the Dogwood Luncheon will be reinstated in 2027 under the WRG organization.
Joining the Walden’s Ridge Guild
While WRG considers taking on the Dogwood Luncheon, members would also like to invite all current and past members of SMCG (as well as all women within the 37377 zip code) to join their Guild. As with SMCG, there are no membership dues. Recently, a number of SMCG’s members attended one or two WRG meetings and can attest to a lovely, welcoming, and fun group of women. WRG has been in existence for almost 70 years and has supported the welfare of the residents of Walden’s Ridge in a myriad of ways. It is currently an ongoing supporter of Walden’s Ridge Emergency Services and the Bachman-McCoy House. In recent years, WRG has held china sales to benefit McCoy Farms and Gardens, raised funds through annual commemorative ornament sales, and provided planning and volunteers for some of the various events held at McCoy. You can learn more about WRG, including upcoming meetings, by following them on Facebook at Walden’s Ridge Guild.
SMCG - A Retrospective
For nearly 100 years the Signal Mountain Community Guild (SMCG) has warmly welcomed newcomers, provided volunteer and financial support to local organizations, hosted community events, and generally served as a cohesive force in the Signal Mountain community. The Guild first organized as the Women’s Community Guild on June 6, 1928, with 13 members and changed the name at the November meeting that same year.
Following its organization, the women of SMCG began serving the community by fundraising and helping to support a number of groups that existed on the mountain during the first half of the 20th century including the Bonny Oaks School, the Crittenton Home, and the Vine Street Orphanage. In addition, these industrious women formed welfare groups to assist families in need on Walden’s Ridge. They taught women how to cultivate vegetable gardens and can and preserve produce, ran a bureau for the sale of surplus produce, created a clearinghouse for jobs, provided transportation for visits to doctors and hospitals, and raised funds to offer educational assistance to children. The current Signal Mountain Social Services (SMSS) organization evolved from these efforts.
Beginning in the early 1940s, Guild members, in collaboration with local garden clubs, helped to enhance the natural beauty of the mountain by planting thousands of dogwoods, red buds, and flowering shrubs. SMCG also donated funds toward the construction of public outdoor spaces including the pavilion at Althaus Park, the Pumpkin Patch, and other area parks.
The Guild sponsored the Dogwood Luncheon, which culminated in the month-long Annual Dogwood Festival on Signal Mountain every April. The luncheon served as the forum for the presentation of the local Woman of the Year, an award SMCG instituted in 1969.
In more recent years, the luncheon became the primary fundraising event for SMCG. Funds raised at the luncheon have been granted to local service and educational groups including SMSS, Walden’s Ridge Emergency Services, the Mountain Education Foundation, Bachman Community Center, and the Lone Oak Clinic and Community Center. In addition, SMCG awarded a $1,000-$1,500 scholarship to be used by the recipient towards his or her continuing education at an accredited institution.
Guild meetings were held in members’ homes until the Signal Mountain Family Center and Town Hall complex were completed in 1979, which included the construction of the Guild Room. Over the years, the room served as a meeting place not only for the Guild but for other cultural organizations as well.
SMCG began raising money for the creation of a Guild room in the early 1950s with fundraising efforts that included benefit bridge parties, participation in the Labor Day Barbecue with the Lions Club, and the sale of maps of Signal Mountain and the Signal Mountain directory. The publication of the Signal Mountain Phone Book served as a major Guild fundraiser for over 60 years. The Guild published the last directory in 2019 due to a dwindling demand and lack of desire to be included in printed phone listings.
Just as the demand for printed materials has faded with technological advances and cultural shifts, the desire for organized women’s civic groups is also on the decline - particularly among younger generations. Therefore, the current leadership recognizes that the time has come to say farewell to this venerable civic organization. SMCG has successfully served its initial purpose to provide “community enrichment and (preserve) human and natural resources ...” for Signal Mountain inhabitants. Many thanks to all the women of the Signal Mountain Community Guild who worked tirelessly to achieve this purpose over the past 98 years.
by Jennifer Ricci and Kathy Peeples
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