COLLECTION GUIDES

ca. 1890-2016

Offsite Storage Inventory

Restrictions on Access

The Algonquin Club of Boston photographs are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@huronvalleyrealestate.com.


Collection Summary

Abstract

Photographs pertaining to the Algonquin Club of Boston.

Historical Sketch

The Algonquin Club of Boston was a social club founded in 1886 by Oliver Ames, Edward A. Taft, William B. Wood, and Thomas E. Proctor "for the purpose of maintaining a club house and reading room in the city of Boston." The club originally occupied a building at 164 Marlboro Street until 1888, when it moved to 217 Commonwealth Avenue, a building designed specifically for the club by noted architects McKim, Mead & White. The club was incorporated under the name "New Algonquin Club" on 11 October 1898 and finally the "Algonquin Club of Boston" on 2 January 1908.

In 2018, the Algonquin Club building at 217 Commonwealth Avenue was sold and the renovated building, now known as the 'Quin House, opened in 2021 and functions as a members-only clubhouse with restaurants, fitness facilities, and event spaces.

Collection Description

The Algonquin Club of Boston photographs include portraits of Algonquin Club members, officers, and speakers, as well as photographs of the building and various social events held there.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Algonquin Club of Boston, November 2018, April 2019, November 2022. Additions through Vita Paladino, January 2019, Summer 2019.

Restrictions on Access

The Algonquin Club of Boston photographs are stored offsite and must be requested at least two business days in advance via Portal1791. Researchers needing more than six items from offsite storage should provide additional advance notice. If you have questions about requesting materials from offsite storage, please contact the reference desk at 617-646-0532 or reference@huronvalleyrealestate.com.

Detailed Description of the Collection

I. Photograph albums

Carton 1SH 1AYB
Vol. 1: Members of the Algonquin Club, Book I

Members represented in vol. 1 are: Gregory Adamian, William D. Adams, Craig Cain Arnold, Edward Atamian, Dane E. Baird, William P. Barrach, William C. Blanker, Marcin Bolec, John Bowen, Francis Brennan, J. Lincoln Cain, C. Richard Carlson, Robert A. Charpie, Leo P. Condakes, Robert E. Connors, Jr., James F. Conway III, Gary L. Countryman, Bryan P. Coyne, Robert C. Crisafi, and Robert B. Crowe.

Carton 1SH 1AYB
Vol. 2: Members of the Algonquin Club, Book II

Members represented in vol. 2 are: James R. DeGiacomo, Michael DeMarco, Charles A. Denault, Joanne W. Dickinson, Ralph H. Doering III, John J. Doherty, Paul J. Donahue, Matthias B. Donelan, Joseph M. Durkin, Richard H. Egdahl, Edward Eskandarian, Andrew J. Ferrara, John Francis Gallagher III, Eric Grande, Nicholas Grande, Daniel Justin Greney, Kenneth I. Guscott, Luisa Hayward Holden, Richard V. Hunt, Jonathan Jensen, and Robert Jurgen.

Carton 1SH 1AYB
Vol. 3: Members of the Algonquin Club, Book III

Members represented in vol. 3 are: Robert E. Kellan, Glenn C. Kelley, Christopher C. Kennedy, John J. Kennedy, Phillip M. Lang, John J. Linnehan, Anthony Lucki, Nancy Mannella, James A. Manninen, Lillian Prince Margolis, Mrs. Arthur J. McAvoy, Eric McLaughlin, Thomas McManmon, Paul J. McNamara, Joshua Migliazzo, Fred Moavenzadeh, John S. North, J. Scott Nystrom, Thomas O'Connell, James M. Paulson, Kenneth Pedini, Donald M. Perrin, Thomas L. Phillips, William J. Picardi, John J. Reardon, Richard A. Reichter, David J. Sargent, Camille F. Sarrouf, Lawrence Thornton Shields, Marshall M. Sloane, Robert P. Smith, Jonathan S. Stuart, Niles O. Sutphin, Charles M. Talanian, Carlos H. Tosi, Edmund G. Verney, Richard G. Verney, George A. Violin, James H. Walsh, Frederica Williams, and Edward A. Zullo.

Carton 1SH 1AYB
Vol. 4: Algonquin Club staff

Album containing 35 Polaroid snapshots of staff members, mostly unidentified. At the end of the album are 18 Polaroids of table settings at various events.

Carton 1SH 1AYB
Vol. 5: Algonquin Club, Christmas 1997

Album containing 77 color snapshots of a Christmas party. Subjects of photographs are unidentified. At the end of the album are two photographs of a patriotic table setting.

Carton 2Folder 1SH 1AYC
Vol. 6: Dr. Howard M. Clute's birthday party, 10 January 1946

Album containing 14 black and white photographs taken by Edward M. Anderson at Dr. Clute's 56th birthday party. All photographs are identified.

Carton 2Folder 2SH 1AYC
Vol. 7: Minstrel show, [1940s?]

Album containing 10 black and white photographs taken by Fay Foto Service of Boston, probably in the 1940s. Performers are in blackface.

II. Loose photographs

Carton 2Folder 3-6SH 1AYC
Portraits: speakers and guests at the Algonquin Club, A-Z
Carton 2Folder 7-8SH 1AYC
Portraits: unidentified
Carton 2Folder 9-10SH 1AYC
Events: 100th anniversary celebration, 1986
Carton 2Folder 11-15SH 1AYC
Events: Casino night, 1995Color snapshots.
Carton 2Folder 16SH 1AYC
Events: Monte Carlo night, 26 October 2002Color snapshots.
Carton 2Folder 17SH 1AYC
Events: Easter egg hunt, 12 April 2003Color snapshots.
Carton 2Folder 18SH 1AYC
Algonquin Club artworksColor snapshots and film negatives.
Carton 2Folder 19-26SH 1AYC
Algonquin Club building exteriors and interiors

III. Oversize photographs

OS Carton 1SH 1AYD
Portraits of past presidents of the Algonquin Club

Large format portraits, primarily taken by Bachrach Studio. Represented in this box are: William Adams, David H. Barlow, Edward P. Brown, Maxwell Bessel, Rudolph C. Butterman, Lawrence Cazayauk, Raymond Cox, Bryan Coyne, Maurice Dennison, Kenneth Guscott, F. Hagemann, Julius F. Heller, James M. Howell, John Johnson, Terence M. Keane, Edward A. Larner.

OS Carton 2SH 1AYE
Portraits of past presidents of the Algonquin Club

Large format portraits, primarily taken by Bachrach Studio. Represented in this box are: Edward A. Larner, Jr., Katherine T. McAvoy, Thomas McCann, Thomas Morrison, Henry Nichols, Richard C. Ockerbloom, James Paulson, Leland Powers, David Scott, Glenwood J. Sherrald, Lawrence Thornton Shields, Paul Smith, Carlton Spenser, Charles Spenser Jr., Maggie Trichon, Frank J. Wall.

OS Carton 3SH 1AYF
Oversize photographs, ca. 1890s-1929

Mounted photographs of banquet table displays and kitchen staff. Also a photograph of the twelve surviving charter members of the Algonquin Club taken between 1920 and 1929.

Preferred Citation

Algonquin Club of Boston photographs, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Organizations:

Algonquin Club of Boston--Photographs.

Subjects:

Clubs--Massachusetts--Boston--Photographs.