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1921 - Washington Social And Musical Club
New Bedford, Ma.
This 1921 picture is when this club was located on 1 Rodney French Blvd
Click on the picture for a larger version.
See a present day map at the bottom of the page.
This is a 1921 colorized photo of the Washington Club on the corner of Cove Street and Rodney French Blvd listed in the directories as 1 West French Ave.
(Originally Rodney French Blvd. was called French Avenue.
It was named after the mayor at the time Rodney French and before that it was called Point Road)
The club was formed on Social Street in 1892. The wooden building had a large veranda in front of it.
The
liquor license from April 1898 gave a location of 2 Harmony Street, New Bedford, Ma. 02744 although that year
it moved to the small wooden building of the former orphan's home on the corner of Cove Street and Rodney French Blvd.
Later on the club moved into the three story brick building in the above picture.
There were recollections of a barber shop for members on the premises where a man could get a haircut and then go upstairs to the ballroom where on weekends live bands offered music and, dancing.
One member in 2010 said that his parents had their wedding reception there.
In 1922, a lot of the interior of the building was destroyed by fire.
The members at the time repaired the first floor and used that until 1960 when the building was sold to the city of New Bedford and subsequently demolished for the space to build the Howland Green Library on the corner of Cove Street and Rodney French Blvd.
Current location in the south end of New Bedford. Washington Club
90 David Street
New Bedford, Ma. 02744-2313 (508) 992-8511
NOTE: The Washington Social and Musical Club is a private membership club and was in the past, not generally open to the public although that might change one day.
Click the map below to enlarge it
Below - Original listing in 1904 New Bedford, Ma. city directory
