Inaugurated in 1905, the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club is a private club located on Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey's largest freshwater lake. Originally located at the lakeside estate of R.L. Edwards, Wildwood, the club moved into it's current home in 1910. Local logs were used in the construction of the present-day Adirondack style building. In 1999 it was placed on both the National and the New Jersey Historic Registers.
Lake Hopatcong's Lenape name is believed to mean "Honey Waters of many Coves". Ever since the era of the Native Americans, Lake Hopatcong has been an important source of enjoyment for people throughout the years. In 1899, one of the Yacht Club's predecessors was the Hopatcong Lake and Field Club, an early hunting and fishing group. Four years after the founding of the yacht club in 1905, a famous race was held on its' waters, the Lake Hopatcong Regatta of August 14, 1909. And for almost sixty years, from 1880-1940, more than 40 hotels dotted the lakefront, making Lake Hopatcong a resort destination for many of the nearby urban areas, including New York City and Newark, New Jersey.
From Lake Hopatcong's days as a summer vacation spot to its current status as a year round community, the Yacht Club has remained a constant fixture on its shores. Today, the club serves three functions for the members -- offering weekday sailing and swimming classes, evening dining overlooking the lake, and weekend sailing regettas. The Yacht Club is also active in the preservation and environmental activities of keeping the lake healthy and clean.
Though a private club, area members serve on the Lake Hopatcong Commission, local planning boards and committees. One member will also be chosen Commodore of the Club for a two year term. From 1905-2009, fifty Commodores and two Honorary Commodores have served. Their responsibilities include overseeing up to 225 member families and a fleet of E-Scows. The club features an active sailing and social schedule, with an emphasis on family activities.
Lake Hopatcong Historical Museum and Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club.
Lees, Lorraine C. and R. Richard Willis.
This collection consists of photographs of the portraits of the Yacht Club's Commodores and two Honorary Commodores. The original large format photographs of each Commodore are hanging in the Yacht Club. Other material in this collection includes program booklets from 1986, 1988 and the years 1990-2007, a few negatives and a color photograph of club members on the lawn of the club taken in 1999.
The photographs of the Commodores are arranged chronologically, and according to the size of the photograph, beginning with two Honorary Commodores and ending with the current Commodore. Program booklets are also housed in Box 1.
This material is open for research without restriction under the conditions of the North Jersey History Center archives access policy. Records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research, however, as with all materials in the History Center, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. Material in the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club Photograph Collection may be photocopied, but because this material is a permanent part of the History Center's collections, researchers are advised to photocopy with care, using only the edge copier for bound material.
The material of this collection was acquired from the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club in 2001 through the efforts of clubmember Elinor Peter.
Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club Photograph Collection, 1905-2009. North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library.
Processed and encoded by Mary McMahon Dawson, 2007. Updated October 2009.