The Harvard Club, 1940
The closest I’ve ever been to New York’s Harvard Club is visiting my tailor across the street. In 1940 LIFE Magazine ran a photo shoot on the club, and the outtakes were released on the web several years ago along with many other images from the LIFE archives.
It looks like a very comfortable place to read about the war in Europe. But it would affect them, as it did everyone else, soon enough.
Great pictures, Christian. I have never been inside, but have had drinks on occasion at the Yale Club a couple of blocks away near Grand Central, which is still remarkably civilized. I shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the Harvard Club still looks much the same today. Good bones. However, if one works up a thirst ion West 44th while visiting one’s tailor or Brooks, there is always the lobby bar at the Algonquin on the same block.
Well done. I hope we can look forward to articles on other NYC landmarks in the future. I suggest the Campbell Apartment (Grand Central) as an accessible open-to-the-public option. Harder to get access to, but very germane to this blog, would be the Racquet (all-male club on Park Ave), as well as NY Yacht, virtually next door to the Harvard Club.
@ Taliesin
Does it still look like that? Is the rhino still there? Am assuming you’d know?
The Campbell Apartment was recommended to me practically as soon as I got off the plane here, and was one of the first places I went for a drink.
The Yacht Club’s famous architecture is one of my favorites in the city. I trust its just as distinguished inside.
The taxidermy is still in place, including an elephant head.
There’s also the Explorer’s Club, Upper East Side, which has Teddy Roosevelt-style decor on a smaller scale, and which might be more open to a visit from a non-member, if you wanted to ask.