List of traditional gentlemen's clubs in the United States

The Union Club of the City of New York.

The following is a list of notable gentlemen's clubs in the United States. Traditionally these clubs were exclusively for men, but many of them now admit women.

The traditional gentlemen's club originated in London (in particular the St. James's area) in the 18th century as a successor to coffeehouses. Today, these clubs also continue to operate in the United States, where most major cities have at least one such club. Gentlemen's clubs are most prevalent, however, in older cities on the East Coast. New York City has more of them than any other American city. Many American clubs have reciprocal relationships with the older clubs in London, with each other, and with other clubs around the world.^{[citation needed]}

Because the term "gentleman's club" often is used to refer euphemistically to strip clubs, gentlemen's clubs often are referred to as "men's club" or "city clubs" (as opposed to country club) or simply as "private clubs". For other meanings and nuances of the word, see club.

List of notable traditional gentlemen's clubs in the United States

The California Club in Los Angeles.

The Marines Memorial Club in San Francisco.

The Pacific-Union Club in San Francisco.

The Alibi Club in Washington, D.C..

The City Tavern Club in Washington, D.C..

The Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C..

The University Club of Chicago.

The Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Algonquin Club in Boston.

The Somerset Club in Boston.

The Detroit Athletic Club.

The Detroit Club.

The Johns Hopkins Club in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Kansas City Club in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Cornell Club in New York City.

The Harvard Club of New York.

The Penn Club of New York City.

The Williams Club in New York City.

The Yale Club of New York City.

The Century Association in New York City.

The Down Town Association in New York City.

The Harmonie Club in New York City.

The Knickerbocker Club in New York City.

The Lotos Club in New York City.

The Metropolitan Club in New York City.

The Montauk Club in New York City.

The Racquet and Tennis Club in New York City.

The Union League Club of New York.

The University Club of New York.

The Arlington Club in Portland, Oregon.

The Racquet Club of Philadelphia.

The Union League in Philadelphia.

The Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Athletic Association.

The Houston Club.

The Alta Club in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Commonwealth Club in Richmond, Virginia.

The Rainier Club in Seattle.

The Washington Athletic Club in Seattle.

Alabama

• Birmingham
  • The Club (1951)
  • The Concordia Club (1886)

Alaska

• Anchorage
  • The Petroleum Club of Anchorage (1958)

Arizona

• Phoenix
  • The Arizona Club (1894)
  • The University Club of Phoenix (1965)
• Tempe
  • The University Club (1989)

Arkansas

• Little Rock
  • The Little Rock Club (1969)

California

• Bakersfield
  • The Petroleum Club of Bakersfield (1952)
• Berkeley
  • The Berkeley City Club (1927)
• Eureka
  • The Ingomar Club (1950)
• Fresno
  • The Downtown Club (1963)
• Los Angeles
  • The California Club (1887)
  • The City Club on Bunker Hill (1989)
  • The Jonathan Club (1895)
  • The Los Angeles Athletic Club (1880)
• Newport Beach
  • The Pacific Club (1981)
• Oakland
  • The Bellevue Club (1929)
• Palo Alto
  • The University Club of Palo Alto (1952)
• Pasadena
  • The Athenaeum at Caltech (1930)
  • The University Club of Pasadena (1922)
• Sacramento
  • The Sutter Club (1925)
• San Diego
  • The University Club (1896)
• San Francisco
  • The Bohemian Club (1872), which hosts the Bohemian Grove retreat
  • The Cercle de l'Union (1905)
  • The Concordia-Argonaut Club (1864)
  • The Family (1901), founded by members ejected from the Bohemian Club
  • The Marines Memorial Club (1946)
  • The Metropolitan Club (1915)
  • The Olympic Club (1860)
  • The Pacific-Union Club (1852)
  • The University Club of San Francisco (1890)
• San Jose
  • The Sainte Claire Club (1895)
• Santa Barbara
  • The Santa Barbara Club (1892)
  • The University Club of Santa Barbara (1923)

Colorado

• Colorado Springs
  • The El Paso Club (1877)
• Denver
  • The Denver Athletic Club (1884)
  • The University Club of Denver (1891)

Connecticut

• Hartford
  • The Hartford Club (1873)
  • The Town and County Club (1925)
• New Haven
  • The Graduate Club (1892)
  • The New Haven Lawn Club (1891)
  • The Quinnipiack Club (1871)
• New London
  • The Thames Club (1869)

Delaware

• Wilmington
  • The University and Whist Club (1891)

District of Columbia

• Washington
  • The Alibi Club (1884)
  • The Army and Navy Club (1885)
  • The Capitol Hill Club (The National Republican Club) (1951)
  • The City Tavern Club (1962)
  • The Cosmos Club (1878)
  • The Metropolitan Club (1863)
  • The National Press Club (1908)
  • The University Club of Washington, D.C. (1904)

Florida

• Jacksonville
  • The River Club (1954)
• Orlando
  • The University Club of Orlando (1926)
• Surfside
  • The Surf Club (1930)
• Tallahassee
  • The Governor's Club (1982)
• Tampa
  • The Tampa Club (1982)
  • The University Club of Tampa (1946)

Georgia

• Atlanta
  • The Burns Club Atlanta (1896)
  • The Capital City Club (1883)
  • The Commerce Club (1960)
  • The Georgian Club (1982)
  • The Piedmont Driving Club (1887)
• Augusta
  • The Pinnacle Club (1963)
• Savannah
  • The Chatham Club (1968)
  • The Oglethorpe Club (1870)

Hawaii

• Honolulu
  • The Pacific Club (1851)

Illinois

• Chicago
  • The Caxton Club (1895)
  • The Chicago Club (1869)
  • The Racquet Club of Chicago (1923)
  • The Standard Club (1869)
  • The Union League of Chicago (1879)
  • The University Club of Chicago (1887)
• Decatur
  • The Decatur Club (1883)
• Oakbrook Terrace
  • The Dupage Club (1984)
• Peoria
  • The Creve Coeur Club (1894)
• Rockford
  • The University Club of Rockford (1911)
• Springfield
  • The Sangamo Club (1890)
• Wilmette
  • The Michigan Shores Club (1904)

Indiana

• Indianapolis
  • The Columbia Club, Indianapolis (1889)
  • The University Club of Indianapolis (1893)
• South Bend
  • The Summit Club (1967)

Iowa

• Davenport
  • The Outing Club (1891)

Kansas

• Hutchinson
  • The Hutchinson Town Club (1947)
• Kansas City
  • The Kansas City Athletic Club (1887)
• Topeka
  • The Top of the Tower Club (1968)
• Wichita
  • The Petroleum Club of Wichita (1949)

Kentucky

• Lexington
  • The Lexington Club (1860)
• Louisville
  • The Pendennis Club (1881)

Louisiana

• Baton Rouge
  • The City Club (1894)
• Lafayette
  • The Petroleum Club of Lafayette (1953)
• New Orleans
  • Le Moyne de Bienville Club (1964)
  • The Boston Club (1840)
  • The Louisiana Club (1872)
  • The New Orleans Athletic Club (1872)
  • The Orleans Club (1925)
  • The Pickwick Club (1857)
  • The Round Table Club (1898)
  • The Stratford Club (1897)
• Shreveport
  • The Cambridge Club (1982)

Maine

• Portland
  • The Cumberland Club (1877)

Maryland

• Baltimore
  • The Center Club (1962)
  • The Engineers Club (1905)
  • The Johns Hopkins Club (1899)
  • The Maryland Club (1858)

Massachusetts

• Andover
  • The Lanam Club (1957)
• Boston
  • The Algonquin Club (1885)
  • The Boston College Club (1913)
  • The Club of Odd Volumes (1887)
  • The Harvard Club (1908)
  • The St. Botolph Club (1880)
  • The Somerset Club (1852)
  • The Tavern Club (1884)
  • The Tennis and Racquet Club (1902)
  • The Union Boat Club (1851)
  • The Union Club of Boston (1863)
  • The University Club of Boston (1891)
• Fitchburg
  • The Fay Club (1910)
• Lenox
  • The Lenox Club (1864)
• Lowell
  • The Yorick Club (1882)
• New Bedford
  • The Wamsutta Club (1866)
• Plymouth
  • The Old Colony Club (1769)
• Springfield
  • The Colony Club (1915)
• Worcester
  • The Worcester Club (1888)

Michigan

• Calumet
  • The Miscowaubik Club (1903)
• Detroit
  • The Detroit Athletic Club (1887)
  • The Detroit Club (1882)
• Grand Rapids
  • The University Club of Grand Rapids (1923)
• Kalamazoo
  • The Beacon Club (1947)
  • The Park Club of Kalamazoo(1904)
• Lansing
  • The University Club of Michigan State University (1962)
• Saginaw
  • The Saginaw Club (1889)

Minnesota

• Minneapolis
  • The Minneapolis Club (1883)
• Saint Paul
  • The University Club of Saint Paul (1912)

Mississippi

• Gulfport
  • The Great Southern Club (1988)
• Jackson
  • The Capital Club (1947)

Missouri

• Columbia
  • The University Club of Missouri University (1895)
• Kansas City
  • The Kansas City Club (1882)
  • The River Club (1949)
• St. Joseph
  • The Benton Club (1887)
• St. Louis
  • The Missouri Athletic Club (1903), which awards the Hermann Trophy
  • The Noonday Club (1893)
  • The Racquet Club of St. Louis (1906), which funded Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis
  • The Saint Louis Club (1964)

Montana

• Miles City
  • The Miles City Club (1884)^{[citation needed]}
• Helena
  • The Montana Club (1885)

Nebraska

• Lincoln
  • The Nebraska Club (1954)
• Omaha
  • The Omaha Press Club (1955)

New Jersey

• Florham Park
  • The Park Avenue Club (1894)
• Morristown
  • The Morristown Club (1884)
• Princeton
  • The Nassau Club (1889)

New York

• Albany
  • The Fort Orange Club (1880)
  • The University Club of Albany (1901)
• Binghamton
  • The Binghamton Club (1880)
• Buffalo
  • The Buffalo Club (1867)
  • The Saturn Club (1885)
• Jamestown
  • The Jamestown Town Club (1929)
• New York City
  • Clubs affiliated with university alumni groups:
    • The Cornell Club of New York (1889)
    • The Harvard Club of New York (1887)
    • The Penn Club of New York City (1901)
    • The Princeton Club of New York (1899)
    • The Yale Club of New York City (1897), the largest private club in the world, which awarded the Heisman Trophy in 2002 and 2003
  • The Brook (1903)
  • The Century Association (1846)
  • The Collectors Club of New York (1896)
  • The Down Town Association (1859)
  • The Friar's Club (1904)
  • The Grolier Club (1884)
  • The Harmonie Club (1852)
  • The India House Club (1914)
  • The Knickerbocker Club (1871)
  • The Leash (1925)
  • The Links Club (1921)
  • The Lotos Club (1870)
  • The Metropolitan Club (1891)
  • The Montauk Club (1891)
  • The National Arts Club (1898)
  • The New York Athletic Club (1868)
  • The New York Yacht Club (1844)
  • The Nippon Club
  • The Racquet and Tennis Club (1876)
  • The River Club of New York (1929)
  • The Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmen's Club (1919)
  • The Spanish Benevolent Society (1868)
  • The Union Club (1836), the oldest club in New York City and second in the country.
  • The Union League Club of New York (1863)
  • The University Club of New York (1865)
• Rochester
  • The Genesee Valley Club (1885)
• Syracuse
  • The Century Club of Syracuse (1876)
• Utica
  • The Fort Schuyler Club (1883)

North Carolina

• Charlotte
  • The Charlotte City Club (1947)
• Raleigh
  • The Cardinal Club (1979)
• Wilmington
  • The Cape Fear Club (1866)

Ohio

• Cincinnati
  • The Cincinnati Athletic Club (1853)
  • The Queen City Club (1874)
  • The University Club of Cincinnati (1879)
• Cleveland
  • The Tavern Club (1892)
  • The Union Club (1866)
• Columbus
  • The Athletic Club of Columbus (1916)
• Dayton
  • The Engineers Club of Dayton (1914)
• Massillon
  • The Massillon Club (1917)
• Toledo
  • The Toledo Club (1889)
• Youngstown
  • The Youngstown Club (1902)

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma City
  • The Beacon Club (1942)
  • The Petroleum Club of Oklahoma City
• Tulsa
  • The Summit (1967)

Oregon

• Portland
  • The Arlington Club (1867)
  • The Founders Club
  • The Multnomah Athletic Club (1891)
  • The University Club of Portland (1898)

Pennsylvania

• Easton
  • The Pomfret Club (1882)
• Erie
  • The Erie Club (1882)
• Hollidaysburg
  • The Blairmont Club (1924)
• Lancaster
  • The Hamilton Club (1889)
• Philadelphia
  • The Cosmopolitan Club of Philadelphia (1928)
  • The Franklin Inn Club (1893)
  • The Pen & Pencil Club (1892)
  • The Penn Club of Philadelphia (1875)
  • The Philadelphia Club (1834), oldest club in the United States.
  • The Racquet Club of Philadelphia (1889)
  • The Union League of Philadelphia (1862)
  • The Vesper Club (1941)
• Pittsburgh
  • The Allegheny HYP Club (1930)
  • The Concordia Club (1874)
  • The Duquesne Club (1873)
  • The Pittsburgh Athletic Association (1908)
• Wilkes-Barre
  • The Westmoreland Club (1873)
• York
  • The Lafayette Club (1898)

Rhode Island

• Newport
  • The New York Yacht Club (1844) (summer clubhouse)
  • The Newport Reading Room (1854)
• Pawtucket
  • The To Kalon Club (1867)
• Providence
  • The Hope Club (1875)

South Carolina

• Aiken
  • The Green Boundary Club (1956)
• Charleston
  • The Charleston Club (1852)
• Spartanburg
  • The Piedmont Club (1941)

Tennessee

• Chattanooga
  • The Walden Club (1975)
• Memphis
  • The Racquet Club of Memphis (1957)
  • The University Club of Memphis (1907)
• Nashville
  • The University Club of Nashville (1962)

Texas

• Amarillo
  • The Amarillo Club (1947)
• Austin
  • The Austin Club (1949)
• Beaumont
  • The Beaumont Club (1921)
• Dallas, Texas
  • The City Club (1918)
  • The Park City Club (1984)
  • The Dallas Petroleum Club (1934)
  • The Tower Club of Dallas (1982)
• Fort Worth, Texas
  • The Fort Worth Club (1885)
  • The Petroleum Club of Fort Worth (1953)
• Houston, Texas
  • The Briar Club (1949)
  • The Coronado Club (1956)
  • The Houston Club (1894)
  • The Petroleum Club of Houston (1946)

Utah

• Salt Lake City
  • The Alta Club (1883)

Virginia

• Norfolk
  • The Virginia Club (1873)
• Richmond
  • The 2300 Club (1964)
  • The Bull and Bear Club (1967)
  • The Commonwealth Club (1890)
• Tyson's Corner
  • The Tower Club (1988)
• Warrenton
  • The Fauquier Club (1906)

Washington

• Bellevue
  • The Bellevue Club
• Seattle
  • The Rainier Club (1888)
  • The Washington Athletic Club (1930)
• Spokane
  • The Spokane Club (1890)
• Tacoma
  • The Tacoma Club (1930)

Wisconsin

• Madison
  • The Madison Club (1909)
• Milwaukee
  • The Milwaukee Athletic Club (1882)
  • The University Club of Milwaukee (1898)
  • The Wisconsin Club (1891)

See also

• List of India's gentlemen's clubs
• List of London's gentlemen's clubs

Further reading

• "Club men of New York: their occupations, and business and home addresses", New York : The Republic press [etc.], 1893. Cf. starting at p. 39.