New Haven Lawn Club
Encyclopedia
The New Haven Lawn Club is a private country club
located on Whitney Avenue
in New Haven, Connecticut
close to Yale University
. It is both a social and athletic facility. The club is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 2003.
One building and one structure of the club are deemed contributing to the historic character
while another building and three structures are non-contributing. The architecture of the clubhouse is primarily Colonial Revival
with Art Moderne decorative elements. The clubhouse, built in 1931 to replace the former clubhouse that had burned in 1929, is credited to architect Douglas W. Orr, but much of the detail design is by William Douglas
.
The club offers tennis
, squash
, and outdoor swimming, and is considered one of the most prestigious clubs in the area.
and William Beebe
. The original clubhouse was destroyed by fire in 1929. Renowned architect
Douglas Orr
designed the current facility. As of 2005, over 520 families were counted among its membership.
It originally hosted lawn tennis, now more commonly known as court tennis, reflecting a fad brought from England.
The Ballroom has a barrel ceiling, a stage for performances, and hard wood floors. The event space includes a terrazzo entryway and fireplace.
neighborhood of New Haven
, Connecticut
, but it is far from the East Rock itself or the center of the East Rock neighborhood. It is located on the edge of the downtown area.
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 on Whitney Avenue
Whitney Avenue
Whitney Avenue is a principal arterial connecting Downtown New Haven with the town center of Hamden in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Most of the road within the city of New Haven is included in the Whitney Avenue Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
close to Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. It is both a social and athletic facility. The club is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2003.
One building and one structure of the club are deemed contributing to the historic character
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
while another building and three structures are non-contributing. The architecture of the clubhouse is primarily Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
with Art Moderne decorative elements. The clubhouse, built in 1931 to replace the former clubhouse that had burned in 1929, is credited to architect Douglas W. Orr, but much of the detail design is by William Douglas
William Douglas
-of Douglas:*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas *William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas *William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas -of Angus:*William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus -of Douglas:*William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (c. 1327–1384)*William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (1425–1440)*William...
.
The club offers 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...
, squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, and outdoor swimming, and is considered one of the most prestigious clubs in the area.
History
The Club was founded in 1891 by a group of New Haven residents including Russell Sargent, Eli WhitneyEli Whitney
Eli Whitney was an American inventor best known for inventing the cotton gin. This was one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution and shaped the economy of the Antebellum South...
and William Beebe
William Beebe
William Beebe, born Charles William Beebe was an American naturalist, ornithologist, marine biologist, entomologist, explorer, and author...
. The original clubhouse was destroyed by fire in 1929. Renowned architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Douglas Orr
Douglas Orr
Douglas William Orr was an American architect based in New Haven, Connecticut. Born in Meriden, Connecticut, he was prolific and designed many public and commercial buildings, primarily in the New Haven area...
designed the current facility. As of 2005, over 520 families were counted among its membership.
It originally hosted lawn tennis, now more commonly known as court tennis, reflecting a fad brought from England.
Activities
The New Haven Lawn Club offers a wide range of activities and events including tennis, swimming, food, art exhibits, concerts, book clubs, yoga and pilates.Mansion
The Lawn Club mansion is rich with architectural details. Visitors enter the foyer through a vaulted portico, archways, and columns made of the local red brick. Octagonal windows look out over the manicured Lawn Club grounds. A Lalique crystal chandelier graces the foyer and working fireplaces are found throughout the building. The New Haven Lawn Club is home to several event rooms.The Ball Room
The Lawn Club has a Grand Ballroom. Its largest event space, it can hold 225 guests.The Ballroom has a barrel ceiling, a stage for performances, and hard wood floors. The event space includes a terrazzo entryway and fireplace.
The Main Dining Room
The Main Dining Room seats up to 120 guests. Two wood burning fireplaces mirror each other at opposite ends of the hall, with terrazzo flooring between them. Floor to ceiling windows offer views of the Lawn Club grounds and the attached terrace overlooks the tennis courts.Relationship to neighborhoods
The club's location is within the official East RockEast Rock (neighborhood)
East Rock is a neighborhood in the city of New Haven, Connecticut, named for nearby East Rock, a prominent trap rock ridge. The area is home to a large group of Yale students, staff, and faculty, as well as many young professionals and families. The neighborhood is divided between New Haven's...
neighborhood of New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, but it is far from the East Rock itself or the center of the East Rock neighborhood. It is located on the edge of the downtown area.