The organization was founded in 1890 in Omaha, Nebraska, by Joseph Cullen Root. Root founded Modern Woodmen of America in Lyons, Iowa, in 1883, after hearing a sermon about "pioneer woodsmen clearing away the forest to provide for their families". Taking his own surname to heart, he wanted to start a society that "would clear away problems of financial security for its members". After internal dissension within the MWA, Root was ejected from the organization that he had founded. When moving to Omaha, Root decided to start again with a new group he called the Modern Woodmen of the World. He soon dropped the "Modern", and the organization became "Woodmen of the World". Woodmen of the World began marketing itself as WoodmenLife on June 1, 2015.
Mergers
Over the years a number of smaller fraternal organizations have been absorbed into WoodmenLife, including the United Order of the Golden Cross in 1962, the benefits operation of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers in 1962, and the New England Order of Protection in 1969. The Woodmen of the World had a female auxiliary called the Woodmen Circles from the early 1890s. Its local units were called local "Groves" and they were governed by a "Supreme Forest", subject to the Sovereign Camp of the Woodmen of the World. The Circle eventually reached 130,000 members, but it was absorbed by the Woodmen in 1965. During the Woodmen Circle convention of 1897, delegates from nine western states declared their intention to leave the national organization. They formed a new organization called the "Pacific Circle, Women of Woodcraft". It changed its name to the Neighbors of Woodcraft in 1917, but it merged with the Woodmen of the World in July 2001. The first Boys of Woodcraft unit was founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 1903, by J.M. Taylor. In 1979, the Boys of Woodcraft Sportsmen's Clubs and the Girls of Woodcraft merged into the Woodmen Rangers and Rangerettes. This youth affiliate had 115,471 members in 1979. In the current constitution youth affiliates are called Youth Chapters which are affiliated to adult Chapters.
Buildings
The organization used to own a 19-story tower at 14th and Farnam Streets which was the tallest building between Chicago and the West Coast at the time of its dedication in 1912. WOW built its current 30-story Woodmen Tower in 1969. It was Omaha's tallest building until the completion of the 45-story First National Bank Tower in 2002. The original WOW building was demolished in 1977.
Broadcasting
The organization played an important role in broadcast history, until it was forced to divest itself of these holdings because of its not-for-profit status. On November 27, 1922, the society began broadcastingon the radio station "WOAW", with a signal that reached ships in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from its 500-watt transmitters. In 1926, the station became WOW after the ship SS Henry J. Bibble, which had held the call sign, was retired from service. The organization's not-for-profit status was to cause a legal battle over ownership of the station. In 1943, the station was leased to an independent organization, Radio Station WOW, Inc. The U.S. Supreme Court voided this lease, returning it to the society, but keeping the license in the hands of the station. In 1949, the radio station began the television station WOW-TV. Among its first performers was Johnny Carson, who had a daily show called The Squirrel's Nest, where he told jokes, conducted humorous interviews and staged various skits. Stock in the broadcasting company was bought out by Meredith Corporation in 1958, effectively ending the society's relationship with the station, but the use of the "WOW" call sign continued. The television station became WOWT in 1975 to obtain FCC approval of its sale to Chronicle Broadcasting. In 1999, Journal Broadcast Group changed the unusual three-letter radio call sign to KOMJ, later KXSP, for the AM station. The FM station became KQCH.
Tombstones
A physical legacy of the organization are headstones in the shape of a tree stump.
Organization
Historically, the top of the organizational structure of WoodmenLife was the "Sovereign Camp", which met quadrennially. When the Sovereign Camp was not in session the organizations was run by a board of directors. States were called either "Jurisdictions" or "Head Camps". Local groups were called either "Camps", "Courts" or "Groves". There were 4,000 locals in 1979. Locals are now called Chapters which are part of geographical Jurisdictions. Chapters elect delegates to the Jurisdictional Conventions held every two years who in turn elect delegates to the National Conventions which are held every four. The governing body of WoodmenLife is the National Convention. In between conventions the organization is run by a Board of Directors which includes the President and CEO, Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and up to ten additional members.
In film
In the film About Schmidt, Jack Nicholson plays a retired Woodmen executive actuary.
Financial standing
WoodmenLife has been awarded a rating of A+, the second highest ranking out of 15, for its financial strength and operating performance by A.M. Best.
