University Club of Washington, D.C.
The University Club of Washington, D.C., is an American private club in downtown Washington, D.C..
History
The first organizational meeting of The University Club of Washington, DC was held at the new Willard Hotel on February 22, 1904. A historic spot in its own right, the Willard had just reopened. Sixty-six university and college alumni gathered to form The University Club - 24 other cities had already formed such clubs. The first Clubhouse was located at 1726 I Street, NW. On the evening of March 11, 1904, the first President elected was then Secretary of War, William Howard Taft, an active Club member. Later the Club moved into its new quarters, a brownstone at 930 Sixteenth Street, NW. The Club developed a most appropriate theme: "Enter all of ye who have a degree of good fellowship and learning."In 1936, it merged with the Racquet Club of Washington, and moved to its current location at 1135 Sixteenth Street NW, approximately three blocks north of the White House. The 16th Street building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.
During the Warren Court justices Earl Warren and Hugo Black would often use the Club's facilities to informally discuss and gather.