Yet today, you can still find reminders of these clubs of days gone by in the architecture of American cities. Their buildings have been adapted and reused for a variety of purposes, but they remain part of the landscape.
Baltimore Club on the right
The Baltimore Club was organized on January 9, 1878. Composed largely of the sons of members of the Maryland Club. It was to the Maryland Club what the Calumet was to the Union or the Rittenhouse was to the Philadelphia.
"Smoking Room," which appears in the plans as the "Main Hall"
In 1887 a new clubhouse opened for the Baltimore Club. It was designed by J.A. & W.T. Wilson, specifically for the Baltimore club and built by Henry Smith & Sons. The cost of the building without furnishings was about $25,000. Located at 916 North Charles Street, it occupied 34 foot wide lot, with a 6 foot wide space on the north for light. The lot also possessed a grade which was 5 feet higher at the rear of the building than at the front. The exterior is of specially made red brick, 16 inches long, with moulded brick around the original double and triple windows, now replaced, and moulded brick mullions. The dormer was copper, and the roof was of dark brown glazed tiles. The first story and basement, with sills and lintels as the upper windows, are of Manassas red sandstone. The steps are 12 feet wide with stone seats on either side, into a vestibule originally wainscoted with polished Etowah marble from quarries near Marietta, Georgia. This was the first use of this marble in Baltimore. The floors of the vestibule and inner hall were of marble mosaic.
First Floor
The outer and inner doors were originally of quartered oak, with massive elaborate hinges and lock-plates of hammered iron. A window to the small waiting room in the entrance hall and the upper light of the inner door were protected by handsome wrought iron grilles. The main hall was 31x23 feet and originally wainscoted 6 feet high with paneled work. A feature is the main staircase, 6 feet wide, to the second floor, originally with elaborate newels and columns to the ceiling. This was arranged to give a seat for messengers, etc, below the first landing. Originally the most prominent object upon entering is a large mantle in the main hall, 9 feet wide, with carved brackets supporting the massive shelf. On the frieze of this mantle was a quotation from an old English glee. The fireplace was 5 feet wide, faced with polished St. Bohem marble, and had a very handsome mosaic hearth. All the woodwork in the hall and stairway on both floors was originally quartered oak. The parlor was finished in natural cherry and has a wide bay window on Charles Street. Passing through the hall the café was reached. This was 20 feet square and communicated with the billiard room, 40x21 feet, originally with a raised platform for spectators on all sides. These rooms were originally of ash. The lavatory, opening out of the billiard room, was finished in polished white marble and enameled brick and was supplied with the most modern plumbing appliances. The partitions throughout the building were of fireproof construction. The large windows originally on the staircase, with main skylight and the reception room window, were filled with stained glass from Hester Brothers of New York.
The second floor, now essentially gutted for modern office space, was comprised of a library with an immerse triple window on Charles Street, two card rooms, public and private dining rooms, and a roof garden opening from the public dining room for use in the summer. This roof garden space was eliminated in a second floor expansion of the building some time after the Baltimore Club vacated the space.
The third floor contained four sleeping rooms for the use of members, with bathrooms and linen closets. The rear portion of the third floor was given up the kitchen department, with necessary storerooms, ice rooms, etc. A service stairway, which still exists, ran from the cellar to the roof, and there were numerous lifts for carrying food to the different floors, The steward's department was on the first floor, and was connected by electric bells and tubes with all parts of the building.
Basement Plan
In the basement were the cellars and laundry, and in the front portion a telegraph office and barber shop was fitted up.
By 1907, the Baltimore Club was in need of a larger clubhouse and sought out the former Abell mansion. on the northwest corner of Madison and Charles Streets opposite the University Club purchased April 5, 1883 by Arunah S. Abell, founder of the Baltimore Sun from the Kremelberg estate. When Abell bought the house it already contained 25 rooms. Abell contracted for plans for the remodeling of the house by George A. Frederick. The lot, 60 feet on Madison and 150 feet on Charles Street and the house was gray painted bricks with white marble trimmings to the base of the second floor. The entrance had only a sill elevation and passed through a wide hall. All the finishings were hardwood, and highly polished with decoration to great effect. The first floor contained a large reception room, waiting room, parlor, library and other rooms. There were hand decorated ceilings throughout and a handsome winding staircase in the center of the residence towered to the roof. The second floor contained six rooms, and the third floor had as many rooms of similar character. On the fourth floor were the servants quarters. There was a garden between the stable and house which as on a level with the second floor. hand decorated ceilings. handsome winding staircase in the center of the residence towers to the roof. The purchase price of this house and lot for the new Baltimore Club was $106,000.
Former Baltimore Club at the North-West corner of Charles and Madison Streets
In December 1907, the Baltimore Club, still located at 916 North Charles Street, awarded a contract to John Cowan, for general alterations and construction of two additions to the new club building at the corner of Charles and Madison Streets. The plans devised by Ellicott & Emmert, provided for a complete remodeling of the interior, marble and mosaic tile work, installation of new electrical, heating and plumbing systems, pneumatic tubes, two electric elevators, a refrigerating plant, and electric dumbwaiters. The additions were a one story billiard room 29x60 feet and a two story restaurant 28x60 feet. The total cost for this work was more than $75,000.
A complete re-trimming of the interiors left nothing but the frame of the structure. The Madison Street entrance with colonial pillars was moved 10 feet to the west, to the center of the building and made the main entrance. The Charles Street entrance was also rebuilt. The vestibules were of white marble with sienna and white marble border and the floor of the hallway on the Madison Street entrance was laid with the smallest size of vitreous mosaic tiles with a Sienna marble border. The stable of the Abell mansion was replaced with the two additions. This addition in rear of the first floor was a billiard hall built of brick and painted pearl gray to match the rest of the building. Between the two new buildings, which faced on Charles Street, connected with the main building corridors, was a garden. The old marble was be re-polished and new pieces were set where needed. The four marble newels to the iron stairway were reset as pedestals in the garden and the cast iron lamps were repainted and also used in the garden. The fountain was re-piped and consisted of two galvanized and painted cast iron frogs with spray jets in their mouths.
On the first floor of the main building was the was a large ballroom, next was the "strangers room" with telephones, the office and coatroom. Behind that was the bar and finally the billiard room. Running the entire length of the Charles Street side was the smoking or lounging room. The furniture on this floor was of oak. As the hallway was dark, several partitions were knocked down and replaced with iron pillars.
On the second floor was the drawing room, directly over the lounging room on the first floor and the most beautiful room in the house. Portraits of the First and Second Lords Baltimore by Florence Mackubin were hung on either side of the mantle there. Furniture on this floor was of mahogany. The drawing room was filled with Tiffany and Hayden furniture. At end of drawing room was the roof garden, with the steps of the roof garden leading down into the yard. Opposite the drawing room was the library and magazine room, in the rear of which was the main card room looking out over the garden.
On the third floor was the dining room in mahogany, with a serving room to the rear of it and two smaller rooms for private dinners or card games.
The fourth floor was a living floor with nine apartments, three of which had attached baths. There are two other bathrooms with showers and baths.
The kitchen was on the fifth floor, thus keeping from the lower floors the odors of cooking. The stewards office, laundry and servants quarters were also on the fifth floor. And the stained glass skylight was changed to clear glass.
On the first floor of the main building was the was a large ballroom, next was the "strangers room" with telephones, the office and coatroom. Behind that was the bar and finally the billiard room. Running the entire length of the Charles Street side was the smoking or lounging room. The furniture on this floor was of oak. As the hallway was dark, several partitions were knocked down and replaced with iron pillars.
On the second floor was the drawing room, directly over the lounging room on the first floor and the most beautiful room in the house. Portraits of the First and Second Lords Baltimore by Florence Mackubin were hung on either side of the mantle there. Furniture on this floor was of mahogany. The drawing room was filled with Tiffany and Hayden furniture. At end of drawing room was the roof garden, with the steps of the roof garden leading down into the yard. Opposite the drawing room was the library and magazine room, in the rear of which was the main card room looking out over the garden.
On the third floor was the dining room in mahogany, with a serving room to the rear of it and two smaller rooms for private dinners or card games.
The fourth floor was a living floor with nine apartments, three of which had attached baths. There are two other bathrooms with showers and baths.
The kitchen was on the fifth floor, thus keeping from the lower floors the odors of cooking. The stewards office, laundry and servants quarters were also on the fifth floor. And the stained glass skylight was changed to clear glass.
New electric wiring and gas pipes were installed throughout the building as well as electric buttons and annunciators and a new heating system. A pneumatic tube system for sending orders to the dining room was also installed, as were two electric elevators, one for passengers and one for freight. A new telephone service connecting every room in the building was provided and as was also a refrigerating plant which occupied one side of the cellar, and a wine cellar the other side, and electric dumbwaiters. Outside, the yard walls on Charles Street, a retaining wall in area and the Abell mansion porch were taken down.
Upon completion, the club was filled with many famous etchings loaned by Mrs. Harrison Garrett.
On August 31, 1908, 50 members marched from 916 north Charles street to the new clubhouse, formally marking its opening. The old clubhouse was bought by Gustavus Ober and mainly used as a hall for religious purposes after it was vacated by the Baltimore Club.
In 1924 a memorial to 148 members of the club who served and four members of the club who died in the First World War, by Baltimore sculptor Hans Schuler, was unveiled.
Needing more space, an addition to the club designed by Buckler and Fenhagen was begun in the summer of 1927. This work done by Thomas Hicks & Sons cost about $75,000 and consisted of a 40 foot addition on Charles Street, four stories high which was expected to be completed by January 1 , 1928.
Another addition was acquired in the summer of 1928, as annex at 6 West Madison, the former home of Dr. Frank Goodnow. Plans called for a double and single squash court on the top floor, with galleries, dressing rooms, baths, etc. The second floor and other available space in rear was to be converted into bachelor apartments for members. The first floor and basement were to be converted into physicians offices. Buckler and Fenhagen architects were to be the architects and the Consolidated Engineering Company was to do the work.
With the onset of the Great Depression, the club closed July 23, 1932, with their members being welcomed into the Maryland Club.
In December 2010 a fire gutted the building, but it has been saved and is once again occupied.
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