To spot the Ivy Club, just look ahead for a large, stately brick mansion trimmed in dark brown, with tall chimneys and an arched main entrance, framed by leafy trees and a low stone wall along the street.
Imagine you’re back in the late 1800s, when horse-drawn carriages clattered down a dusty Prospect Avenue, and the smell of fresh ink wafted from new books-because right in front of you stands the legendary Ivy Club, a place where Princeton tradition feels almost alive. This isn’t just any brick building, oh no. In 1879, a young Arthur Hawley Scribner-a book-lover and future publishing magnate-helped bring the Ivy Club to life, making it the very first eating club at Princeton. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the distant rustle of crisp white linens being laid out for lunch.
Now, the Ivy Club quickly gained a reputation-and not the kind you earn from telling the best jokes at dinner. F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote that it was “detached and breathlessly aristocratic.” Picture students gliding across the grand hall, tuxedoed and talking in hushed voices, a sea of silver candelabra glowing on long dining tables, even at high noon when sunlight pours through the tall windows. The air inside is tinged with old books, roasted meats, and the gentle chime of Sheffield silverware. It’s a scene fit for a novel-or a very exclusive dinner party.
But this club didn’t just serve meals. Getting in was an event of its own: you had to survive ten screening interviews, where hopeful juniors tried their wit and charm against eagle-eyed members. Only a few would make it through these famous “bicker” sessions, and, if you think job interviews are tough, imagine your whole future riding on what you say over dessert. For many, Ivy became a rarefied home-a place to meet future politicians, writers, and even the occasional Olympian.
The Ivy Clubhouse also has a story worthy of a time-traveling adventure. The original home wasn’t even here! It began as Ivy Hall on Mercer Street, built to house the Princeton Law School. Spoiler: the school lasted just five years, and the building morphed into the heart of Ivy’s activities. By 1883, with Prospect Avenue still a quiet dirt road, Ivy made its bold move, building a shingled clubhouse right where Colonial Club now stands. Then, in true Princeton fashion, Ivy outgrew its old skin and leapt across the street for a third and even grander home-right where you’re standing now. Designed in 1897 by the storied firm Cope & Stewardson, Ivy’s current look feels straight out of an English countryside manor.
Fast-forward to 2009, when the club had its most dramatic makeover. An entire new wing rose up, adding a Great Hall tall enough for echoes and a mysterious crypt below for quiet study-a perfect spot for a secret meeting or a midnight ghost story.
Of course, stories aren’t built on bricks alone-they’re made by people. Ivy has an alumni list that would make a Hollywood producer jealous: Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek, “Moneyball” author Michael Lewis, three generations of the Lee family who ruled Maryland politics, plus a Supreme Court justice, diplomats, publishers, and-believe it or not-the actor Ellie Kemper from The Office. You may have even heard that Woodrow Wilson himself was associated with Ivy (no pressure on your next exam).
But it wasn’t always tradition and toast-sometimes, change came with a bang. Imagine the spring of 1991, as the club faced a lawsuit by Sally Frank and her determined lawyer, finally opening its doors to women after more than a century. That decision didn’t just reshape the club-it echoed through all of Princeton.
So, as you stand beneath these tall chimneys, think of all the whispered secrets, glittering dinners, and bold debates that wound through these walls. Ivy is a club where history, mystery, and a dash of drama are always on the menu. And who knows-maybe one day, your own story might be told here too.
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