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The Schuylkill Navy is an association of amateur
rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...
clubs of
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The member clubs are all on the
Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river in eastern Pennsylvania. It flows for U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map(). accessed April 1, 2011. from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Pottsville ...
where it flows through
Fairmount Park Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in Philadelphia and the historic name for a group of parks located throughout the city. Fairmount Park consists of two park sections named East Park and West Park, divided by the Schuylkill River, w ...
in Philadelphia, mostly on the historic
Boathouse Row Boathouse Row is a historic site which is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the east bank of the Schuylkill River just north of the Fairmount Water Works and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It consists of a row of fifteen boathouses housi ...
. By charter, the Schuylkill Navy’s object is "to secure united action among the several Clubs and to promote amateurism on the Schuylkill River." Over the years, the group has had a role in certain ceremonial and state functions. 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. At its founding, it had nine clubs; today, there are 16: Fairmount Rowing Association, Crescent Boat Club, Bachelors Barge Club, University Barge Club, Malta Boat Club,
Vesper Boat Club The Vesper Boat Club is an amateur rowing club located at #10 Boathouse Row in the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1865 as the Washington Barge Club, the club's name was changed to Vesper Boat Club in 1870. ...
,
College Boat Club The College Boat Club of the University of Pennsylvania is the rowing program for University of Pennsylvania Rowing, which is located in the Burk-Bergman Boathouse at #11 Boathouse Row on the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...
, Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association (Penn AC), Undine Barge Club (Undine), Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club (PGRC), Gillin Boat Club, Conshohocken Rowing Center, Pennsylvania Barge Club, Whitemarsh Boat Club, Sedgeldy, and Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports. At least 23 other clubs have belonged to the Navy at various times. Many of the clubs have a rich history, and have produced a large number of Olympians and world-class competitors.


Origins

The Schuylkill Navy was founded by nine Philadelphia rowing clubs seeking a governing body to prevent fixed races. Once formed, the Navy enacted a code of conduct that prohibited wagering on races. These 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 A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
. Later that month, Amateurs, Nautilus, and Quaker City joined. While not at that first meeting, Undine and Bachelors joined the Navy soon after its founding. Bachelors absorbed member, Amateurs, in December 1858, and became a member in March 1859. 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. In March 1860, Union Boat Club and Atlantic Barge Club (the 1st) joined the Schuylkill Navy. In September 1860 the founding club, Camilla Boat Club, resigned. By June 1861, Falcon, Pennsylvania, and Atlantic had dissolved. Half of the remaining Schuylkill Navy clubs lapsed during the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
. As of August 1865 Chebutco,
Excelsior Excelsior may refer to: Arts and entertainment Literature and poetry * "Excelsior" (Longfellow), an 1841 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow * "Excelsior", an 1877 picture book in verse by Bret Harte, published as an advertisement for the Sa ...
, Union, Independent, and Keystone no longer existed.


After the Civil War

Rowing resumed at the end of the Civil War, 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. Five days later Malta Boat Club and Washington Boat Club (now known as Vesper) joined. 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. In April 1868 rowers split from Neptune to form the second Atlantic Boat Club. Keystone (the 2nd) joined the Navy in February 1870, but resigned by the end of the year. Washington Boat Club was renamed
Vesper Boat Club The Vesper Boat Club is an amateur rowing club located at #10 Boathouse Row in the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1865 as the Washington Barge Club, the club's name was changed to Vesper Boat Club in 1870. ...
in 1870, then resigned in 1871, and was not a member again until 1879. Bachelors resigned in 1870 and did not rejoin until 1882. West Philadelphia Barge Club and
College Boat Club The College Boat Club of the University of Pennsylvania is the rowing program for University of Pennsylvania Rowing, which is located in the Burk-Bergman Boathouse at #11 Boathouse Row on the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...
joined in 1873 and 1875 respectively. On November 11, 1872, the Navy composed the funeral solemnities of General
George Meade George Gordon Meade (December 31, 1815 – November 6, 1872) was an American military officer who served in the United States Army and the Union army as Major General in command of the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War from 1 ...
. In 1876, it held an international regatta in connection with the
Centennial Exposition The Centennial International Exhibition, officially the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876. It was the first official wo ...
, the largest of its kind to that point. On April 27, 1878, crews from various clubs of the Navy staged a demonstration to honor President
Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was the 19th president of the United States, serving from 1877 to 1881. Hayes served as Cincinnati's city solicitor from 1858 to 1861. He was a staunch Abolitionism in the Un ...
's visit to Philadelphia. A new Iona Boat Club, chartered in 1876, joined the Navy in 1884, and lasted until 1895. Fairmount Rowing Association, in existence since 1877, was admitted in 1916. In 1924, Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association absorbed West Philadelphia Boat Club. In 1932, under the pressures of the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, Quaker City Barge Club and Philadelphia Barge Club closed their doors.


After World War II

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
dramatically reduced the membership rolls of the clubs of the Schuylkill Navy. As a result, Crescent Boat Club resigned and leased its boathouse to LaSalle Rowing Association from 1951 until 1960. Pennsylvania Barge Club (the 2nd) ceased rowing in 1955.
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
turned its boathouse over to the Navy until its membership was reinstated in 2009. In 1968, Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club, a women-only club, became a member of the Schuylkill Navy. Most recently, Gillin Boat Club was elected to the Navy by unanimous vote in 2004.


21st century

The Schuylkill Navy is the organizer of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series. With three of the largest regattas in the mid-Atlantic region on the schedule as well as two of the nation's oldest regattas, the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series connects the rowing competitors of today to the historic home of the international rowing elite. It is built on a tradition that launched November 12, 1835, with the first organized regatta on Philadelphia's historic Schuylkill River (a full eight years before the start of the rowing program at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
). In 2010, USRowing, the national governing body for
rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...
, announced the launch of a new Training Center Partner Program in order to create partnerships with clubs across the country interested in collaborating in the development of athletes who could potentially represent the United States in international races. The partner program places an emphasis on training athletes in small boat development and incorporating athletes in senior and under-23 camps and trials. Partners include Schuylkill Navy's Penn AC and
Vesper Boat Club The Vesper Boat Club is an amateur rowing club located at #10 Boathouse Row in the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1865 as the Washington Barge Club, the club's name was changed to Vesper Boat Club in 1870. ...
. Partner programs will have access to national team training programs, and have the opportunity to consult with USRowing National Team staff and the Director of Coaching Education, Kris Korzeniowski. In 2016, the composite crew racing as Schuylkill Navy won the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup at
Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a Rowing (sport), rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It diffe ...
.


Traditions


Regattas

* Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta: Held annually since 1953, this is the largest intercollegiate rowing event in the United States. Named for Harry Emerson “Dad” Vail, a crew coach at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...
, it was created to involve and support schools whose rowing programs were too small to compete in major races against larger institutions. * Head of the Schuylkill: Founded in 1971 by three members of the University Barge Club, it was intended to open up the head-racing season to Club rowers in an era when most headraces were held for Junior, University, and Elite rowers. By 2013, more than 6,500 athletes competed over the 2.5-mile course. *Independence Day Regatta: Originally called “The People's Regatta” and first held around 1880, the Independence Day Regatta was given its current name in 1958 to recognize the Schuylkill Navy’s 100th anniversary. It is a 2000m race held on the Sunday of the week of the Fourth of July. There are races for juniors, intermediate club, senior club, and masters. *Navy Day Regatta: It was founded in 1986 by two former
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
members who wanted to sponsor a regatta to promote and support U. S. Navy and
Marine Corps Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore (often in supp ...
awareness. A 700-meter trial race was held in 1986, and in 1987 the course was moved to the 2000-meter course above the Columbia Avenue Bridge. After the
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...
began attending the regatta, the race was lengthened to 2.5 miles as a preparation for the
Head of the Charles Regatta The Head of the Charles Regatta, also known as HOCR, is a rowing head race held on the penultimate complete weekend of October (i.e., on the Friday that falls between the 16th and the 22nd of the month, and on the Saturday and Sunday immed ...
and Head of the Schuylkill regattas held later in the fall season. * Stotesbury Cup: This regatta has been held continuously since 1927, with women's events starting in 1974. Edward T. Stotesbury fronted the cost for the regatta to make a championship race for the Boys' Senior Eight, which is held over 1500 meters. The Stotesbury is the largest high school regatta in the world with over 5000 competitors and 10,000 spectators in attendance at the Athlete Village.


Events

The Navy also sponsors other athletic endeavors including a basketball league and an annual cross country race. Schuylkill Navy Run The Schuylkill Navy Run, also known as the Turkey Trot, began in 1899. Held on
Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
, the race has been a tradition for rowers in the
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
region ever since, with the exception of two years during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and two years during World War II. It begins at Malta Boat Club on
Kelly Drive A kelly drive is a type of well drilling device on an oil or gas drilling rig that employs a section of pipe with a polygonal (three-, four-, six-, or eight-sided) or Rotating spline, splined outer surface, which passes through the matching pol ...
, and continues over 5 5/8 miles of hilly terrain. The runners go inbound on
Kelly Drive A kelly drive is a type of well drilling device on an oil or gas drilling rig that employs a section of pipe with a polygonal (three-, four-, six-, or eight-sided) or Rotating spline, splined outer surface, which passes through the matching pol ...
to the traffic light in front of Lloyd Hall, turn left and go up Lemon Hill and over the Girard Avenue Bridge, then right onto Lansdowne Avenue. Just past Sweetbriar Cutoff, the course turns right and starts the true “cross country” segment across grassy surfaces. Runners go to the General Meade Monument, then follow to the Pagoda entrance gate to Belmont Plateau, up the hill to Belmont Mansion, and return by way of Brewery Hill down Kelly Drive back to Malta Boat Club. Any and all members of The Schuylkill Navy clubs and its affiliates are eligible to compete, as well as friend and family guest runners. The classifications include the following categories: Open, Masters, Juniors, Guests, and Novices.


Member clubs


Current members

; Fairmount Rowing Association Established in 1877 and located at No. 2 Boathouse Row, Fairmount is on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. Fairmount gained admission to the Schuylkill Navy in 1916 after it had been rejected for decades. In 1945 the boathouse underwent a huge expansion in which it merged with what was No. 3 on Boathouse Row to create the current Fairmount Rowing Association boathouse. Fairmount has called itself the "premiere club for Masters rowing in the mid-Atlantic region". Recently the club has produced several world class rowers. The club is currently coached by Ahsan Iqbal and is affiliated with
La Salle University La Salle University () is a private university, private, Catholic university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The university was founded in 1863 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and named for St. Jean-Bapt ...
and
Episcopal Academy The Episcopal Academy, founded in 1785, is a private, co-educational school for grades Pre-K through 12 based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Prior to 2008, the main campus was located in Merion Station and the satellite campus was located in ...
. ; Pennsylvania Barge Club Founded in 1861 and located at No. 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. It is alleged that painter
Thomas Eakins Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins (; July 25, 1844 – June 25, 1916) was an American Realism (visual arts), realist painter, photographer, sculptor, and fine arts educator. He is widely acknowledged to be one of the most important American artist ...
was a member of the 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. Pennsylvania Barge Club represented the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
at the
Summer Olympic Games The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The 1896 Summer Olympics, inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, ...
in 1920 (coxed four), 1924 (coxed four), 1928 (coxed four and four without coxswain) and 1932 (pair with coxswain). 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. In 2009 Pennsylvania Barge Club was reinstated as a member of the Schuylkill Navy; the club's current president is Michael Ragan, and it is affiliated with La Salle College High School. ; Crescent Boat Club Established in 1867 and located at No. 5 Boathouse Row, Crescent Boat Club was one of the first members of the Schuylkill Navy. The club began to be known as Crescent when Pickwick Barge Club and Iona Barge Club merged. Crescent won the double sculls in the first National Association of Amateur Oarsmen regatta, currently known as the USRowing Club National Championships. 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 Association, which controlled it from 1951 to 1960. By 1974 the boathouse was vacant, and was not returned to prosperity until it came under the reins of John Wilkins. The club is now affiliated with
Thomas Jefferson University Thomas Jefferson University is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. ...
's rowing team and Roman Catholic High School rowing team, which supplies most of Crescent's summer rowing membership. Crescent has the smallest membership to the Schuylkill Navy on Boathouse Row. ; Bachelors Barge Club Located at No. 6 Boathouse Row, Bachelors was founded in 1853 and is the oldest continuously operating boathouse in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. 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. As the name of the club suggests, membership was restricted to "Bachelors"; however shortly after its founding Bachelors opened its doors to married men. Now the vast majority of the club's 150 members are women. Bachelors medaled at the
Summer Olympic Games The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The 1896 Summer Olympics, inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, ...
in the single sculls and the coxed four in 1924, the single sculls in 1928, and the double sculls in 1932. More recently Bachelors sent Cody Lowry to the
World Rowing Championships The World Rowing Championships is an international Rowing (sport), rowing regatta organized by International Rowing Federation, FISA (the International Rowing Federation). It is a week-long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer ...
in 2009 in the lightweight men's single sculls. Bachelors is currently affiliated with the Conestoga High School,
Lower Merion High School Lower Merion High School is a public high school in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, in the Main Line suburbs of Philadelphia. It is one of two high schools in the Lower Merion School District; the other one is Harriton High School. Lower Merion serves ...
, and Radnor High School Men's and Women's teams, along with the
Drexel University Drexel University is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony Joseph Drexel, Anthony J. Drexel, a financier ...
Men's and Women's teams and a number of smaller programs and independent high school scullers. ; University Barge Club Commonly referred to as
UBC The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...
, the club is located at No. 7 Boathouse Row, and is designated as a
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
. Established in 1854 by 10 members of the University of Pennsylvania's freshman rowing class, UBC founded the Schuylkill Navy in 1858. The club's beginnings are considered to be "the dawn of organized athletics at the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
" as at first membership was restricted solely to
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
students, later opening to alumni in 1867. 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. UBC is currently affiliated with the Chestnut Hill Academy high school boys' rowing team and the
Springside School Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (also known as SCH Academy or SCH) is an independent, non-sectarian Pre-K through grade 12 school located in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, approximately 10 miles fro ...
high school women's rowing team. ; Malta Boat Club The Malta Boat Club is located at No. 9 Boathouse Row and joined the Schuylkill Navy in 1865, after its establishment in 1860 when it relocated from the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...
to the Schuylkill River, occupying what was the Excelsior Club boathouse. In 1901
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
became the tallest boathouse on Boathouse Row after George W. and William D. Hewitt designed the third story of the boathouse. Malta currently does not have any strong affiliations, although some boats from The Shipley School are stored there. ;
Vesper Boat Club The Vesper Boat Club is an amateur rowing club located at #10 Boathouse Row in the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1865 as the Washington Barge Club, the club's name was changed to Vesper Boat Club in 1870. ...
Established in 1865 and located at No. 10 Boathouse Row, Vesper joined the Schuylkill Navy in 1870. In 1873 Vesper built, in conjunction with
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
, a 1 1/2 story boathouse. The boathouse has since been renovated, largely based ondesigns by Howard Egar in 1898. Vesper's stated goal is "to produce Olympic champions." This was most recently accomplished by Andrew Byrnes, Gold for
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, and Josh Inman, Bronze for the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, both in the Men's 8+
2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
. Vesper, along with its national team and Olympic aspirations, is affiliated with several high schools including Archbishop Prendergast, Friends Select School, and
Sacred Heart The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus () is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus Christ is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devotion to Christ is p ...
. ;
College Boat Club The College Boat Club of the University of Pennsylvania is the rowing program for University of Pennsylvania Rowing, which is located in the Burk-Bergman Boathouse at #11 Boathouse Row on the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...
(
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
) Located at No. 11 Boathouse Row,
College Boat Club The College Boat Club of the University of Pennsylvania is the rowing program for University of Pennsylvania Rowing, which is located in the Burk-Bergman Boathouse at #11 Boathouse Row on the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...
houses the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
rowing teams.
College Boat Club The College Boat Club of the University of Pennsylvania is the rowing program for University of Pennsylvania Rowing, which is located in the Burk-Bergman Boathouse at #11 Boathouse Row on the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...
houses the Men's, Women's and Lightweight squads, and its constituency is entirely made up of past rowers. The boathouse was established in 1872 after the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
moved its campus from Center City to West City, and became a member of the Schuylkill Navy in 1875. College Boat Club was admitted to the Schuylkill Navy in 1875. It was initially founded to give University of Pennsylvania students an alternative to the school's original
Boathouse A boathouse (or a boat house) is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. describing the facilities These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats ...
, University Barge Club. In 1877 University of Pennsylvania rowers from the club beat the University of Pennsylvania rowers from University Barge Club, making College Boat Club the official hub for most
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
rowers by 1879. By 1893 membership was opened to alumni and enrolled students. ; Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association Otherwise known as Penn AC, the club is located at No. 12 Boathouse Row and was founded in 1871 as the West Philadelphia Boat Club. The club became known as Penn AC in 1924, and joined the Schuylkill Navy in 1925. Penn AC has been a hub for elite and US National Team rowers since John B. Kelly Sr. joined the club after a falling out with his former club, Vesper. The club is currently affiliated with the Shipley School boys' and girls' rowing teams and the Monsignor Bonner High School boys' team, both of which have brought Stotesbury Cup wins back to the club in recent years. ; Undine Barge Club Established in 1856 and located at No. 13 Boathouse Row, Undine joined the Schuylkill Navy in 1858 and is considered a founding member. Both the boathouse (1882–83) and the clubhouse upstream, Castle Ringstetten (1875), were designed by architect
Frank Furness Frank Heyling Furness (November 12, 1839 – June 27, 1912) was an American architect of the Victorian era. He designed more than 600 buildings, most in the Philadelphia area, and is remembered for his diverse, muscular, often inordinately scaled ...
. The club is currently affiliated with the rowing teams from Penn Charter and the Baldwin School. The club is also known for its motto "Labor ipse voluptas" (in English: Labor itself is a pleasure). ; Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club Otherwise known as PGRC, the club is located at No. 14 Boathouse Row and is the oldest all-female rowing club in the world. Built in 1860, it is the oldest structure on Boathouse Row, and was originally constructed for the purpose of housing the Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society. Although not formally established until 1938, PGRC was formed by 17 women (mainly wives of rowers at other clubs who wished to partake in the activity of rowing). PGRC was formally admitted into the Schuylkill Navy in 1967, and currently hosts the girls' rowing team from the Agnes Irwin School. ; Gillin Boat Club ( St. Joseph's University and St. Joe's Prep) Although not on historic Boathouse Row, Gillin Boat Club sits on the 1,000 meter mark of the famous Schuylkill River 2,000 meter race course. Admitted into the Schuylkill Navy in 2004, Gillin hosts the St. Joseph's University and St. Joe's Prep rowing teams. The boathouse was the first built on this up-river portion of the Schuylkill River in 98 years.


Membership history timeline

DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:700 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1857 till:2020 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:30 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:m bar:1 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(10) till:1859 text:American (1858-) bar:2 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(10) till:1859 text: Camilla Boat Club (1858–1858) bar:3 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(15) till:1861 text:Falcon (1858-1861) bar:4 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(15) till:1861 text:Pennsylvania (1st) (1858-1861) bar:5 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(20) till:1862 text:Chebutco (1858-1862) bar:6 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(20) till:1862 text:Independent (1858-1862) bar:7 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(20) till:1862 text:Keystone (1st) (1858-1862) bar:8 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(20) till:1862 text:Neptune (1858-1862, 1867-68) bar:8 color:POWDERBLUE from:1867 till:1868 text: bar:9 color:GREEN from:1858 till:end text: University Barge Club (1858-present) bar:13 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(15) till:1859 text:Amateurs (1858-1858) bar:10 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 shift:(20) till:1862 text:Nautilus (1858-1862) bar:11 color:POWDERBLUE from:1858 till:1932 text: Quaker City Barge Club (1858–1932) bar:12 color:GREEN from:1858 till:end text: Undine Barge Club (1858-present) bar:14 color:GREEN from:1859 till:1870 text: Bachelors Barge Club (1859–1870, 1882-present) bar:14 color:GREEN from:1882 till:end text: bar:16 color:POWDERBLUE from:1859 till:1862 shift:(20) text: Excelsior Boat Club (1859-1862) bar:17 color:POWDERBLUE from:1860 till:1861 shift:(10) text:Atlantic (1860-1861, 1868-70) bar:17 color:POWDERBLUE from:1868 till:1870 text: bar:18 color:POWDERBLUE from:1860 till:1862 shift:(10) text:Union (1860-1862) bar:19 color:POWDERBLUE from:1862 till:1932 text: Philadelphia Barge Club (1862-1932) bar:20 color:POWDERBLUE from:1865 till:1870 text: Washington Boat Club (1865–1870) bar:21 color:GREEN from:1865 till:1955 text: Pennsylvania Barge Club (2nd) (1865–1955, 2009–present) bar:21 color:GREEN from:2009 till:end text: bar:23 color:GREEN from:1865 till:end text: Malta Boat Club (1865-present) bar:25 color:POWDERBLUE from:1867 shift:(10) till:1868 text: Iona Boat Club (1867-1868, 1884-1895) bar:25 color:POWDERBLUE from:1884 till:1895 text: bar:27 color:GREEN from:1868 till:1951 text: Crescent Boat Club (1868–1951, 1960-present) bar:27 color:GREEN from:1960 till:end text: bar:29 color:POWDERBLUE from:1870 shift:(10) till:1871 text:Keystone (2nd) (1870-1870) bar:30 color:GREEN from:1871 till:1872 text:
Vesper Boat Club The Vesper Boat Club is an amateur rowing club located at #10 Boathouse Row in the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1865 as the Washington Barge Club, the club's name was changed to Vesper Boat Club in 1870. ...
(1870–1871, 1879-present) bar:30 color:GREEN from:1879 till:end text: bar:32 color:POWDERBLUE from:1873 till:1924 text: West Philadelphia Boat Club (1873-1924) bar:33 color:GREEN from:1875 till:end text:
College Boat Club The College Boat Club of the University of Pennsylvania is the rowing program for University of Pennsylvania Rowing, which is located in the Burk-Bergman Boathouse at #11 Boathouse Row on the historic Boathouse Row of Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...
(1875-present) bar:35 color:GREEN from:1916 till:end text: Fairmount Rowing Association (1916–present) bar:36 color:GREEN from:1925 till:end text: Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association (1925-present) bar:37 color:POWDERBLUE from:1951 till:1960 text: LaSalle Rowing Association (1951-1960) bar:38 color:GREEN from:1967 shift:(-85) till:end text: Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club (1967-present) bar:39 color:GREEN from:2005 shift:(-163,-2) till:end text: Gillin Boat Club (2005–present) ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:20 start:1860 TextData = fontsize:L textcolor:black pos:(175,30) # tabs:(0-center) text:"Dates of Schuylkill Navy Membership"
; Notes * Quaker City formed from the remnants of Camilla (1858) * Bachelors Barge Club absorbed Amateurs Barge Club (1858) *
Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase (as it appears in the northern hemisphere) in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hindu iconography, Hind ...
formed when Iona (1st) and Pickwick merged (1867) * Washington became Vesper (1870) * Penn AC absorbed
West Philadelphia West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of the city of Philadelphia. Although there are no officially defined boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Avenue to the n ...
(1925) * University Barge absorbed Philadelphia Barge (1932) * Fairmount absorbed Quaker City (1945) *
Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase (as it appears in the northern hemisphere) in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hindu iconography, Hind ...
turned over its boathouse to LaSalle (1951–1960) *
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
turned over its boathouse to the Navy (1955–2009)


Photo gallery

File:Schuylkill_river.jpeg, Schuylkill River Rowing Courses (1872). File:Oarsmen on the schuylkill thomas eakins.jpeg, "Oarsmen on the Schuylkill" (aka "The Pennsylvania Barge Club Four") by
Thomas Eakins Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins (; July 25, 1844 – June 25, 1916) was an American Realism (visual arts), realist painter, photographer, sculptor, and fine arts educator. He is widely acknowledged to be one of the most important American artist ...
(c. 1874). File:Boathouse_Row-wide.JPG, A daytime photo of
Boathouse Row Boathouse Row is a historic site which is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the east bank of the Schuylkill River just north of the Fairmount Water Works and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It consists of a row of fifteen boathouses housi ...
(2006). File:Schuylkill Grandstand.JPG, Schuylkill Grandstand File:JB Kelly rowing Kelly Dr 2.JPG, Sculpture of John B. Kelly, 3 time Olympic Gold Medalist and a Commodore in the Schuylkill Navy File:Boathouse Row at night.JPG, Boathouse Row lit up at night File:Boat house row.jpg, Boathouse Row and Lemon Hill File:Philadelphia skyline August 2007 retouched.jpg, Schuylkill River Running through Philadelphia skyline File:Schuylkill bridge night.jpg, Schuylkill bridge at night


See also

* John B. Kelly Sr. * John B. Kelly Jr. * Joe Burk * Paul Costello


References

;Bibliography * * * * * {{Schuylkill Navy History of rowing Sports in Philadelphia Rowing in the United States Schuylkill River 1858 establishments in Pennsylvania Rowing associations