The Hammond Motor Boat Club was a proud and vibrant organization during the early part of the twentieth century. In the grouping of photographs above we see club members at their clubhouse, and on boats afloat in the Grand Calumet River. The clubhouse building was located along the shore of the Grand Calumet River, just west of Calumet Avenue. Many boat houses belonging to club members were also situated along the banks of the river there as well.

The club had two active seasons, a summer season, which usually started in June around the first day of summer. A fall session which in general started during the second or third week of September. The fall season, usually began with thrilling boat races on the river.

In 1913 the fall motor boat season began with a big twenty mile handicap race from the Calumet Avenue bridge to Riverdale and back. The starting flag was waved at 10 o'clock Monday morning on September 22, 1913. It was a cold, windy and rainy day, but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the entrants and spectators. A total of nine boats were entered in the event, however four withdrew on account of the weather. The race was completed in just under two hours. The winner was a boat named the "Ada Belle", piloted by A. W. Frank. A fall championship race was held later on October 26, the prize here was a cup valued at fifty dollars.

Along with the boat outings and races, the club held many other social events, these gatherings included their usual club meetings, as well as, dances, luncheons, dinners, picnics and fund raisers. Looks as though the Hammond Motor Boat Club had just as much fun on land as they did on water.

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Source information from The Times Newspapers located at the Hammond Public Library.
Photographs from the Calumet Room / Hammond Historical Society
Twentieth Century Time Capsule © 1999 HammondIndiana.com

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