4-H calendars brought tremendous visibility to the 4-H program in those states or counties participating in the National 4-H Calendar Program. While popular, many counties traditionally did not participate in the program... 38 or 39 percent of counties participated at the height of popularity.

To participate as official 4-H calendar vendors, calendar companies were required to obtain approval from Extension, USDA for use of the name and emblem and abide by rules and regulations established for the program. While the first calendar company received approval in 1936 it wasn't until after World War II that the program was initiated nationwide. For over four decades several calendar companies created appropriate images for 4-H calendars. The company salesmen would solicit merchants in local communities to purchase quantities of calendars for their customers... these calendars displaying the local merchant's name. Although the National 4-H Service Committee in Chicago coordinated the program, all royalties went to the establishment of a national 4-H youth center in Washington, D.C. In 1959, after the national center opened, the coordination of the program transferred to the National 4-H Foundation. The program royalties – which were substantial – helped greatly in the creation of the National 4-H Center. The National 4-H Calendar Program was discontinued at some point during the 1980s.

Today, the original art created for these calendars is not only considered historic, but exemplifies many scenes which depict rural America and youth activities over nearly a half century. Nearly 40 pieces of this original artwork is on display at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center. Through the National 4-H History Preservation Program and contributions from several supporters, all of the original art has been cleaned and restored. Efforts continue on the search for "missing" calendars and/or calendar art that has not yet been located by the history team.

The complete history of the National 4-H Calendar Program is on the National 4-H History Preservation website at:

The research generated through the National 4-H History Preservation Program on the 4-H calendar artwork is at: