Pennsylvania Barge Club is an amateur
rowing club, situated along the historic
Boathouse Row of
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1861 and joined the
Schuylkill Navy in 1865. The club's boathouse, at #4 Boathouse Row, is also known as the Hollenback House, named for William M. Hollenback, Jr., who served as President of
USRowing from 1979 until 1985.
Painter
Thomas Eakins was most likely a longtime member of Pennsylvania Barge Club. His friend,
Max Schmitt
''Max Schmitt in a Single Scull'' (also known as ''The Champion Single Sculls'' or ''The Champion, Single Sculls'') is an 1871 painting by Thomas Eakins, Goodrich catalogue #44. It is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art ...
, rowed for the club, and won the single sculls championship 6 times.
In Schuylkill Navy races, Pennsylvania Barge had 359 entries and 106 victories. Its teams represented the United States in the 1920 (four-with-cox), 1924 (four-with), 1928 (four-with and four-without), and 1932 (pair-with) Olympic Games.
As a result of
World War II, the club suffered a drastic reduction in membership. In 1955, the Club turned its boathouse over to the
Schuylkill Navy. Thereafter, the Pennsylvania Barge Club served as an administrative center for rowing, including serving as Headquarters for the
National Association of Amateur Oarsmen, which later became
USRowing. The building also housed the
Schuylkill Navy, the United States rowing Society (formerly Schuylkill Navy Association), the
Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association
Pennsylvania Barge Club is an amateur rowing club, situated along the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1861 and joined the Schuylkill Navy in 1865. The club's boathouse, at #4 Boathouse Row, is also known a ...
, the
Middle States Regatta Association
Middle or The Middle may refer to:
* Centre (geometry), the point equally distant from the outer limits.
Places
* Middle (sheading), a subdivision of the Isle of Man
* Middle Bay (disambiguation)
* Middle Brook (disambiguation)
* Middle Creek ...
, and the
Dad Vail Rowing Association.
[
In 2009, the club was reactivated and reinstated as a member of the Schuylkill Navy.
]
History of the boathouse
In 1868, the club received permission from the Fairmount Park
Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in Philadelphia and the historic name for a group of parks located throughout the city. Fairmount Park consists of two park sections named East Park and West Park, divided by the Schuylkill River, with ...
Commission to build a replacement for its brick house.[
In 1892, Pennsylvania Barge Club replaced their half of the double boathouse.][ Architect, Luis Hickman, designed Pennsylvania Barge Club's boathouse in the picturesque Victorian style.][ In 1912, the Club hired C.E. Schermerhorn to add second floor of timber and stucco.][
]
Photo gallery
File:Pennsylvania Barge Club.png, Pennsylvania Barge Club,
#4 Boathouse Row in 1972 with a Drexel "D" painted on the dock.
File:Crescent-Pennsylvania2010.jpg, Crescent & Pennsylvania Barge Club in 2010 with an "L" painted on the dock for La Salle College Higschool
File:4KellyDr.jpg, Pennsylvania Barge Club from Kelly Drive.
File:Oarsmen on the schuylkill thomas eakins.jpeg, "Oarsmen on the Schuylkill" also known as "Pennsylvania Barge Club Four"
See also
*'' Max Schmitt in a Single Scull''
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Pennsylvania Barge Club
on wikimapia.org
{{Schuylkill Navy
National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia
National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania
Buildings and structures in Philadelphia
Cultural infrastructure completed in 1892
Tudor Revival architecture in Pennsylvania
Boathouse Row
Schuylkill Navy
Sports clubs established in 1861
1861 establishments in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Register of Historic Places
Historic district contributing properties in Pennsylvania
Boathouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania