About

The Club relocated from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River in 1863. Malta Boat Club, in 1865 became one of the very early members of the Schuylkill Navy, the oldest Amateur Sports Federation in the United States. In 1866 it occupied the site of the Excelsior Boat Club and constructed its first permanent building in 1869. The house had major expansions twice over the years. First in 1880, and then again in 1901 when it was expanded by a design of renowned Philadelphia architect, George Hewitt .

Additionally, Malta had an upriver Social Club until 1932 known as the Willows. It resided initially as a stop on the Fairmount Park Trolley system and then relocated to the starting line area on the West Bank.

Malta is proud of its extensive competitive history and the involvement of its members in the administration of the Schuylkill Navy and National Association of Amateur Oarsmen.

Like all the Clubs, its history reflects the cultural fabric of Philadelphia and the Rowing Community, and the efforts of its membership to preserve the physical structures which now comprise the iconic Boathouse Row which is unique in the world in terms of its size and contribution to the sport and is listed on the National Registry of Historic locations.
 

Welcome to the Malta Boat Club History Website where you can take a journey through 165 years of our historical documents, photos, trophies and stories about our founding and heritage starting from 1860. Malta Boat Club has established an onsite library of its Collection. A Virtual Collection of many items is on the Rowing History Project website for all to enjoy as well as stories about specific events in our history. Malta can make available to interested parties on site visits to the Club to review the entire Collection. Historic Malta Records are also available at the Pennsylvania Historic Society in Philadelphia.

The complete Collection includes:

• Trophies and awards

Includes trophies from multiple regattas: including Nationals, Schuylkill Navy, Independence, Canadian Henley, Middle States, etc. Historic silk Banners from multiple regattas.

• Building Architecture and History

Historical Plans from construction and improvements made since the Club’s inception in 1860. Multiple descriptive histories of the Club and other Boathouse row members.

• Meeting Minutes and Logs Through Generations

Minutes of the Club, dating from 1897 to 1958, along with those of the Willows Association, the upriver social club from 1893 to 1910.

• Photographs

Multiple photographs of past and present crews, and significant events in the Club’s history as well as other Schuylkill Navy events.

• Club Records

Correspondence from the internal interactions of the Club, Boathouse Row, and the National Rowing Community.

• Videos

Movies from the 1926 to 1927 of Malta Crews, also a collection of other rowing related videos.

• Books and Publications

A collection of some 150 books on Rowing by various authors. Rowing magazines dating back to 1966 NAAO Oarsmen and beyond. Regatta Programs dating to 1900.

• Other Rowing Artifacts

Malta contains two historic racing shells, an Octopede from 1901 and a “Needle Single” from 1925, along with vintage oars. Also, a collection of racing shell models are displayed.