The Club was founded on June 4, 1861 as the Atlantic Barge Club, and subsequently changed its name to Pennsylvania Barge Club. The members initially occupied the boathouse of the Quaker City Barge Club, which was subsequently replaced by the current Fairmount Rowing Association.
The Pennsylvania Barge Club entered the Schuylkill Navy on August 17, 1865. The Fairmount Park Commission, in 1867, granted building lots for the current Clubs conditioned on them being able able to build a functional, enduring structure that integrates with the architectural guidelines of the Commission. The Club subsequently created the Pennsylvania Boathouse Association for the purpose of financing the project to build the new boathouse. The Association engaged local Philadelphia architect Louis Hickman to design an enlarged two-story Victorian-style stone building containing two boat storage bays, as well as additional private and public spaces. This was completed in 1869. The building was clad in Wissahickon Schist, a very popular 19th century building stone quarried in Valley Green. Its most notable and distinguishing features are the first floor “Witches Hat” enclosing the circular stairway to the boat bays, and the large and inviting front porch overlooking the bike path in Fairmount Park. In 1912 extensive modifications were made to the second floor, adding function spaces, a Pub, and kitchen. A third floor with locker rooms was also added. The entire building was extensively renovated beginning in 2009, and modern electric, heating, cooling and plumbing facilities were installed.
PBC rowers were extremely successful from the earliest days of the Club, and dominated in single sculls competition during the 1860’s and 1870’s. Pennsylvania Barge member, Max Schmitt won the first Schuylkill Navy single championship in 1866. Pennsylvania members placed 1-2 in the 1867 championships, with Schmitt in second place. In 1869, Schmitt won his second championship. In 1870, Pennsylvania Barge members placed first through fourth in the Championships, with Schmitt winning his third championship. In 1871, Pennsylvania member John Lavens won the championship. In 1872, Schmitt and Lavens placed 1-2 in the championships. In 1873, Lavens won the championship. In 1974, Schmitt and Lavens again placed 1-2 in the championship, and, later that same day, joined other Pennsylvania members, Frank Henderson and Oscar West, to win the four-oared championship. That evening, Schmitt announced his retirement from competition. Today, our highest award for competitive rowing is called “The Max Schmitt Award for Excellence in Competition.”
Thomas Eakins, the great American realist painter, was a member of the Club during this period, and completed all of his rowing subjects between 1871 and 1874. His first during this period was entitled “The Champion Single Scull”, depicting Schmitt in his single shell at rest below the Columbia bridge, with a self portrait of Eakins in his shell further downstream. Schmitt was a very close friend of Eakins from their student days at Central High School. Eakins’ very last rowing subject was entitled “Four Oarsmen on the Schuylkill”, depicting the victory of Schmitt, Lavens, Henderson and West in the 1874 championships.
PBC remained highly successful in competition, winning 14 National Championship events, and five Olympic medals in the Games of 1920, 1924, 1928 and 1932. Many artifacts, medals, photos, banners and memorabilia celebrating these victories are on display throughout the Club.
In 1925, a young Ernest Henry Bayer joined Pennsylvania Barge to play basketball in the winter Schuylkill Navy League. The Clubs’ rowing coach took notice of Bayer, and invited him to a rowing try-out that spring. As a first-year novice rower, Bayer teamed up with the best senior oarsmen at the Club, and won the Senior Eight NAAO Championship: the first major victory in a long and celebrated career as a competitor, and rowing executive.
Tragically, the Club lost many members during World War II and the Korean War, and became unsustainable as a rowing operation in 1955. The Club resigned from the Schuylkill Navy and transferred all of its assets, including the building, to a new non-profit organization called the Schuylkill Navy Association. This entity maintained the building and leased portions of it to various administrative rowing organizations, including the Schuylkill Navy and the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen. In 1958 the boat bays were leased to Drexel University for their rowing program, which remained at PBC until 2008. Over the years, several other organizations leased facilities at the Club, including the US Rowing Association (successor of NAAO), the Masters Rowing Association, the Schoolboy Rowing Association, the Middle States Regatta Association, the Dad Vail Regatta and the Pennsylvania Center for Adaptive Sports. The Schuylkill Navy Association was later reorganized as the US Rowing Society and then again as the Philadelphia Rowing Society, which in 2008 revived The Pennsylvania Barge Club as an operational rowing entity, and rejoined the Schuylkill Navy.
Many luminaries of our sport called PBC home, including Max Schmitt, our eighteen Olympic medallists, Thomas Eakins, Earle Baltz, and many National Champions. But none has made such a deep and lasting impact on our sport than Ernest Henry Bayer (1904-1997):
- Olympic Silver Medalist – Amsterdam 1928
- National Champion
- President, Pennsylvania Barge Club
- President, Schuylkill Navy Association
- Commodore of the Schuylkill Navy
- President, National Association of Amateur Oarsmen
- Treasurer, National Association of Amateur Oarsmen
- Author, USRA Rules of Rowing
- Co-Founder, Schoolboy Rowing Association of America
- Olympic Team Coach and Official
- USRA and FISA Referee
- Head Referee, Dad Vail Regatta
- Winner, USRA Carlin Award
- Two-Time Inductee, USRA Hall of Fame
In addition to his other accomplishments, he voluntarily endured widespread criticism and contempt for his advocacy of women’s rowing on Boathouse Row. He was considered one of the Founding Fathers of women’s rowing in Philadelphia, but this distinction came at great expense to his public reputation on the Row. He taught his wife, the legendary Ernestine Bayer, to scull while holding on to her gig at the Pennsylvania docks, after dark. This was considered offensive to many in the rowing community. As years went by, and attitudes changed, Ernest eventually recovered his reputation, and became a Commodore of the Schuylkill Navy, which would have required a broad base of support in the rowing community.
Ernestine was an early star in American women’s rowing and a founder of Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club. She was later inducted into the USRA Hall of Fame. Their daughter, also named Ernestine, was one of the first of the great generation of international women rowing athletes in the ’60’s. Ernestine, Jr was a member of the first US women’s team to compete internationally, and Ernest served as the team coach. Our Clubs’ annual service award is dedicated to preserving the values and legacy of Ernest Henry Bayer.
Today, PBC members enjoy top-notch rowing shells and equipment, as well as beautifully appointed public and private spaces, including the Board Room, Trophy Room, Main Reception Room, Bathrooms, Kitchen and a brand new Pub. There are new Men’s and Women’s Locker Rooms on the completely renovated third floor. The Club has two large-screen TV’s on the second floor, and Wi-Fi throughout.
Club members compete at all the Philadelphia regattas, as well as The Head of the Charles, USRA Masters Nationals and FISA World Masters.
Pennsylvania Barge also sponsors the annual Philadelphia Frostbite Regatta, which is held on the last regatta weekend of November, and features events for junior, collegiate and master men and women.