Union League Club

Union League Club
Life Span: 1886-1925
Location: Jackson boul. cor. Dearborn av., 65 W. Jackson
Architect: W. LeBaron Jenney

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1904

Union League Club.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1911
Union League Club.—Jackson boul. cor. Dearborn av.

Inland Architect and Builder, December 1884

Building for the Union League Club of Chicago, by Architect W. L. B. Jenney. The perspective is drawn by W. B. Mundie, formerly of Hamilton, Ontario, an architect, since a year ago permanently connected with Mr. Jenney’s office. The building is situated on the south-west corner of Jackson street and Fourth avenue, opposite the Chicago custom house and postoffice, 70 feet on Jackson street and 100 feet on Fourth avenue, and it is designed for a brick and terra cotta construction, with tile roof somewhat resembling the Fourteenth Century Lombardic. The first story contains the great reception hall, the ladies entrance with its special waiting room and elevator, the grand staircase, the principal elevator, the gents toilet and coat-rooms, etc. The second story is devoted to the library, the billiard room and the café. The third floor consists entirely of lodging rooms for club members. The fourth floor contains the ladies dining room and seven private dining rooms of various sizes. The fifth floor contains the grand dining room, the kitchen and pantries; in the rear (south) there are two other stories containing the servants apartments and kitchen. The special features of the building are: a private entrance for ladies with waiting room, reception room, a special elevator and a moderate sized public dining room, all especially devoted to their convenience and enjoyment; the large reception hall on the first story with its enormous fire-place, a newspaper and lounging room occupying the entire front on Jackson street, and the great dining room occupying most of the fifth story. The roof is open timber. In the dining room, the tower is covered with a dome of colored glass, commencing just under the upper windows, giving a unique and magnificent effect to this part of the room. It is proposed to finish this building the coming year. The foundations are already in place. The interior decorations will be all the means at hand will allow. It is proposed to expend about $150,000 on the structure.

The Chicago Clubs Illustrated, 1888

The purposes of the Union League Club of Chicago (which was incorporated in 1879, and began its existence in a modest suit of rooms in the Honors’ Block, on Dearborn Street,) are to encourage and promote by moral, social and political influence, unconditioned loyalty to the Federal Government, and to defend and protect the integrity and prosperity of this Nation; to inculcate a higher appreciation of the value and sacred obligations of American citizenship; to maintain the civil and political equality of all citizens in every section of our common country, and to aid in the enforcement of all laws enacted to preserve the purity of the ballot box , to resist and expose corruption, and promote economy in office, and to secure honesty and efficiency in the administration of national, state and municipal affairs. Absolute and unqualified loyalty to the Government of the United States is a condition of membership. While the personnel of the Union League is largely Republican, its list of members is by no means confined to that party. By a wise and judicious action and expression of opinion, the Club has made itself a power.

Its house, one of the finest in Chicago, arranged and furnished with every comfort and luxury, is situated on Jackson Street and Fourth Avenue, close to the Board of Trade. There is a Ladies’ Department of the Club, to which ladies holding cards issued by the management are admitted. The east entrance is exclusively reserved for ladies and gentlemen accompanying them. The initiation fee of the Union League is two hundred dollars and the yearly dues eighty dollars.

The Presidents of the Club since its organization have been Lewis C. Coburn. John C. Coonley (two years), Elbridge G. Keith, J. McGregor Adams (three years), and George W. Smith. General John L. Thompson, who was elected President for 1888, died shortly after his election, and First Vice President Franklin H. Head is now acting President. Mr. Albert L. Coe is Second Vice-President, Mr. Rollin A. Keyes, Treasurer, and Mr. Henry M. Bacon, Secretary. Messrs. J. Harley Bradley, Ferd. W. Peck, Simeon H. Crane, Amos J. Harding, John J. Knickerbocker, and Ernest A. Hamill compose the Board of Directors.

Rand, McNally & Co.’s Bird’s-Eye Views of Chicago, 1893

⑥ The Union League Club.
At 110-114 Jackson Street, is the property of the most popular and influential social organization in the city. Its membership is nearly 2,000, and it has exceeded the political bounds and restrictions under which it was founded. Nominally a Republican society, it has become, under the liberal influence of the World’s Fair, a potent factor in the every-day life of the city. In its ranks are nearly all the ambitious young
successful tradesmen of the city, and professional men have not been slow to ally themselves with a body so active and progressive. The striking and luxurious home of the club fronts IpO feet on Jackson Street and is 60 feet deep, with 5 stories and basement. There are 74 rooms above the street. The walls are 100 feet high with roof, and the material is granite and brick. There are 125 employes. About 400 people enter the club daily. Erected in 1887. Cost, $500,000.

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