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Metropolitan Club (Washington, D.C.)

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Metropolitan Club
The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington
FormationOctober 13, 1863; 162 years ago (1863-10-13)
TypePrivate
Tax ID no. 53-0109340
Headquarters1700 H Street NW, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Location
  • United States
Websitewww.metroclub.com
Metropolitan Club
ArchitectHeins & LaFarge
NRHP reference No.95000441[1]

The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington is a private club in Washington, D.C. In September 1983, The New York Times called it "Washington's oldest and most exclusive club".[2]

The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington operates under laws for 501(c)(7) Social and Recreation Clubs. In 2025 it claimed total revenue of $15,735,739 and total assets of $35,096,998.[3] The Metropolitan Club Preservation Foundation at the same address is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity. In 2025 it claimed $946,366 in total revenue and $2,077,425 in total assets.[4]

History

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19th century

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The entrance to the Metropolitan Club

On October 1, 1863, six U.S. Treasury Department officials met to discuss the creation of a social and literary club in Washington, D.C.[5] The Metropolitan Club officially organized twelve days later, with 43 members.[5] The first year, dues were $50.[2]

On June 25, 1883, the club acquired a lot on the corner of H Street and 17th Streets for $10.[5] Later In 1883, the club moved into the first purpose-built structure for a club in Washington, D.C.[5] Designed by the architects W. Bruce Gray and Harvey L. Page, the Victorian-style, four-story building was destroyed in a fire in 1904.[5] From 1905 to 1908, the Metropolitan Club met in various rental properties.[5]

The club's current home, designed by the architectural firm of Heins & LaFarge of New York City, was built from 1904 to 1908.[6][5]

The brick and limestone Renaissance revival-styble building was rebuilt on the 1700 H Street NW lot, two blocks from the White House.[2][5] In 1925, a two-story annex designed by Frederick H. Brooke of Donn and Deming was added.[5]

Inside the five-story building, there is a lobby, coat room, card room, a library with 15,000 books, a grill room, a lounge, a dining room, sleeping quarters, and a barbershop.[5][2] There is also a steam room, an exercise room, and two squash courts.[2] Another room serves as a museum, honoring the governors.[5] Other spaces are for offices, the kitchen, and the wine cellar.[5]

In 1898, Theodore Roosevelt plotted much of the Spanish–American War at the club.[2]

20th century

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During the Watergate scandal, Henry Kissinger regularly met New York Times journalist James Reston at the club.[7] To ensure confidentiality of such meetings, the club prohibits the use of cell phones or note taking at the tables.[7]

The Metropolitan Club building was listed on the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites since 1964 and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.[5][6]

21st century

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In April 2021, the club opened a new open-air rooftop venue, an $11 million project.[8] The space is used for live music, private functions, and smoking cigars.[8]

Reciprocal clubs

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The Metropolitan Club has reciprocal agreements with the following:

Membership

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Members are essentially scions of the East Coast American aristocracy, mainly the First Families of Virginia, the Boston Brahmins, the Old Philadelphians, and the Knickerbocker families of New York.[11][12]

For the first century of its existence, the club was closed to non-white people as members.[2] Thirty club members quit in protest in 1961, including Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.[2] The club started accepting black members in 1972; the first black member it admitted was Bishop John T. Walker.[2] The club also did not allow women to join until 1988.[13]

In 1983, there was a five-year waiting list for membership.[5]

Notable members

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References

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  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Gamarekian, Barbara (September 10, 1983). "Enduring Bastion of Exclusivity for 'Gentlemen'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Financials for The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington". candid.org. Candid. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Financials for Metropolitan Club Preservation Foundation". candid.org. Candid. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Eve Lydia Barsoum (March 12, 1995). Metropolitan Club Historic Landmark Application (PDF) (Report). National Park Service. p. 7. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites". DC Preservation. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
  7. 1 2 Mccarthy, Aoife (December 4, 2007). "Clubbing with the elite". Politico. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  8. 1 2 Barks, Joe (December 3, 2021). "The Road Ahead: Up on the Roof at The Metropolitan Club of The City of Washington". Club + Resort Business. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  9. ↑ "A short walking route in DC Trail – Washington, District of Columbia, USA | Pacer". www.mypacer.com. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Cercle Royal du Parc Reciprocities".
  11. ↑ Doob, Christopher (August 27, 2015). Social Inequality and Social Stratification in U.S. Society. ISBN 9781317344216.
  12. ↑ E. Digby Baltzell (August 27, 2015). Philadelphia Gentlemen: The Making of a National Upper Class. ISBN 9781412830751.
  13. ↑ Pressley, Sue Anne (June 26, 1988). "Metropolitan Club Ends Ban on Women Members". Washington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  14. ↑ Lippman, Daniel. "SCOOP: Tucker Carlson, the close ally". X. POLITICO. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  15. ↑ "George H. Goodrich Obituary". Legacy.com. The Washington Post. September 25, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Judge E. B. Parker, Debt Expert, Dies". The Evening Star. October 30, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved January 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  17. ↑ "Henry White Weds Mrs. Wm. D. Sloane; Ex-Ambassador to France Is 70 and Daughter of Late Wm. H. Vanderbilt Is 68". The New York Times. November 4, 1920. p. 13. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
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