The California Club is a building erected in 1930 in downtown Los Angeles for the eponymous, by-invitation members-only private social club established in 1888 which is the second-oldest such club in Southern California. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. There is an old adage that goes "The people who runLos Angeles belong to The Jonathan Club; the people who own Los Angeles belong to The California Club." The membership is by invitation only. All new members must be invited by at least six existing members of the Club, and pass a series of interviews by the Club's Membership Committee, as well as background and reference checks. The club has ranked #13 in the "Centrality Rankings" by G. William Domhoff in his book "Social clubs, policy-planning groups, and corporations: A network study of ruling-class cohesiveness" published in 2005, and it is one of the most exclusive private clubs in the U.S.
The clubhouse
In the late 1920s, purchase of land was negotiated with construction starting on the seven-story clubhouse in late 1928. The building was designed by Robert D. Farquhar, an architect trained at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris. The American Institute of Architects awarded Farquhar its Distinguished Honor Award for the design of the California Club building. According to the National Park Service:
The structure is considered one of the most important buildings of the architect Robert D. Farquhar. Built in 1930, The Italian Renaissance Revival style building, with its setbacks and tower, was among the largest buildings in the immediate area when the site was chosen. Elements like the private forecourt, which partially shields the front entrance and first floor, provides the club with a sense of privacy and understated design.
The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on July 6, 2010. The listing was featured in the National Park Service's weekly list of July 16, 2010. In addition to fine antiques and handcrafted furniture, the clubhouse is decorated with a collection of Western-themed, plein air paintings by such American landscape painters as J. Bond Francisco, Elmer Wachtel, Franz A. Bischoff, George Kennedy Brandriff, William Wendt and Paul Lauritz.
Organizational history
The California Club was incorporated on December 24, 1888. The first organizational meeting was held September 24, 1887, "in Justice Austin's courtroom", with N. C. Coleman as chairman and H. T. DeWilson as secretary.
The constitution and bylaws of the Union Social Club, of San Francisco, was reported and accepted without any change by the body of gentlemen assembled. There was considerable discussion on the... name of the club, and... it was decided to call it the California Club, of Los Angeles. The section in the bylaws granting army and navy officers all the privileges of members upon half-rate caused considerable feeling among the members. Four votes were taken on the question, and at last it was decided to allow the bylaws to read as they have for twenty-five years in the Union Club.
The club's first location was in the second-floor rooms over the Tally-Ho Stables on the northwest corner of First and Fort streets,
