L'Hirondelle Club
Encyclopedia
L’Hirondelle Club is a private social club
located in Ruxton, Maryland
, and is the oldest such club in the Baltimore
region. It opened in 1872 as a boat club
for rowing
on nearby Lake Roland
. The club moved north into Ruxton, then a summer colony for Baltimore's élite, at the end of the century; and with the decline of the lake, punctuated by the construction of the Jones Falls Expressway in the 1960s, L’Hirondelle evolved into a club for racquet sports, with a focus on tennis
in the summer and paddle tennis
in the winter. The club also features duckpin bowling
, swimming
, dining, and social events
. It publishes a monthly newsletter
, “The Swallow,” so-called after the bird
for which the club is named.
as well as its seafood
. It features two main dining rooms: the Grille Room for casual and family dining, and the Lounge Room for formal dining. Gentlemen
are required to wear jackets
in the Lounge, and sportswear
is prohibited. Dining is also offered in the bar area
, with a full menu and bar food available.
The club hosts numerous fête
s for its members, including an annual Crab Feast, poolside grill nights, wine tastings
, and Oyster
Roasts.
. One of the most popular drinks at the club has been the "Southside."
. Use of cellular phones
is prohibited within the clubhouse.
, the Sparrows Point Country Club, the Greenspring Valley Hunt Club, and the Elkridge Club.
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
located in Ruxton, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and is the oldest such club in the Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
region. It opened in 1872 as a boat club
Boat club
A boat club is a sports club based around boats, especially rowing and yachting, but also canoeing, motor boats and other small boats....
for rowing
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
on nearby Lake Roland
Lake Roland (Maryland)
Lake Roland is a reservoir in Baltimore County, Maryland. It served as the first municipal water supply for the city of Baltimore, starting in 1861. Although located outside of the city limits, it is owned and managed by the city. The city stopped using the lake as a drinking water source in...
. The club moved north into Ruxton, then a summer colony for Baltimore's élite, at the end of the century; and with the decline of the lake, punctuated by the construction of the Jones Falls Expressway in the 1960s, L’Hirondelle evolved into a club for racquet sports, with a focus on tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
in the summer and paddle tennis
Paddle tennis
Paddle tennis is a game adapted from tennis and played for over a century. Compared to tennis, the court is smaller and has no doubles lanes, and the net is lower. Paddle tennis is played with a solid paddle as opposed to a strung racquet, and a depressurized tennis ball is used along with an...
in the winter. The club also features duckpin bowling
Duckpin bowling
Duckpin bowling is a variation of 10-pin bowling. The balls used in duckpin bowling are 4-3/4 in to 5 in in diameter , weigh 3 lb 6 oz to 3 lb 12 oz each, and lack finger holes...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, dining, and social events
Ball (dance)
A ball is a formal dance. The word 'ball' is derived from the Latin word "ballare", meaning 'to dance'; the term also derived into "bailar", which is the Spanish and Portuguese word for dance . In Catalan it is the same word, 'ball', for the dance event.Attendees wear evening attire, which is...
. It publishes a monthly newsletter
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
, “The Swallow,” so-called after the bird
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
for which the club is named.
Dining
The club is noted for its American FareCuisine of the United States
American cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from the United States of America. European colonization of the Americas yielded the introduction of a number of ingredients and cooking styles to the latter...
as well as its seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
. It features two main dining rooms: the Grille Room for casual and family dining, and the Lounge Room for formal dining. Gentlemen
Gentleman
The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a well-educated man of good family and distinction, analogous to the Latin generosus...
are required to wear jackets
Sportcoat
A sportcoat, sports coat or sports jacket, is a tailored jacket for men. Though it is of a similar cut and length to a suit jacket there are many differences. First, it is less formal. Also it is designed to be worn on its own and does not come as part of a suit...
in the Lounge, and sportswear
Sportswear
Sportswear or activewear is clothing, including footwear, worn for sport or physical exercise. Sport-specific clothing is worn for most sports and physical exercise, for practical, comfort or safety reasons....
is prohibited. Dining is also offered in the bar area
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
, with a full menu and bar food available.
The club hosts numerous fête
Fête
Fête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
s for its members, including an annual Crab Feast, poolside grill nights, wine tastings
Wine tasting
Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onwards...
, and Oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
Roasts.
Bar
The club features a large dine-in bar area which was constructed in 2007. Unlike some other clubs in the region, the L’Hirondelle bar does not prohibit womenMisogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
. One of the most popular drinks at the club has been the "Southside."
Other Facilities
The Tavern room, on the ground floor, features a bar and bowling. The Great Room, in the center of the main level, is the usual site of balls and buffets. The club also features locker room facilities in the clubhouse, as well as in the tennis house, a paddle hut for winter activities, and parking facilitiesParking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
. Use of cellular phones
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
is prohibited within the clubhouse.
Exclusivity
Membership is attainable only through nomination by a current member. Nominees must then be approved by a membership committee. An initiation fee and a monthly fee are required.Guest policy
A private club, L’Hirondelle members are permitted to host guests. Moreover, members of select local clubs are also permitted to attend under certain conditions and circumstances. L’Hirondelle has such arrangements with sundry Baltimore area clubs, including the Baltimore Country ClubBaltimore Country Club
The Baltimore Country Club is a private club with two club facilities, one located in the Roland Park, Baltimore neighborhood of Baltimore, the other located in Lutherville, Maryland. The club was founded on January 12, 1898, and hosted the U.S. Open in 1898 and the PGA Championship in 1928. Its...
, the Sparrows Point Country Club, the Greenspring Valley Hunt Club, and the Elkridge Club.