Parfitt Brothers
About the Building
The Knickerbocker Field Club was formed in 1889 by lawn tennis enthusiasts.
After holding their early matches at members' homes, the club leased land in a development known as Tennis Court, built by Richard Ficken. They set up tennis courts and croquet courts there. They had a small clubhouse with bowling alleys in the basement and a stage and dance floor on the first floor.
Membership grew, and they needed a bigger clubhouse. The new structure was built on the foundations of the old clubhouse - the bowling alleys were kept.
When the new building opened, there were 240 members paying $1 a year to be part of the Knickerbocker Field Club.
Building Details
The building has a gambrel roof and a deep porch with Doric columns.
The main entrance has a semi-circular transom with muntins and sidelights flanked by pilasters.
An intricate oval window has a broken scroll pediment and scroll woodwork underneath.
Decorative elements include a broken scroll pediment and urn over the dormer and a modillioned cornice at the southern end of the building. The dormer on the other end has a crenellated parapet.
