Submitted by Kristi Wachter on
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.
