| Maryland Club | |
| Vat Id: | (for European organizations) --> |
| Location: | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Owners: | --> |
The Maryland Club is a private social club in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1857 as an exclusive men's club, it is today one of the oldest surviving such clubs. Its 1891 Romanesque clubhouse, located at 1 East Eager Street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.
The Club’s members have traditionally been among the region’s most prominent business, professional, civic and nonprofit leaders. Membership is by invitation only. The Club's website says it wants a diverse membership of outstanding individuals regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.[1]
In 1861, the club supported the secession of the Confederate States of America.[2] The club was closed by Union troops during the American Civil War. General Lew Wallace outraged local residents by turning the club building into a shelter for homeless former slaves.[3] The club re-opened after the war.[2] The club opposed Prohibition and flouted the law through the use of private lockers. After a 1995 fire nearly destroyed its building, the club restored its architectural and aesthetic elements. In 2019, a major renovation added squash facilities, improved the exercise area, added a bistro-style restaurant, and made other system upgrades.
In 1988, the club began accepting Jews as members.[4]