The Twentieth Century Club was founded around 1895 by Belle Roberts, Laura Lyons, Fanny Barker, and Lucy Barker out of the pre-existing Ventura Literary Club. A woman's club, it was a member of the City Federation of Clubs on and off until 1920, when the Twentieth Century Club permanently left the Federation. The Club was initially founded for the "mental advancement of its members" and later progressed into a literary club where the group could discuss culture, literature, and other scholarly topics. During the first thirty years, speakers were frequently invited to join the group in discussing various topics relevant in Lawrence, regionally, and nationally.

Since its inception, the Twentieth Century Club contributed money to various community initiatives and organizations. These include funding for a free kindergarten in 1896, donation of books for a traveling library in early 1900s, contributions for care packages sent to soldiers during World War I, contributions to the national World War II fund, donations to Watkins Community Museum, Scholarship programs for high school senior women, and support for poor women in Lawrence. The Club has also advocated for community improvements. The Club patitioned Senator Charles Scott to protest proposed tarriff on in 1909, petitioned against the changing of East and West Streets in Lawrence, petitioned to soften Lawrence water [1913], supported higher salaries for teachers [1920], part of the better movies movement [1922], and petitioned for traffic lights on Massachussets Street [1939]. The club is meant to foster fellowship between Lawrence and Kansas University women and to help members become more knowledgable about a wide variety of programs presented at monthly meetings.