Pennsylvania Barge Club

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.[2]

Pennsylvania Barge Club
Location#4 Boathouse Row, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Home waterSchuylkill River
Established1861
Navy admission1865 (reinstated 2009)
Former namesAtlantic Barge Club
Key people
Michael Ragan (President)
AffiliationsLaSalle College High School
Pennsylvania Barge Club
LocationPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates
ArchitectFurness & Evans, et al.
Part ofBoat House Row (ID87000821[1])
Added to NRHPFebruary 27, 1987

Painter Thomas Eakins was most likely a longtime member of Pennsylvania Barge Club.[3] His friend, Max Schmitt, 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.[4]

As a result of World War II, the club suffered a drastic reduction in membership.[5] In 1955, the Club turned its boathouse over to the Schuylkill Navy.[6] 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.[7] The building also housed the Schuylkill Navy, the United States rowing Society (formerly Schuylkill Navy Association), the Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association, the Middle States Regatta Association, and the Dad Vail Rowing Association.[8]

In 2009, the Club was reactivated and reinstated as a member of the Schuylkill Navy.[9]

History of the Boathouse

In 1868, the Club received permission from the Fairmount Park Commission to build a replacement for its brick house.[8] Between 1869 and 1871, the Club erected a boathouse with Crescent Boat Club.[8] In 1892, Pennsylvania Barge Club replaced their half of the double boathouse.[8] Architect, Luis Hickman, designed Pennsylvania Barge Club's boathouse in the picturesque Victorian style.[10] Hickman was a member of the T-Square Club and known for his renovation of Merchants' Exchange Building.[10] In 1912, the Club hired C.E. Schermerhorn to add second floor of timber and stucco.[8]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. Stillner, Anna (2005). The Philadelphia Girls’ Rowing Club: An Incremental Historic Structure Report (Thesis). pp. 101–02. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  3. Kirkpatrick, Sidney D. (2006). "Champion Oarsman". The Revenge of Thomas Eakins. Yale University Press. p. 141. ISBN 978-0-300-10855-2.
  4. Sweeney, Joe. "The History of the Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association: Part 2 - Beginning of the Clubs". Schuylkill Navy. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  5. "Program Pamphlet, Pennsylvania Barge Club, Album: Rowing and Regattas, Schuylkill Navy Records". Independence Seaport Museum. 1915. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  6. "Boathouse Row". Living Places. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  7. "Program Pamphlet, Twenty sixth Annual Regatta of the NAAO, Album: Rowing and Regattas, Schuylkill Navy Records". Independence Seaport Museum. 1898. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  8. Moak, Jefferson (27 November 1983). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form". NPS Focus, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior. p. 661. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  9. "Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta 2009 Program" (PDF). Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. 2009. p. 20. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  10. Moak, Jefferson (27 November 1983). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form". NPS Focus, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior. p. 673. Archived from the original on 14 December 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  11. Foster, Kathleen A; Mark Bockrath (1997). "The Rowing Pictures: A Passion for Perspective". Thomas Eakins Rediscovered: Charles Bregler's Thomas Eakins collection at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Yale University Press. pp. 129–30. ISBN 978-0-300-06174-1.

Further reading
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