YACHT CLUB

Detroit Yacht Club

Program: Private Social Club

Designed: George D. Mason (1868)

Style: Mediterranean Revival

Sitting on its own private island accessibly by only one guarded bridge, the Detroit Yacht sits as one of the last remaining and highly exclusive private social clubs. The club was originally founded in 1868 by local sailors. Over time the club swelled in membership to a staggering 3,000 in the 1920’s.

Members: ~ 800

Managed: Privately Owned/ Operated

An Island Cut Away

The club itself is a palatial site that takes up the entirety of the island with boat slips, an Olympic swimming pool, a private restaurant, and several other amenities for patrons. Entrance to the island is only through one narrow bridge that prevents anyone except members and guests from entering. Today the club hosts roughly 800 members.

Membership is difficult to obtain, requiring a $390 fee and a number of signatures from current members. This process has made the club extremely exclusive and lacking any diversity. In recent years, the club has begun to diversify its membership. In 1971 the club inducted its first African American member, and in 2014 its first LGBTQ+ member.