Schuylkill Navy
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3d/Schuylkill_Navy_logo.png/220px-Schuylkill_Navy_logo.png)
The Schuylkill Navy is an association of amateur rowing clubs of Philadelphia. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States.[1] The member clubs of the Navy are all located on the Schuylkill River where it flows through Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, with most of the clubs being located on the historic Boathouse Row.
The Navy organizes several rowing races during the year. Many of the clubs in the Navy have a rich history and have produced a large number of Olympic and World class competitors.
Origins
![The International Four-Oared Regatta on the Schuylkill River, August 29–30, 1876, hand-colored engraving.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/1876_Regatta_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-1876_Regatta_%28cropped%29.jpg)
The Schuylkill Navy was founded by Philadelphia rowing clubs seeking a governing body to prevent fixed races.[2] Once formed, the Navy enacted a code of conduct that prohibited wagering on races.[2] The success of the Schuylkill Navy and similar organizations contributed heavily to the extinction of professional rowing and the sport's current status as an amateur sport.[3]
!['Atalanta Boat Club crew (of NYC) in Philadelphia for the 1876 Centennial International Regatta](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/International_regatta_Philadelphia_1876_Atalanta_crew_New_York_city_club_by_Phillips_Warren-cropped-large.png/220px-International_regatta_Philadelphia_1876_Atalanta_crew_New_York_city_club_by_Phillips_Warren-cropped-large.png)
Historically, the Schuylkill Navy has had a role in certain ceremonial and State functions.[4] On November 11, 1872, the Navy composed the funeral solemnities of General George Meade.[4] In 1876, in connection with the Centennial Exposition, an international regatta was held under the auspices of the Schuylkill Navy.[4] At that time, it was the largest regatta of its kind.[4] On April 27, 1878, crews from various clubs of the Navy staged a demonstration to honor the President Rutherford B. Hayes's visit to Philadelphia.[4]
Pre-Civil War
The following nine clubs were present at the founding of the society in October 1858: America, Camilla, Chebucto, Falcon, Independent, Keystone (the 1st), Neptune (the 1st), Pennsylvania (the 1st), and University.[5][6] Later that month, Amateurs, Nautilus, and Quaker City joined.[6] While not at that first meeting, Undine and Bachelors joined the Navy soon after its founding.[7] Bachelors absorbed member, Amateurs, in December 1858, and became a member in March 1859.[6] While Undine was not initially listed as a founder, it is considered a founder of the Navy because one of Undine's members was the Secretary Treasurer of the Navy at its inception.[8]
In March 1860, Union Boat Club and Atlantic Barge Club (the 1st) joined the Schuylkill Navy.[6] In September 1860, founder, Camilla Boat Club, resigned.[6] By June 1861, Falcon, Pennsylvania, and Atlantic dissolved.[6] Half of the remaining Schuylkill Navy clubs lapsed during the Civil War.[9] As of August 1865, Chebutco, Excelsior, Union, Independent, and Keystone no longer existed.[8]
Post Civil War
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Flags_of_the_Schuylkill_Naby_copy.png/220px-Flags_of_the_Schuylkill_Naby_copy.png)
Rowing resumed after the Civil War ended, but many of the fledgling post-war clubs did not last. On August 17, 1865, Pennsylvania Barge Club (the 2nd) and Philadelphia Barge Club were elected to the Navy.[8] Five days later, Malta Boat Club and Washington Boat Club (now known as Vesper) joinded.[8]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Schuylkill_Navy_Flags_1870_copy.png/220px-Schuylkill_Navy_Flags_1870_copy.png)
In 1867, the Navy admitted Iona (the 1st), but Iona terminated its membership after it became part of Crescent Boat Club, which joined in 1868.[10] In April 1868, rowers split from Neptune to form the second Atlantic Boat Club.[10] Keystone (the 2nd) joined the Navy in February 1870, but resigned by the end of the year.[10] Washington Boat Club was renamed Vesper Boat Club in 1870, then resigned in 1871, and was not a member again until 1879.[10] Bachelors resigned in 1870 and did not rejoin until 1882.[10] West Philadelphia Barge Club and College Boat Club joined in 1873 and 1875, respectively.[10]
A new Iona Boat Club, chartered in 1876, joined the Navy in 1884, and lasted until 1895.[10] Fairmount Rowing Association, in existence since 1877, was admitted in 1916.[10] In 1924, Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association absorbed West Philadelphia Boat Club.[10] In 1932, under the pressures of the Great Depression, Quaker City Barge Club and Philadelphia Barge Club closed their doors.[11]
Post World War II
World War II dramatically reduced the membership rolls of the clubs of the Schuylkill Navy.[12] As a result Crescent Boat Club resigned and leased its boathouse to LaSalle Rowing Association from 1951 until 1960.[1] Pennsylvania Barge Club (the 2nd) ceased rowing in 1955.[1] Pennsylvania turned its boathouse over to the Navy until its membership was reinstated in 2009.[13]
In 1968, Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club, a women only club, became a member of the Schuylkill Navy.[14] Most recently, Gillin Boat Club was elected to the Navy by unanimous vote in 2004.[15]
Member clubs
Current members
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/FairmountRA2010.jpg/220px-FairmountRA2010.jpg)
- Established in 1877 and located at #2 Boathouse Row, Fairmount, is on the National Register of Historic Places.[16] Fairmount gained admission to the Schuylkill Navy in 1916, after it had been rejected for decades.[17] In 1945 the boathouse underwent a huge expansion in which it merged with what was #3 on Boathouse Row to create the current Fairmount Rowing Association boathouse.[17] Fairmount has called itself the "premire club for Masters rowing in the mid-Atlantic region".[17] Recently the club has produced several world class rowers.[18][19][20] The club is currently coached by Ahsan Iqbal and is affiliated with La Salle University and Episcopal Academy.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Pennsylvania_Barge_Club.jpg/220px-Pennsylvania_Barge_Club.jpg)
- Founded in 1861 and located at #4 Boathouse Row, The Pennsylvania Barge Club is also known as the Hollenback House, after William M. Hollenback Jr., who from 1979 to 1985 served as the president of the governing body of rowing, USRowing.[21] It is alleged that painter Thomas Eakins was a member of of Pennsylvania Barge Club as he frequently painted rowers and one of his close friends, Max Schmitt, is known to have rowed for the club and won the single sculls national championship 6 times.[22] Pennsylvania Barge Club has represented the United States at the Summer Olympic Games in 1920 (coxed four), 1924 (coxed four), 1928 (coxed four and four without coxswain) and 1932 (pair with coxswain).[23] In 1955, due to World War II the boathouse suffered a severe decrease in membership and turned its facility over to the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen, which would later become USRowing, to serve as their headquarters.[12][24][25] In 2009 Pennsylvania Barge Club was reinstated as a member of the Schuylkill Navy; the clubs current president is Michael Ragan and it is affiliated with La Salle College High School.[26]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Crescent2010.jpg/220px-Crescent2010.jpg)
- Established in 1867 and located at #5 Boathouse Row, Crescent Boat Club was one of the first members of the Schuylkill Navy.[27] The club began to be known as Crescent when Pickwick Barge Club and Iona Barge Club merged.[28][29][30] Crescent competed in and won the double sculls in the first National Association of Amateur Oarsmen regatta, currently known as the USRowing Club National Championships.[31] After World War II the club, like many others on Boathouse Row, suffered a dramatic decrease in membership and turned the operation of the boathouse over to the La Salle Rowing Assocition, who controlled it from 1951 to 1960.[24] By 1974 the boathouse was vacant and was not returned to prosperity until it came under the reins of John Wilkins.[32][33] The club is affiliated with the Roman Catholic High School rowing team, which supplies most of Crescent's summer rowing membership, the St. Joseph's University Women's Rowing team and the La Salle College High School team. Crescent also has the smallest membership to the Schuylkill Navy on Boathouse Row.[34]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/DrexelCrew.png/220px-DrexelCrew.png)
- Located at #6 Boathouse Row, Bachelors was founded in 1853 and is the oldest continuously operating boathouse in the United States.[35] Founding members of Bachelors were members of a volunteer fire-fighting club called the Phoenix Engine Company. Israel Morris is credited with founding the club and was elected as its second president.[36] As the name of the club suggests, membership was restricted to "Bachelors", however shortly after its founding Bachelors opened its doors to married men.[33] Now the vast majority of the club's 150 members are women.[33] Bachelors has sent medaled at the Summer Olympic Games in the single sculls and the coxed four in 1924, the single sculls in 1928, and the double sculls in 1932.[35] More recently Bachelors sent Cody Lowry to the World Rowing Championships in 2009 in the lightweight men's single sculls.[37] Bachelors is currently affiliatd with the Conestoga High School, Lower Merion High School, and Radnor High School Men's and Women's teams,[38] along with the Drexel University Men's and Women's teams[39] and a fair amount of smaller programs and independent high school scullers.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/University72.png/220px-University72.png)
- Commonly referred to as UBC,[40] the club is located at #7 Boathouse Row and is designated as a National Historic Landmark.[41] Established in 1854 by 10 members of the University of Pennsylvania's freshman rowing class, UBC founded the Schuylkill Navy in 1858.[42] The clubs beginnings are considered to be "the dawn of organized athletics at the University of Pennsylvania" as at first membership was restricted solely to University of Pennsylvania students, later opening to alumni in 1867.[43][44] UBC is known as "the upper-class rowing club", as when it opened to the public most of its members were aristocracy and upper class citizens of the city of Philadelphia.[45] UBC is currently affiliated with the Chestnut Hill Academy high school boy's rowing team and the Springside School high school women's rowing team.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Vesper-Malta2010.jpg/220px-Vesper-Malta2010.jpg)
- The Malta Boat Club is located at #9 Boathouse Row and joined the Schuylkill Navy in 1865, after its establishment in 1860 when it relocated from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River, occupying what was the Excelsior Club boathouse.[46][47] In 1901 Malta became the tallest boathouse on Boathouse Row after George W. and William D. Hewitt designed the third story of the boathouse.[48]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Vesper72.png/220px-Vesper72.png)
- Established in 1865 and located at #10 Boathouse Row, Vesper joined the Schuylkill Navy in 1870. In 1873 Vesper built, in conjunction with Malta, a Template:Frac 1 story boathouse.[48] The boathouse has since been renovated and much of the design came from designs by Howard Egar in 1898.[49] Vesper's stated goal is "to produce Olympic champion."[50] This was most recently accomplished by Andrew Byrnes, Gold for Canada, and Josh Inman, Bronze for the United States, both in the [Rowing at the 2008 Summer Olympics- Men's eight|Men's 8+]] 2008 Summer Olympics.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/CollegeBC2010.jpg/220px-CollegeBC2010.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/PennAC2010.jpg/220px-PennAC2010.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Undine2010.jpg/220px-Undine2010.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Philadelphia_Girls_RC_2010.jpg/220px-Philadelphia_Girls_RC_2010.jpg)
Membership history timeline
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/mc3zg5kssj66pq9620dmm5yi38gukhr.png)
- Quaker City formed from the remnants of Camilla (1858)
- Bachelors Barge Club absorbed Amateurs Barge Club (1858)
- Crescent formed when Iona (1st) and Pickwick merged (1867)
- Washington became Vesper (1870)
- Penn AC absorbed West Philadelphia (1925)
- University Barge absorbed Philadelphia Barge (1932)
- Fairmount absorbed Quaker City (1945)
- Crescent turned over its boathouse to LaSalle (1951–1960)
- Pennsylvania turned over its boathouse to the Navy (1955–2009)
Photo gallery
-
Schuylkill River Rowing Courses (1872).
-
"Oarsmen on the Schuylkill" (aka "The Pennsylvania Barge Club Four") by Thomas Eakins (c. 1874).
-
A daytime photo of Boathouse Row (2006).
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c "Boathouse Row". Living Places. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ Moak, Jefferson (27 November 1983). "National Registry of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form". NPS Focus, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior. p. 669. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Heiland, p. 16
- ^ Crowther, Samuel (1905). Rowing and Track Athletics. New York: MacMillan. p. 24.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) Sources are inconsistent about who was at the first meeting. For example, Neptune and Pennsylvania are listed as represented at the meeting on the Schuylkill Navy website. See "Schuylkill Navy Clubs". Schuylkill Navy. Retrieved 30 April 2010. - ^ a b c d e f Heiland, p. 57
- ^ Crowther, Samuel (1905). Rowing and Track Athletics. New York: MacMillan. p. 24.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) Again, sources are inconsistent about which clubs were founders. For example, some sources indicate that Undine and Bachelors were founding members. See Janssen, Frederick William (1887). A History of American Amateur Athletics and Aquatics. New York. pp. 210–13.{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b c d Heiland, p. 58
- ^ "Schuylkill Navy Clubs". Schuylkill Navy. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Heiland, p. 59
- ^ Heiland, p. 60
- ^ a b "Program Pamphlet, Pennsylvania Barge Club, Album: Rowing and Regattas, Schuylkill Navy Records". Independence Seaport Museum. 1915. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ "Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta 2009 Program" (PDF). Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. 2009. p. 20. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ Stillner, Anna (2005). The Philadelphia Girls’ Rowing Club: An Incremental Historic Structure Report (Thesis). p. 105. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ "Facilities, Rober Gillin, Jr. Boathouse". Saint Joseph's University Hawks. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
- ^ NPS Focus, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior designating buildings 1-15 E. River Dr. (Boathouse Row) as Historic places. Search "Boat House Row" in the Resource Name box.
- ^ a b c Silverberg, Lee (19 May 2008). "A Very Brief History of the Fairmount Rowing Association". Fairmount Rowing Association. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ Teresa Z. Bell won an Olympic medal in the Lightweight Women’s Double. See Walker, Teresa M. (28 July 1996). "U.S. Rowing Women Fall Short Of Gold". Washington Post. Retrieved 1 May 2010. Bell was rowing out of Fairmount. See "Schuylkill Navy Honors Philadelphia's National Teamers". Rowing News. Vol. 3, no. 22. 15–29 December 1996. p. 3. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ James Castellan competed in the 1976 olympics. See Hood, Clifton R. (June 2006). "Penn in the Olympics: Penn Athletes Competing in the Olympic Games". University Archives and Records Center, University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 1 May 2010. Castellan is a Fairmount rower. See Silverberg, Lee (19 May 2008). "A Very Brief History of the Fairmount Rowing Association". Fairmount Rowing Association. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ Stan Cwiklinski, 1964 US Olympic gold medalist in the Men's Eight, rowed with Fairmount until joining Vesper Boat Club in 1963. See Stan Cwiklinski sports-reference.com
- ^ Stillner, Anna (2005). The Philadelphia Girls’ Rowing Club: An Incremental Historic Structure Report (Thesis). pp. 101–02. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ Kirkpatrick, Sidney D. (2006). "Champion Oarsman". The Revenge of Thomas Eakins. Yale University Press. p. 141. ISBN 978-0-300-10855-2.
- ^ Sweeney, Joe. "The History of the Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association: Part 2 - Beginning of the Clubs". Schuylkill Navy. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ a b "Boathouse Row". Living Places. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ "Program Pamphlet, Twenty sixth Annual Regatta of the NAAO, Album: Rowing and Regattas, Schuylkill Navy Records". Independence Seaport Museum. 1898. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ "Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta 2009 Program" (PDF). Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. 2009. p. 20. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ Scharf, John Thomas (1884). "Public Squares, Parks, and Monuments". History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884. Vol. 3. L. H. Everts & Company. p. 1871.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Pickwick Barge Club was founded in 1865.Peverelly, Charles A. (1866). "Pickwick Barge Club". The Book of American Pastimes. New York. p. 217.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Keyser, K. C. (1872). "Fairmount Park". Fairmount Park: Sketches of its Scenery, Waters, and History (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen, and Haffelfinger. p. 21.
- ^ "Crescent Boat Club, History". Crescent Boat Club. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ Crowther, Samuel (1905). "The Association of Amateur Oarsmen". Rowing and Track Athletics. New York: MacMillan. pp. 165–66.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Moak, Jefferson (27 November 1983). "National Registry 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.
- ^ a b c Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta 2009 Program (PDF), Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, 2009, p. 18, retrieved 30 April 2010
- ^ "Crescent Boat Club". Schuylkill Navy. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ a b "The Stotesbury Cup Regatta". Stotesbury.com. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- ^ Morris Family Papers, Collection 2000B, 1695-1965 (bulk 1772-1884) (PDF), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 2007, p. 12, archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2010, retrieved 3 May 2010
{{citation}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "USRowing Announces 2009 World Championships Roster". United States Olympic Committee. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- ^ "About Us, History". Conestoga High School Crew. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- ^ "Drexel Crew to Row Out of Historic Bachelors Barge Club". Drexel University Athletics. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- ^ Thayer, John B. (1904). "The Early Years of the University Barge Club of Philadelphia". The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Vol. 29. Philadelphia: Historical Society of Pennsylvania. pp. 287–88.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|month=
ignored (help) - ^ "Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State" (PDF). National Historic Landmarks Survey, National Park Service. p. 81. Retrieved 6 May 2010. [dead link]
- ^ Crowther, Samuel (1905). "The Beginning of Rowing". Rowing and Track Athletics. New York: MacMillan. p. 24.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) J. Ashurst Bowie, Horace G. Browne, Alexander B. Coxe, Pemberton S. Hutchinson, Chas. I. Macouen, J. Beauclerc Newman, James H. Peabody, Edmund A. Robinson, George H. Waring, and John W. Williams. - ^ Tannenbaum, Seth S. (2006). "University Barge Club founded 1854, Penn Crew in the 1800s". University Archives, University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=
ignored (help) - ^ Thayer, John B. (1904). "The Early Years of the University Barge Club of Philadelphia". The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Vol. 29. Philadelphia: Historical Society of Pennsylvania. p. 284.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|month=
ignored (help) - ^ Burt, Nathaniel (1999). "The Schuylkill Navy". The Perennial Philadelphians: the anatomy of an American aristocracy. University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 297–98. ISBN 978-0-8122-1693-6.
- ^ Peverelly, Charles A. (1866). "Malta Boat Club". The Book of American Pastimes. New York. p. 213.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Janssen, Frederick W. (15 August 1888). "Malta Boat Club". Outing Library of Sports: American Amateur Athletic and Aquatic History 1829–1888. New York. pp. 211–12.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b "National Registry of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form". NPS Focus, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior. 27 November 1983. p. 663. Retrieved 7 May 2010. Cite error: The named reference "NPS14" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "National Registry of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form". NPS Focus, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, US Department of the Interior. 27 November 1983. p. 674. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ "Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta 2009 Program" (PDF). Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. 2009. p. 19. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
References
- Heiland, Louis (1938). The Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia, 1858 - 1937. Philadelphia: The Drake Press, Inc.
- Cain, Charles F. (1960). The Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia, 1838 - 1958. Philadelphia: Franklin Printing Company.