American Yacht Club
The American Yacht Club located at the foot of Lime Street was officially established in 1885 by a group of prominent Newburyport residents. The club has been located at two different locations and had three different clubhouses. The Newburyport Preservation Trust just honored the club with a historic plaque for its current clubhouse built in 1908.
When formed, the America Yacht Club (AYC) chose a location at the foot of Federal Street for its new location. Today this area is occupied by the Massachusetts Electric Company for Newburyport’s Electric infrastructure. The cost of the new 20’x40’ clubhouse was $1,000. The top floor was one room and the lower floor held seven lockers. It also had a 15’x80’ floating stage moored along the waterfront.
The AYC prospered. It hosted several annual regattas that were attended by yachtsmen from across Massachusetts. At the time, the regattas drew as many as 60 entries and the AYC became known as one of the most hospitable clubs along the East coast. Its largest event, “Newburyport Day”, started in 1890 and was held through the early 1950s. This annual event was so popular that it was virtually a holiday in the city’s factories and businesses closed for the day. The races drew an estimated 3,000-5,000 spectators and included music, an evening dance, and fireworks.
In 1896, the growing AYC voted to build a new clubhouse. It entered into a 20 year lease for land at the bottom of Lime Street for its new location. The old clubhouse’s pilings were sawed off and the house blocked up for its short water trip aboard a scow that delivered the old building to its new location down river. The old clubhouse was used for storage.
The second American Yacht Clubhouse was finished in August 1896, just prior to that year’s Newburyport Day. It was a larger 30’ x 50’ structure designed by architect Richard G. Adams and built by contractor Arthur J. Brooks at the cost of $5,000. The new clubhouse was a two story, Queen Ann style building with an observation tower on the north end. It had 10 large windows overlooking the river and observation decks. The first floor of the new building included a billiard room large enough for two tables plus a recreation and reading room. There were also meeting spaces, a kitchen, lockers, shelves and closets. The entire second floor was one large hall with a stage used for the club’s popular dances.
On May 29, 1907, the AYC made front page news when a two-alarm fire totally destroyed its headquarters. The fire started in the locker room from an unknown source. The neighboring Edward Perkins Lumber Co. narrowly escaped the fire thanks to favorable winds, the quick action of lumber yard employees, and hard work by the fire department. The building was less than 10 years old and only partially insured.
On June 18, 1907, Edward Perkins, in consideration for “one dollar and other valuable consideration” officially deeded the land of its current location to the American Yacht Club. William G. Perry, local architect and member of the American Yacht Club, designed the club’s new structures including a locker house and the main clubhouse. The bungalow-style clubhouse boasted a large fireplace with chimney nooks, a lounging room, a ladies’ room, kitchen and a large bay window.
William G. Perry (1883-1975) was born in Boston but raised in Newburyport. He graduated from Harvard in 1905 and then from MIT with a degree in architecture in 1907. Perry served as a Captain in the Air Force from 1916-1919 and founded the architectural firm of Perry, Shaw, and Hepburn in 1922. He practiced architecture in Boston through 1974. Perry is best known for his buildings on the campus of Harvard, the site of Strawbery Banke, and the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.
The third AYC building was framed by June 1908 and completed later that year. Besides the clubhouse, the club built a 113’x20’ locker house in the same design as the clubhouse that included 37 lockers of varying size, a 29’x20’ annex and 20’x13’ work room.
The 1908 AYC building still stands in 2023 with few changes from its original design. As of today, the AYC has about 400 lifetime and current members and a fleet of over 150 boats. It provides “learn to sail” programs for youth and adults and continues to host racing regattas.
The next time you are walking along the rail trail @3MPH, stop at the American Yacht Club and imagine the crowds of people lining the clubhouse to watch a regatta on Newburyport Day.
Barb Bailey is a researcher for the Newburyport Preservation Trust. She may be reached at Barb.Bailey03@gmail.com.
