Saugerties Fish & Game Club

As one of New York's Oldest Active Sportsmen's Clubs, it's only appropriate that

While established in 1884, our State of New York, Office of the Secretary of State,

sealed certificate certifies that the Certificate of Incorporation of

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"The Right Of The People To Keep And Bear Arms Shall Not Be Infringed"

This brief work is an attempt to put together a history of the Saugerties

Fish and Game Club, Inc. The club was formed in 1884, as this is the first

documented record. A membership book with a list of 58 people indicates the

names and yearly dues of 50 cents (It's assumed these are yearly dues, but

To place in perspective the beginning of the club, it may help to show it in a historical context. The Town of Saugerties was incorporated in 1811. The American Civil War ended in 1865. Chester Arthur was President in 1884 and the Saugerties Town Hall was built in 1890. So, the Club was founded 19 years after the War and 6 years before the Town Hall was built. The members who founded the club consisted of industrialists, shopowners, attorneys, doctors, craftsmen, saddlemakers and newspaper publishers, etc.

A list of the club founders reads like a Who's - Who of Saugerties. Some of the members included: Thomas S. Dawes, Village Mayor 1884; Uriah Van Etten, Town Supervisor 1884; O.T. Simmons, Village Mayor 1883; Wm. R. Sheffield, owner of Sheffield Mills (old Barclay Paper Mill); Edw. Jernegan, editor of the "Pearl" and publisher of the "Daily Post"; G.W. Elting, owner of the "Saugerties Press"; L. Zeigler, Capt. of the first Saugerties Rowing Club; P. Cantine, attorney; Wm. Kipp, saddlemaker; T.S. Dawes and E.D. Chipman, physicians. Also, Wm. Sheffield and T.S. Dawes started the first "circulating library". Geo. Seaman was Treasurer of the Saugerties Saving Bank. This is just a sample of the background of some club founders.

The early history of the Saugerties Fish and Game Club is quite sketchy. Most documents, membership lists and club minutes have been misplaced. There are some records dating into the 40's (i.e. Report of Harold Mills, 1946). Membership lists and meeting minutes starts to become more available from the 50's to the present.

For many years the Club held its meetings where ever it could find a place. Early meeting places were (not in chronological order): Broomies Tavern (shooting range in basement), "Bathing House" on Esopus Creek, Snyder Hose Co. rooms, Centerville Tavern, Berzal's Garage and in members houses. Club records indicate that the search for a permanent site began in the 50's. A notation in the minutes indicates that a parcel was "possibly going to be donated", but it was squashed by the owner's son because "the parcel was worth too much".

In 1963, land on Fish Creek Rd. was donated to the Club by Percy Mower. A second parcel was bought from Percy (for a low fee), upon which the present clubhouse stands. These two parcels