The Minerva Club has been a major influence in the social history of the local community since it was founded in 1894 as the Ladies Literary Society of Santa Maria.

The building is a wood-frame California bungalow sheathed in stucco which was designed by Julia Morgan and built in 1928. It is one of only two buildings in the Santa Maria area which are known to be works of nationally known architects, the other building being St. Andrew's Methodist Church by Richard Neutra.

Source: Adapted from the NRHP nomination submitted in 1984.