Indian Harbor Yacht Club facts for kids
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| Founded | 1889 |
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| Location | 710 Steamboat Road, Greenwich, CT,  United States 06830 |
The Indian Harbor Yacht Club is a special club for people who love boats and sailing. It is located in Greenwich, CT. This club has a long and exciting history of yachting.
A group of important sports enthusiasts started the club in New York City in 1889. It is mostly for people who own yachts and pleasure boats. However, it also has a strong tradition of competitive boat races. Members of the club have helped improve the sport of yachting and how yachts are designed. The New York Times newspaper once said that Indian Harbor is "among the most influential institutions of its kind in the country." This means it is one of the most important yacht clubs around. You can only join the club if you are invited.
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The Club's Beginnings and Growth
On July 1, 1889, the Indian Harbor Yacht Club officially began. Leaders like Frank Bowne Jones and Henry S. Doremus helped create it. The club wanted to encourage and support yachting. They also wanted to improve how yachts are designed and built. Another goal was to teach people about sailing and navigation. Later, they added that the club would also provide fun and relaxation for its members.
This club was mainly for sailing. Henry E. Doremus was the first leader, called a Commodore. William Ross Proctor was the Vice Commodore, and Charles J. Hart was the Rear Commodore. The club first had its main office in New York. In 1892, it rented Finch's Island in Greenwich to use as its sailing base.
The land where the club is now was bought in 1895 by Commodore Charles T. Wills. The main clubhouse building was built in 1921. It has a unique design called Mediterranean Revival. The architect, Henry Pelton, was also a member of the club's race committee.
Before World War II, many large ships and sailing boats used to fill the waters near the club. Today, there are still some very large boats at Indian Harbor. However, they would have seemed small compared to the huge ships registered there in the 1930s.
Racing and Achievements
The Indian Harbor Yacht Club has had more boats enter the Newport Bermuda Race than any other yacht club in the world. This is a very famous and challenging ocean race. Club members were also part of the crew on the Intrepid yacht. This yacht won the important America's Cup races in 1967 and 1970.
In 1989, the club celebrated its 100th birthday. To mark this special event, they published a book called 'A Century of sailing'. This book told the story of the club's first one hundred years.
The club's buildings on Steamboat Road were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. This honor recognized the club's importance in yacht racing and its beautiful clubhouse architecture. The Indian Harbor Yacht Club is also one of the founding members of the National Sailing Hall of Fame.
Famous Members of the Club
Many notable people have been members of the Indian Harbor Yacht Club. Some of them include:
- Thomas Watson Jr.
- Dick Nye
- Elias Cornelius Benedict
- George Lauder (Scottish industrialist)
- Edward J. Noble
- Clifford D. Mallory
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