Schuylkill Navy records Schuylkill.Navy Finding aid prepared by Megan Good and Forrest Wright. Last updated on August 02, 2012. Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library Schuylkill Navy records Table of Contents Summary Information....................................................................................................................................3 Biography/History..........................................................................................................................................4 Scope and Contents....................................................................................................................................... 5 Administrative Information........................................................................................................................... 5 Related Materials........................................................................................................................................... 6 Controlled Access Headings..........................................................................................................................6 Collection Inventory...................................................................................................................................... 8 Series I. Administrative records.............................................................................................................. 8 Series II. Regattas..................................................................................................................................35 Series III. Member rowing clubs...........................................................................................................54 Series IV. Publications.......................................................................................................................... 58 Series V. Scrapbooks and clippings......................................................................................................59 Series VI. Photographs.......................................................................................................................... 78 Series VII. Non-rowing sports.............................................................................................................. 88 Series VIII. Other rowing organizations............................................................................................... 93 Series IX. Miscellaneous materials..................................................................................................... 117 - Page 2 - Schuylkill Navy records Summary Information Repository Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library Creator Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia. Title Schuylkill Navy records Call number Schuylkill.Navy Date [inclusive] 1859-2009 Extent 50 linear feet (121 containers) Language English Abstract The Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia was founded in 1858. It is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States. By charter, "[the Schuylkill Navy’s] object is to secure united action among the several Clubs and to promote amateurism on the Schuylkill River." The Schuylkill Navy records documents the history of this rowing organization from 1859 to 2009. An organization dedicated to hosting rowing events for its member clubs and visiting teams, the collection houses the administrative records of the Schuylkill Navy and its member clubs, including the original founding members as well as clubs that joined the organization later; and records related to the planning and promotion of regattas. In addition, the collection includes an extensive assortment of newspaper clippings and photographs that highlight Schuylkill Navy rowing events and its influential members. The collection contains administrative records, information regarding regattas and member rowing clubs, publications, scrapbooks and clippings, photographs, non-rowing records, and information regarding other rowing organizations. - Page 3 - Schuylkill Navy records Cite as: [Description and date of item], [Box and folder number], Schuylkill Navy records, 1859-2005, Independence Seaport Museum Archives, Philadelphia. Biography/History Amateur, competitive rowing has existed on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia since the eighteenth century. The sport gained in popularity throughout the nineteenth century, particularly after 1822, when the construction of a dam across the river created a type of “pool” and, in turn, optimal rowing conditions. The Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia was founded in 1858. It is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States. By charter, "[the Schuylkill Navy’s] object is to secure united action among the several Clubs and to promote amateurism on the Schuylkill River." At its founding there were nine clubs and approximately 300 members. The member clubs of the Navy were all located along a stretch of the Schuylkill River, where it flows through Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. Most of the clubs being located on the historic Boathouse Row. Clubs represented at the founding included America, Camilla, Chebucto, Falcon, Independent, Keystone, Neptune, Pennsylvania, and University Barge Club. Current member clubs include Fairmount Rowing Association, Crescent Boat Club, Bachelors Barge Club, University Barge Club, Malta Boat Club, Vesper Boat Club, College Boat Club, Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association (Penn AC), Undine Barge Club, Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club (PGRC), Gillin Boat Club and St. Joseph's University and St. Joseph's Prep. At least 23 other clubs have belonged to the Navy at various times. The Schuylkill Navy and its member clubs still host many races. In 1953, the Navy convinced the Dad Vail Rowing Association to move its regatta to Philadelphia. It has remained since. The Dad Vail is possibly the largest collegiate regatta held and usually signifies the end of the spring rowing season for most collegiate teams. Other major regattas held each year include the Thomas Eakins Head of the Schuylkill Regatta (sponsored by the University Barge Club) and the Frostbite Regatta. The Navy also sponsors other athletic endeavors including a basketball league and an annual cross country race. The latter has been held since 1899, with only a few interruptions during World War II. Bibliography Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia. The Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia: Her History and Records. Philadelphia: Press of Security Bank Note Company, 1899. - Page 4 - Schuylkill Navy records Blackwall, Christopher. Flashing Oars Rowing on the Schuylkill, exhibition catalog. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Maritime Museum, 1985. Scope and Contents The Schuylkill Navy records documents the history of this rowing organization from 1859 to 2009. An organization dedicated to hosting rowing events for its member clubs and visiting teams, the collection houses the administrative records of the Schuylkill Navy and its member clubs, including the original founding members as well as clubs that joined the organization later; and records related to the planning and promotion of regattas. In addition, the collection includes an extensive assortment of newspaper clippings and photographs that highlight Schuylkill Navy rowing events and its influential members. The collection contains nine series: “Administrative Records,” “Regattas,” “Member Rowing Clubs,” “Publications,” “Scrapbooks and Clippings,” “Photographs,” “Non-Rowing records,” “Other Rowing Organizations,” and “Miscellaneous.” Please refer to series scope and content notes for more information. Administrative Information Independence Seaport Museum, J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library Finding aid prepared by Megan Good and Forrest Wright. Sponsor The processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources’ “Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives” Project. Access Restrictions This collection is open for research use. Use Restrictions Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material. - Page 5 - Schuylkill Navy records Immediate Source of Acquisition note Gift of Mr. Joseph Sweeney, President of the Schuylkill Navy, April 25, 1985; and additional gift, 2010 Processing Information note The processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources’ “Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives” Project. This collection was minimally processed in 2009-2011, as part of an experimental project conducted under the auspices of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries to help eliminate processing backlog in Philadelphia repositories. A minimally processed collection is one processed at a less intensive rate than traditionally thought necessary to make a collection ready for use by researchers. When citing sources from this collection, researchers are advised to defer to folder titles provided in the finding aid rather than those provided on the physical folder. Employing processing strategies outlined in Mark Greene's and Dennis Meissner's 2005 article, More Product, Less Process: Revamping Traditional Processing Approaches to Deal With Late 20th-Century Collections, the project