Metropolitan Club

The Metropolitan Club of New York (not to be confused with the Metropolitan Club in Washington D.C.) is a private social club in Manhattan, New York City. It was founded as a gentlemen's club in 1891 for men only, but it now allows women into membership.[1]

This article is about the private social club in New York City. For the club and historic structure in Washington, D.C., see Metropolitan Club (Washington, D.C.). For the 19th century baseball team, see New York Metropolitans.

The Metropolitan Club
The Metropolitan Club's Fifth Avenue façade
Formation1891
TypePrivate social club
Location
Websitemetropolitanclubnyc.org
Entrance on East 60th Street
Historical plaque outside the club

History

The Metropolitan Club was formed in 1891 by J. P. Morgan,[2] who served as its first president.

It was actually the second organization with that name in its neighborhood. The New York Times reported on Tuesday, March 10, 1891, about the name selected the prior Saturday:

There is already a Metropolitan Club, which for some years has occupied quarters in the neighborhood in which the millionaires think of building.[3]

Actually, the first organization to claim the name "Metropolitan Club" seemed to be described by The Times for over a decade without the prefix "The".[4]

Original members

Other original members of the club included William Kissam Vanderbilt and James A. Roosevelt. "Each member, which included Vanderbilts and Whitneys, contributed $5,000 to buy the plot of land."[2]

The building

The architects of the original building (erected in 1893)[5] were McKim, Mead & White.

The east wing, erected in 1912, was designed by Ogden Codman Jr.[6]

Its 1894 clubhouse, designed by Stanford White, stands at 1-11 East 60th Street, on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue. The land on which the Clubhouse stands (100 feet fronting on Fifth Avenue and 200 feet on 60th Street) was acquired from the Duchess of Marlborough who signed the purchase agreement in the United States Consulate in London. Cornelius Vanderbilt II signed the purchase agreement on behalf of the club.

The address of the Club's building is One East 60th Street;[2][7] the address for parking is 11 East 61st Street ("between Madison and Fifth Avenues" - "615 Garage Corporation").[8]

House rules

The Metropolitan Club was originally men-only. Today this is not the case, as noted in the DRESS CODE of the club's House Rules.

  • Men must wear jackets and ties - "turtlenecks and ascots are not acceptable."
  • Ladies have a longer list of what is "absolutely not acceptable."

Prohibition

Except in private spaces, "Cellular Phones" and Laptops are prohibited. There is no provision in the "No animals or pets are permitted" rule for seeing-eye dogs.

Activities

The club has had an ongoing involvement in the social life of the upper class:

Founding members

Other notable members

See also
  • List of traditional gentlemen's clubs in the United States

References
Notes
  1. Wilson, James Grant (1893). The Memorial History of the City of New York: From Its First Settlement to the Year 1892. New York History Co. p. 293.
  2. "The Metropolitan Club, located at 1 East 60th Street on the corner of 5th Avenue, was founded in 1891 by J.P. Morgan to challenge the Union Club, which had rejected some of his new money friends. Each member, which included Vanderbilts and Whitneys, contributed $5,000 to buy the plot of land ... "Inside 10 of New York City's most exclusive private clubs". October 26, 2015.
  3. "Very Hard On The Postmen.; It Would Seem That There Is One Metropolitan Club Too Many". The New York Times. March 10, 1891.
  4. "The Democratic State Nominations were ratified on Saturday night by the Metropolitan Club, at a public meeting held in Stuyvesant Institute. The lecture-room was crowded. Judge S.S.BOWNE was ..." Note that it says "the" (NOT "The") by Metropolitan Club. "POLITICAL". NYTimes.com. October 4, 1858.
  5. Some sources claim 1894, but it is clear that much if not most of the work was done in 1893. One item even mentions 1892.
  6. "The Metropolitan Club". Architect: McKim, Mead & White; Ogden Codman Jr. (east wing). Erected: 1893; 1912 (east wing)
  7. The mailing address is "1 East ..."
    the address on invitations to events is "One East ..." and
    the address given on the official web site is "One East Sixtieth ..."
  8. "The Metropolitan Club One East 60th Street at the corner of Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10022 Tel: (212) 838-7400. Parking is available at: 615 Garage Corporation 11 East 61st Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues New York, NY 10065 Tel: (212) 838-8869." "The Metropolitan Club - American Scandinavian Society".
  9. "Gives $15,780 for Opera; Metropolitan Club Adds Sum to Its $4,593 Individual Donations". The New York Times. May 3, 1940.
  10. "A Black-Tie Ball Fit for a Knight". The New York Times. September 27, 1915.
  11. "Metropolitan Club Annual Ball". The New York Times. December 28, 1978.
  12. "Backgammon Finals At Metropolitan Club". The New York Times. January 12, 1966. ... for the Children's Cancer Fund of America
  13. The Founder
Bibliography
  • Porzelt, Paul (1982). The Metropolitan Club of New York. Rizzoli International Publications. ISBN 978-0-8478-0423-8.
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