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Overview

The Olympic Club was organized in 1860, and occupied space in a building at Market and 2nd Streets in 1861 and 1862. The president was H.H. Moore, treasurer, W.H. Eldridge, secretary, H.H. Chauncy, and leader, H.B. Russ. In the first year, there were 105 members. It grew rapidly counting 250 members by 1862 and 390 by 1863. (See The San Francisco directory for the year commencing September, 1861, p. 483,San Francisco City Directory for the year commencing September, 1862, p. 568 and San Francisco City Directory for the year commencing September, 1863, p. 515.) By 1863, the Olympic Club moved to new quarters at 35 Sutter Street near Montgomery.

Building History

When the first, purpose-built Olympic Club facility opened in 01/1893, the San Francisco Callnewspaper published a long article detailing the club's history and its clubhouse locations. It reported that the early history of the Olympic Club involved meetings at two San Francisco Fire Department hook and ladder companies: “The first meeting of the San Francisco Olympic Club was held on the 6th of May, 1860, in the house of the Lafayette Hook and Ladder Company on Broadway. G.W. Bell was elected president, E. Bonnell secretary, H.G. Hanks treasurer, and by common consent Arthur Nahl was chosen leader. It should be here noted that this organization was effected six years before the establishment of the New York Athletic Club, the next oldest athletic club in the United States. The meetings which immediately followed were held in the house of the St. Francis Hook and Ladder Company on Dupont street, but the club first regularly opened in a hall on the corner of Clay and Kearny streets. ” (See "The New Temple of Exercise," San Francisco Call, 01/03/1893, p. 8.)

The article continued: “In 1871 there was a temporary split, lasting until 1873, when the rival sections reunited at their quarters on the corner of New Montgomery and Howard streets. From the quarters on Montgomery street, the club moved into the Morton House, on Post street. In the midst of this prosperity a fire broke out in the building occupied by the club in the early morning of June 20, 1883. The building was totally destroyed, together with all the furniture, paintings and apparatus. The property was in part covered by insurance, but the valuable records and mementos accumulated since the organization of the club, twenty-three years before, were gone beyond recall. A meeting of the members was quickly called. A subscription list was started and soon showed a handsome total. Temporary quarters were secured in the Phelan building, and finally a lease for ten years drawn for the upper two stories of the Alcazar building. There ensued an era of unequalized prosperity. The membership increased rapidly, and under the influence of a wise and progressive management the influence of the club began to spread abroad.”

PCAD id: 22665