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Knickerbocker Club facts for kids

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Knickerbocker Club
Knickerbocker-club.jpg
In 2008
Formation 1871 (1871)
Type Private social club
Location

The Knickerbocker Club (known informally as The Knick) is a private social club in New York City. It was founded in 1871. Many people think it is one of the most exclusive clubs in the United States. It is also considered one of the most aristocratic private clubs in the world.

The word "Knickerbocker" became a way to describe an old, important New York family. This was partly because of writer Washington Irving, who used the pen name Diedrich Knickerbocker. It's like saying "Boston Brahmin" for an old Boston family.

How the Knickerbocker Club Started

(King1893NYC) pg552 KNICKERBOCKER CLUB, FIFTH AVENUE AND 32D STREET
The club's building in 1882, at Fifth Avenue and 32nd Street

The Knickerbocker Club was started in 1871. Some members of another club, the Union Club of the City of New York, felt that the rules for joining their club were not strict enough. So, they decided to create a new, more exclusive club.

By the 1950s, fewer people were joining social clubs in cities. This was because many wealthy families were moving to the suburbs. In 1959, the Knickerbocker Club thought about joining the Union Club again. The plan was to combine its 550 members with the Union Club's 900 members. However, this idea never happened.

Knickerbocker Club
The current club building at 2 East 62nd Street, photographed in 2011

The Knick's current building is at 2 East 62nd Street. It looks like a grand old house, built in a style called neo-Georgian. It was built between 1913 and 1915. Before that, a wealthy widow named Josephine Schmid had a mansion on the same spot. The famous architects William Adams Delano and Chester Holmes Aldrich designed the building. Today, it is recognized as a city landmark.

Who Can Join the Knickerbocker Club?

Most members of the Knickerbocker Club come from very old and important families. These are often descendants of British and Dutch aristocratic families. These families either ruled the early American Colonies in the 1600s or came from Europe for political reasons. For example, some were supporters of the King against Oliver Cromwell in England. Others are current members of international noble families.

However, by the mid-1900s, the club started to accept a few descendants of important families from the Gilded Age. These were families who became very rich later, like the Rockefellers and Stillmans.

It's interesting to see how new wealthy families slowly became part of the "upper class" over time. For example, John D. Rockefeller, who was one of the richest people ever, joined a respectable but not top-level club. His son, John D. Rockefeller Jr., joined a slightly more exclusive club. Finally, his grandson, John D. Rockefeller III, was accepted into the Knickerbocker Club. This shows how "old money" (families with wealth for generations) often prefers to keep things traditional. But over time, "new money" (newly rich families) can also gain entry into these exclusive groups.

Famous Members of the Knickerbocker Club

Many well-known people have been members of the Knickerbocker Club. They include leaders, diplomats, and important figures from history. Here are a few examples:

Clubs Around the World

The Knickerbocker Club has special agreements with other private clubs in different cities. This means members can often visit these other clubs when they travel. Here are some of them:

  • Jockey Club in Paris, France
  • Circolo della Caccia in Rome, Italy
  • Cercle Royal du Parc in Brussels, Belgium
  • Metropolitan Club in Washington D.C., USA
  • Boodle's in London, England
  • Brooks's in London, England
  • Nya Sällskapet [sv] in Stockholm, Sweden
  • Jockey Club für Österreich in Vienna, Austria
  • Turf Club in Lisbon, Portugal
  • New Club in Edinburgh, Scotland
  • Nuevo Club in Madrid, Spain
  • Haagsche Club [nl] in The Hague, Netherlands
  • Norske Selskab in Oslo, Norway
  • Nouveau Cercle de l'Union [fr] in Paris, France
  • Círculo de Armas [es] in Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Australian Club in Sydney, Australia
  • Kildare Street & University Club in Dublin, Ireland
  • Società del Whist – Accademia Filarmonica in Turin, Italy
  • Somerset Club in Boston, USA

See also

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