Summary Information
Mendota Yacht Club Records
1903-2002
- Mendota Yacht Club (Madison, Wis.)
Mss 979; PH Mss 979
2.0 c.f. (5 archives boxes), 49 photographs, 2 negatives, and 5 transparencies
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Records of the Mendota Yacht Club, Madison, Wisconsin, organized in 1903 and reincorporated in 1935 reflecting members' efforts to organize and promote the sport of yachting and their interest in Lake Mendota's lake front park development. The collection includes annual directories (1937-2002); Board of Directors and annual meeting minutes (1947-1998); constitution and bylaws (1903-1990); correspondence on the topics of boat storage, club property, marina construction, races, the club's records, and safety issues (1940-1999, undated); financial records (1947-1999, undated); historical sketches (1973-1978); membership materials (1974-2001); news clippings (1906-2001); newsletters (1965-2001); and files on special events including regattas (1928-2001). Also included are photographs, negatives, and slides documenting regattas, trophies, and other club events.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00979 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
The Mendota Yacht Club was first organized in 1903 but can trace its origins to 1870. Yachting has been popular in Madison since the July 4th races started in 1856. In the summer of 1870, six men (John T. Nilson, Thomas Allen, Henry Vilas, Angus McDonald, Sidney Foote, and Myron T. Baily) wanted to take up the sport on Lake Mendota. They formed a club to cooperatively purchase a boat, which they named “Lady of the Lake.”
In 1903 the club was formally organized under the name Mendota Yacht Club. There were thirty members in 1903 and the first meeting was on April 29th. The club's first officers where F.M. Brown (Commodore), W.B. Bates (Vice Commodore), C.F. Minnick (Secretary), and A.B. Morris (Treasurer). In 1905 the club was admitted into the Inland Lakes Yachting Association (ILYA) and started to formally participate and host races or regattas. By the early 1910s the club established its headquarters on Lake Mendota at James Madison Park (formerly Conklin Park).
The club was reincorporated in 1935 and the articles were amended in 1938 and 1946 to increase the number of directors and lengthen their terms. Also in 1935 an amendment eliminated the office of Measurer on the Board and stated the Commodores must be chosen from the Board of Directors. By 1939 the club's membership had grown to 157 people.
The club dealt with many issues after its incorporation in 1935. One issue was the construction of a marina. Beginning in the early 1940s, the club campaigned for a marina to be constructed at James Madison Park by the city. The club hired marina experts to draw up plans, but the city was reluctant to build. Throughout its history, the club has fought for a marina to grant all Madison residents access to Lake Mendota.
Another issue was that of boat storage. For a membership fee, the club made boat storage space available at James Madison Park. The storage area included a rail system that lowered boats to the water. During the 1950s through 1970s the club had to lease land at the park for boat storage. The city was not always cooperative with the club and many park neighbors complained about the club making too much noise. Beginning in the 1970s and continuing to the present day the club rents space for storage and launching at Burrows Park for its 300-plus members.
In addition to participating in the ILYA Regatta, the club holds its own races called “Trophies” every year. Key races take place on Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. Each type of boat has its own race. The club also founded a sailing school and in 1992 organized the Madison Youth Sailing Foundation (MYSF) offering classes to children seven through twelve at the Maple Bluff boathouse.
Scope and Content Note
The collection has been organized into the following categories: Annual Directories (1937-1938, 1959-2002), Board of Directors/Annual Meeting Minutes (1947-1998), Constitution and Bylaws (1903-1990), Correspondence (1940-1999.), Financial Records (1947-1999), Historical Sketches (1973-1978, undated), Membership (1974-2001), News Clippings (1906-2001), Newsletters (1965-2002), Special Events (1928-2001); and Photographs. These materials document the clubs activities including races, lakefront park development, and promotion of the sport of yachting.
The Annual Directories are arranged chronologically and contain limited information about club members as well as schedules of club events.
The Board of Directors/Annual meeting minutes document the meetings of the club Board of Directors as well as the club's Race Committee. Topics in the minutes include boat storage, marina development, membership, races, and elections of officers. The minutes are arranged chronologically.
The Constitution and Bylaws include the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the club including some amendments and revisions.
The Correspondence is broken down into six categories that are arranged alphabetically. The first category, Boat storage, contains correspondence (1953-1992) documenting the club's boat storage and launching facilities. The bulk of the correspondence is concerned with finding suitable boat storage at lakefront parks on Lake Mendota including Conklin Park, James Madison Park, and Burrows Park. The Marina correspondence (1940-1974) documents the club's campaign for the city to construct a public marina on Lake Mendota. The remaining correspondence regards property searches for club headquarters, the race committee, Lake Mendota safety patrol, and the donation of the club's records to the State Historical Society.
The Financial Records include a transcribed list of the club's original 1907 stock holders, monthly reports (1989-1991), quarterly budget summaries (1992), budget and insurance statements (1947-1992), and tax records (1976-1988).
The Historical Sketches are undated except for three sketches written in 1973, 1974, and 1978. The sketches cover the club's earliest origins in 1870, its formal organization in 1903, and its incorporation in 1935. One of the sketches was written as a narration to be performed at the club's 75th Anniversary.
The Membership materials include applications for membership (1986, 1991), general member information (1974-1990), membership statistics (1975, 1989-1991), information about the Hoofer Sailing Club (1990-1992), and a copy of the 1974 club book that details club rules and racing procedures.
The News Clippings include a photocopied scrapbook containing clippings about club members and events from 1935-1936 and loose clippings describing regattas and club races from 1906 to 2001. These clippings have been photocopied and arranged chronologically.
The Newsletters include The Bilge Board produced by the club from 1965 to 2002, documenting boat storage and membership issues and races.
The Special Events files document club banquets and parties, race statistics listed by member, regattas, club trophy races, and the sailing school (1953, 1960-1966, 1993-1995), which later became the Madison Youth Sailing Foundation (MYSF).
The Photographs document races participated in by club members as well as other club activities.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by the Mendota Yacht Club via William Shelton and Lucien Hanks, 1990; Carolyn Shelton, 1994-1998; and Don Sanford, 2000. Accession Number: M90-165, M90-166, M94-110, M97-083, M98-090, M2000-055
Processed by MYC volunteers, May 2002, and Amy Rommel, November 2002.
Contents List
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Mss 979
Box
1
Folder
1-6
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Annual Directories, 1937-1938, 1949-2002
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Board of Directors/Annual Meeting Minutes
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Box
1
Folder
7-8
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1947-1959
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Box
2
Folder
1-6
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1960-1998
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Box
2
Folder
7
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Race Committee, 1987-1991
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Constitution and Bylaws: Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, 1903, 1935-1938, 1957, 1974, 1987, 1989-1990
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Correspondence
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Box
3
Folder
2-6
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Boat storage, 1953-1974, 1984-1992, undated
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Box
3
Folder
7-11
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Marina construction, 1940-1974
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Box
3
Folder
12
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Property searches, 1953-1987
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Box
3
Folder
13
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Race Committee, 1956, 1960-1961, 1966, 1987, 1996-1999
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Box
3
Folder
14
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Safety patrol, 1952-1959
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Box
3
Folder
15
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State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1986-1999
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Financial Records
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Box
4
Folder
1
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1907 Stock holders list, undated
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Box
4
Folder
2
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Monthly reports, 1989-1991
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Box
4
Folder
3
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Quarterly budget summaries, 1992
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Box
4
Folder
4
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Statements/budgets, 1947-1999
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Box
4
Folder
5
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Insurance statements, 1992
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Box
4
Folder
6
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Taxes, 1976-1988
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Box
4
Folder
7
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Historical Sketches, 1973-1974, 1978, undated
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Membership
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Box
4
Folder
8
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Applications, 1986, 1991, undated
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Box
4
Folder
9
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Member information, 1974-1990
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Box
4
Folder
10
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Statistics, 1975, 1989-2001
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Box
4
Folder
11
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Hoofer Sailing Club, 1990-1992
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Box
4
Folder
12
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Club book, 1974
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News Clippings
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Box
4
Folder
13
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Scrapbook, 1936-1937
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Box
4
Folder
14-16
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Loose, 1906-2001
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Newsletters: The Bilge Board
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Box
4
Folder
17-23
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1965-1979
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Box
5
Folder
1-10
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1980-2002
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Special Events
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Box
5
Folder
11
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Banquets and parties, 1975-1978, 1991-1992, undated
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Box
5
Folder
12
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Race statistics, 1974-1979, 1990-2001
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Box
5
Folder
13
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Regattas, 1954-1987, 1992
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Box
5
Folder
14
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Trophy race record book, 1928-1958
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Box
5
Folder
15
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Trophies, 1940-1976, 1991-1996
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Box
5
Folder
16
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Sailing school, 1953, 1960-1966, 1993, 1995
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PH Mss 979
Folder
1
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Photographs
49 black and white and color photographs, 2 negatives, and 5 color slides
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