The Aftermath Club was a literary and social organization of women in Bellingham. The club was founded in 1896 as the Aftermath Reading Circle by twelve young women  in New Whatcom.  Within the first year, the group organized a constitution and by-laws as well as an annual agenda of study and presentations on a wide range of topics. In 1907, the club moved into the Aftermath Building in downtown Bellingham.  The club also rented the building to other groups for  meetings and events, and eventually the site became a center for social and cultural activity for the city. 

Following the sale of the Aftermath Building in 1977, members continued to meet and sponsor programs until the club's dissolution in June 2003.  In addition, the club also donated to local agencies and institutions and provided scholarships for Western Washington University students.

The records donated to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies reflect the growth and evolution of the Aftermath Club. They also provide a source for study of the changing roles and concerns of thoughtful, active, urban women in the Pacific Northwest during most of the past century.