The following is a list of notable traditional gentlemen's clubs in the United States. For those that have closed, see the List of defunct gentlemen's clubs in the United States.
Historically, these clubs were exclusively for men, but most now admit women.
On exclusivity and assimilation into the upper class
Christopher Doob explains in his book Social Inequality and Social Stratification in U.S. Society:
E. Digby Baltzell, sociologist of the WASP establishment, explains in his book Philadelphia Gentlemen: The Making of a National Upper Class:
History The traditional gentlemen's club originated in London (in particular the St James's area) in the 18th century as a successor to coffeehouses. These clubs also continue to operate in the United States. The five oldest existing American clubs are the South River Club in South River, Maryland (c.1690/1700), the Schuylkill Fishing Company in Andalusia, Pennsylvania (1732), the Old Colony Club in Plymouth, Massachusetts (1769), the Philadelphia Club in Philadelphia (1834), and the Union Club of the City of New York in New York City (1836). The Boston Club, of New Orleans, named after the card game and not the city, is the oldest southern club, founded in 1841. The five oldest existing clubs west of the Mississippi River are the Pacific Club in Honolulu (1851), the Pacific-Union Club (1852), Olympic Club (1860), and Concordia-Argonaut Club (1864), all in San Francisco, and the Arlington Club in Portland, Oregon (1867).
Present day While most major American cities today have at least one gentlemen's club, they are most prevalent in older cities, especially those on the East Coast. As detailed below, only thirteen American cities have five or more such clubs: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. Also as detailed below, New York City contains more than any other American city, including the Yale Club of New York City, the largest traditional gentlemen's club in the world. Throughout the country, though, many clubs have reciprocal relationships with the older clubs in London, with each other, and with other gentlemen's clubs around the world.
A few American gentlemen's clubs maintain separate "city" and "country" clubhouses, essentially functioning as both a traditional gentlemen's club in one location and a country club in another: the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta, the Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee,Tom Daykin, "Brynwood joins Wisconsin Club: Private clubs will share name, facilities purchase is possible," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Oct. 20, 2009) the New York Athletic Club in New York City, the Union League of Philadelphia, the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, and the Olympic Club in San Francisco. Similarly, the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles functions as a traditional gentlemen's club in one location and a beach club in another.
Because the term "gentlemen's club" is commonly used in the United States to refer euphemistically to strip clubs, traditional gentlemen's clubs often are referred to as "men's clubs" or "city clubs" (as opposed to country clubs) or simply as "private social clubs" or just "private clubs". For other meanings and nuances of the word "club", see club.
Clubs currently operating
Alabama Birmingham The Club (1951)Hannah Wolfson, "Conflict over changes continues at The Club," Birmingham News (Jan. 25, 2008) Mobile The Athelstan Club (1875) Tuscaloosa The University Club of the University of Alabama (1944)
Alaska Anchorage The Petroleum Club of Anchorage (1958)Petroleum Club of Anchorage (official site) Dermot Cole, "North to the Future: The Alaska Story 1959–2009" (Epicenter: 2008)
Arizona Tempe The University Club at Arizona State University (1989)City of Tempe Historic Preservation, "Administration/Science Building (University Club)" (Retrieved June 19, 2013)
Tucson The Mountain Oyster Club (1948)Richard Ducote, "Downtown Institution Moves East," Arizona Daily Star (May 14, 2003)
California Bakersfield The Petroleum Club of Bakersfield (1952)James Burger, "Bakersfield, Calif., Petroleum Club to Move Location," Bakersfield Californian (Aug. 14, 2002) Berkeley The Berkeley City Club (1927) The Berkeley Faculty Club (1902)
Eureka The Ingomar Club (1950)
Los Angeles The Academy of Magical Arts (1952) The California Club (1887) The Jonathan Club (1895) The Los Angeles Athletic Club (1880)
Modesto Old Fisherman's Club Monterey Pacheco Club (1957)Christine Delsol, "Citrus tints fall colors in Fresno County," San Francisco Chronicle (Nov. 26, 2006) Newport Beach The Pacific Club (1981), which presents the Lott Trophy Oakland The Bellevue Club (1929) (Never a gentlemen's club, it was exclusively for women until 1973)"Bellevue Club marks 80 years," Alameda Times-Star (Feb. 26, 2009) Palo Alto The Stanford Faculty Club (1908)Nancy Rue, "Pascal's Wager" (Random House: 2011) The University Club of Palo Alto (1952)John Reid, "Maddy," Palo Alto Daily News (May 20, 2011) Pasadena The Athenaeum at Caltech (1930) The University Club of Pasadena (1922)Jesse Katz, "Move to Admit Women Splits Claremont Club: Time Poaches on a Male Preserve," Los Angeles Times (Mar. 15, 1987) Sacramento The Sutter Club (1889)Allen Pierleoni, "Counter Culture: The exclusive Sutter Club," Sacramento Bee (Sept. 7, 2012) San Diego The Faculty Club (1975)"Faculty Club Celebrates Staff with April Membership Promotion," States News Service (Mar. 27, 2012) The University Club of San Diego (1896)Roger Showley, "University Club: The ultimate in networking central," San Diego Union-Tribune (Feb. 23, 2011) San Francisco The Bohemian Club (1872), which hosts the Bohemian Grove retreat The Cercle de l'Union ("the French Club") (1905)Lawrence Kinnaird, "History of the Greater San Francisco Bay Region" (Lewis Historical Publishing: 1966) The City Club of San Francisco (1930), until 1987 called the Pacific Stock Exchange Lunch ClubRebecca Cook, "Posh City Clubs Loosen Their Ties to Stay Alive," Los Angeles Times (July 28, 2002) The Concordia-Argonaut Club (1864)Concordia-Argonaut Club (official site)"S.F.'s Concordia Argonaut Club Board Urges Admitting Women," Los Angeles Times (June 17, 1987) The Family (1901), founded by members of the Bohemian Club who left in a dispute The Marines Memorial Club (1946) The Norwegian Club of San Francisco (1898) (women first became full members in 2020) The Olympic Club (1860) The Pacific-Union Club (1852) The University Club of San Francisco (1890) The Villa Taverna (1960)
San Jose The Sainte Claire Club (1888)Dave O'Brian, "View from the Top: A Pricey, Private Club Aims to Make San Jose Silicon Valley's Capital," San Jose Mercury News (Nov. 12, 1990) The Silicon Valley Athletic Club (1981), until 2012 called the San Jose Athletic ClubSal Pizarro, "'Man Jose' No More: Events Target Women" (July 29, 2012)
Santa Barbara The Faculty Club (1963)"The wild, wondrous imagination of Charles W. Moore," Smithsonian (June 1, 1984) The Santa Barbara Club (1892) The University Club of Santa Barbara (1923)
Colorado Colorado Springs The El Paso Club (1877)Dave Philipps, "El Paso Club votes to deny women entry," Colorado Springs Gazette (July 11, 2011) Denver The Cactus Club (1911)The Cactus Club, "100, the Cactus Club Centennial, 1911–2011" (Club Press 2011) men only; serving lunch daily The Denver Athletic Club (1884) The Denver Petroleum Club (1948)Howard Pankratz, "Petroleum Club eager to build on history," Denver Post (Sept. 10, 2007) The Denver Press Club (1877), the oldest existing press club in the United States The University Club of Denver (1891)Gary Massaro, "University Club Opens to Women," Denver Rocky Mountain News (Dec. 21, 1990)
Connecticut Greenwich The Field Club (1908)Roger Bullard, "A Century at the Field Club of Greenwich: 1908–2008" (Capital Offset: 2008) Hartford The Hartford Club (1873)
New Haven The Elm City Club (1892) Mory's Association (1849) The New Haven Lawn Club (1891)
New London The Thames Club (1869)Kathleen Edgecomb, "Thames Club carries on in style," Associated Press (Feb. 1, 2009)
Delaware Wilmington The Wilmington Club (1855) The University and Whist Club (1891)
District of Columbia Washington The Alibi Club (1884) The Army and Navy Club (1885) The Arts Club of Washington (1916) The Capitol Hill Club (The National Republican Club) (1951) The Cosmos Club (1878) The George Town Club (1966) The Metropolitan Club (1863)Glover, Charles C., III (1962) "A Brief History of the Metropolitan Club" Records of the Columbia Historical Society of Washington, D.C. vols 60-62 pp. 266–277 The National Press Club (1908) The Sulgrave Club (1922) The University Club of Washington, DC (1904)Carla Hall, "One for The Women: University Club Amends Membership Bylaws," Washington Post (June 21, 1984)
Florida Jacksonville The River Club of Jacksonville (1954)Christopher Calnan, "River Club project in Jacksonville, Fla., to double initial cost," Florida Times-Union (Oct. 7, 2004) Orlando The Citrus Club (1971) Surfside The Surf Club (1930)Andres Viglucci, "Renovation of Surf Club, where Winston Churchill painted, goes to Surfside Commission Monday," Miami Herald (Oct. 14, 2012) Tallahassee The Governor's Club (1982)"Take a peek inside the mysterious Governor's Club," Tallahassee Democrat (July 6, 2010) Tampa The Tampa Club (1982)Amy Scherzer, "Tampa Club gets new look," St Petersburg Times (Nov. 17, 2006) The University Club of Tampa (1946)Susan H. Thompson, "University Club's Glass Ceiling is Gone," Tampa Tribune (May 5, 2000)
Georgia Atlanta The Buckhead Club (1988) The Burns Club Atlanta (1896) The Capital City Club (1883) The Cherokee Town and Country Club (1956)"Atlanta's Most Prestigious Private Clubs," Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Apr. 23, 1989) The Piedmont Driving Club (1887)
Augusta The Pinnacle Club (1967) Savannah The Chatham Club (1968)Phinizy Spalding, Harvey H. Jackson, "Oglethorpe in Perspective: Georgia's Founder After Two Hundred Years" (University of Alabama: 2006) The Oglethorpe Club (1870)"Becoming Southern: the Jews of Savannah, Georgia, 1830-70," American Jewish History (Dec. 30, 2008)
Hawaii Honolulu The Pacific Club (1851) Outrigger Canoe Club (1908)
Idaho Boise The Arid Club (1890)"A new classic: Inside the transformation of Boise's historic Arid Club," Idaho Statesman (Feb. 5, 2009)
Illinois Chicago The Arts Club of Chicago The Casino Club (1914) The Caxton Club (1895) The Chicago Club (1869) Chicago Yacht Club The Cliff Dwellers Club (1907) Columbia Yacht Club of Chicago The Metropolitan Club The Quadrangle Club (1893) The Racquet Club of Chicago (1923) The Sky-Line Club The Tavern Club The Union League of Chicago (1879) The University Club of Chicago (1887)
Decatur The Decatur Club (1883)Dayle Cochran Irwin, "The Decatur Club 1883–2003" (Club Press: 2003) Oakbrook Terrace The DuPage Club (1984) Peoria The Creve Coeur Club (1894)"Holling Makes History," Peoria Journal Star (July 9, 2002) Rockford The University Club of Rockford (1911) Wilmette The Michigan Shores Club (1904), until 1943 called the Shawnee Club
Indiana Bloomington The University Club of Indiana University (1958) Indianapolis The Antelope Club (1947)http://www.placestogoinindianapolis.com/places/711427-Antelope-Club/ The Columbia Club (1889) The Indianapolis Press Club (1934–2004), insolvent, but still operates a charitable foundation The University Club of Indianapolis (1893)
Iowa Davenport The Outing Club (1891)
Des Moines The Des Moines Embassy Club (1909), formed in 2002 from the merger of the Embassy Club and Des Moines ClubJ. Boeckman, "Embassy Club readies friendly new home in WDM," Des Moines Register (Aug. 30, 2010)
Kansas Kansas City The Kansas City Athletic Club (1887)
Kentucky Lexington