Boathouse Row on the Schuykill River is one of the most recognizable areas of Philadelphia, PA. Each of the fifteen different addresses on Kelly Drive are at least a hundred years old and all have their own stories and personalities. However, one of them stands out from the rest. The small one towards the end. The one that looks like a castle. One of the few remaining boathouses in the city to also have a club house. The one that has a locker room with stained glass on three of the walls. This boathouse is called Undine Barge Club. What's inside #13 Boathouse Row? What's it's history? For more, lets take a closer look at: Undine Barge Club.
On May 9th, 1856, The Undine Barge Club was founded with the motto of: Labor ipse voluptas which translates from Latin as "Labor itself is a pleasure." Originally its first boathouse was a fifty by eight foot shed. The first boat rowed by the club, a four called the Fawn, was rowed on June 19th, 1856. By 1858 Undine and eight other clubs organized the Schuykill Navy of Philadelphia, an organization that is still together today. In May of 1870 they designed the flag: blue and yellow with the word "Undine" written on it. In late November 1872, Undine and another house on Boathouse Row raced the first eight oared shell race in United States history. James Hamil, a glass blower from Pittsburg, created a mug and gifted it to President Charles Vezin and the club as a sign of gratitude for their courtesies. The mug is still in possession by the club and is presented each year to the rower who rowed the most miles who will then keep it for the following year.
World famous victorian era architect, Frank Furness, designed the modern boathouse and it was built by the Pennock Brothers in 1882
The castle design is a reference to the Legend of Undine, a German folklore that gave the boathouse it's name. Furness also designed the club house, Castle Ringstetten. Castle Ringstetten, or "The Castle," is for the social aspect of the club, which emphasizes fellowship, and has hosted monthly dinners for members of Undine since 1876. It was originally the first of others that would serve as a place to row to and then to hold dinners and the social functions. During the First World War, fifty club members served and two of them gave their lives for the nation.
Over the years, multiple rowers and coaches of national teams have rowed out of Undine and some continue to be a part of the team today. Last year they sent a quad to the U23 World Championships. In addition to it's racing squad and other members that row out of the club, Undine is home to two high school rowing teams': The Baldwin School (a building also designed by Frank Furness) and the William Penn Charter School. The Barge Club celebrated it's one hundred and fiftieth anniversary this year. For a more in-depth look at Undine's history please visit http://undine.com/wordpress/about-2/history/.
