Samuel D Champlain Club

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The Champlain Club is a private social club available to Members and their Guests for events.

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What is The Champlain Club?

The Champlain Club is a private social club available to Members and their Guests for events, including dancing, dance instruction, concerts, games, and other social or private functions.

SUPER-Condensed History of The Champlain Club

The Champlain Club was formally established as GOETHE LODGE 592 D.O.H. in 1891 as the Vermont Chapter of Der Deutsche Orden der Harugari (D.O.H.), or the German Order of Harugari, a national German-American mutual benefit and cultural association founded in New York City in 1847. Early meetings took place in members’ homes until the building at 20 Crowley Street was built in 1905. Located in the heart of what was the German immigrant community in Burlington, The Goethe Lodge was part of a national organization that included 30,000 members in 300 lodges in 27 states. It was one of the first secret societies to admit women, starting in 1890, and its no longer secret (just shy of being really famous).

The Germanic nature of the club and neighborhood changed in the post-war years and the development of television did much to lessen the draw of neighborhood social clubs. The Goethe Lodge continued and adjusted to the changing cultural landscape and neighborhood, eventually removing a German-descent requirement for membership and changing its name to The Champlain Club. In the 1960s, the local membership hovered around 60-70 people. The club’s bar and lounge areas were open to members several days a week and regularly hosted dinners and other social gatherings. Research indicates that The Champlain Club is likely one of two remaining former-D.O.H. lodges still primarily functioning as a social club for members, the other one being the Harugari Singing Society & German/American Club in West Haven, Connecticut.

The building is home to one of the few remaining wood-floor ballrooms in Burlington and is often used for instruction and events by local social dancing groups, including Vermont Swings, First Step Dance and TangoWise. The kitchen is leased to a local caterer.

Members of The Champlain Club share responsibilities for the care and maintenance of the building and grounds and enjoy access to the club spaces for private party rentals and larger social events. Members meet twice-monthly to discuss club business and enjoy each other’s company in our increasingly technologically-enhanced world.

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The Champlain Club:
Contact us at [email protected] or visit our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/ChamplainClub