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The Early Days of the Devon Yacht Club

Thu, 07/09/2020 - 12:18
East Hampton Library Long Island Collection

The Devon Boat Club, shown in this postcard, may refer to either the Devon Yacht Club or the precursor Boat Club on the same site, established by the Devon Colony as part of the Gardiner's Bay Company buildings. Despite the evolution of names and growth in members, the structure still largely resembles the one built in 1908.

The club's early years benefited greatly from the Devon Colony, a group of families from Ohio who came to East Hampton annually starting in 1908. In 1916, members of the Gardiner's Bay Company, as they called themselves, Richmond Levering, William S. Rowe, William Cooper Procter, and Joseph Rawson, founded a new yacht club, expanding the existing small yacht club established by their families as part of the Devon Colony. 

During the yacht club's early years, the Devon Colony's founders played key roles on the board and provided financial support. Under a 10-year agreement, the colony leased the Gardiner's Bay building and five acres of land to the Devon Yacht Club for $1.

With a strong focus on sporting activities, the Devon Colony families provided reliable participants for the club's tennis matches and sailing races. Beginning in 1934, the Devon Yacht Club offered sailing lessons for children. In one written remembrance, George McAuliffe fondly recalled his childhood sailing lessons there, detailing races and boating excursions, his fellow students, celebrities and socialites, and even the meals. The reader almost tastes the cinnamon toast and cocoa McAuliffe and his fellow sailing students would warm up with on particularly cold days. 

McAuliffe gave credit for Devon's inspiring educational program to Rear Commodore Dixon B. Potter, who ran a school in Tucson, Ariz. The glamorous social life clearly left an impression.

Devon may be best known locally as the sponsor of an annual fireworks show, a casualty of this year's coronavirus cancellations, but the century-old boat club continues to sail this summer.


Andrea Meyer is the head of the East Hampton Library's Long Island Collection. Questions or suggestions can be emailed to her at [email protected]


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