Formation | December 19, 1879 |
---|---|
Type | |Private social club] |
36-1893300 | |
Headquarters | 65 West Jackson Boulevard |
Location |
|
Coordinates | 41°52′40.75″N87°37′48.13″W / 41.8779861°N 87.6300361°W |
President | Robert Ryan |
1st Vice President | Frank DeVincentis |
2nd Vice President | Robert Kreisman |
Affiliations | Union League, International Associate Clubs |
Website | ulcc |
The Union League Club of Chicago is a prominent civic and social club in Chicago that was founded in 1879. Its second and current clubhouse is located at 65 W Jackson Boulevard on the corner of Federal Street, in the Loop neighborhood of Chicago. The club is considered one of the most prestigious in Chicago, ranking fourth in the United States and first in the Midwest on the Five Star Platinum Club list. [1]
Union League clubs, which are legally separate but share similar histories and maintain reciprocal links with one another, are also located in New York City and Philadelphia. Additional Union League clubs were formerly located in Brooklyn, New York and New Haven.
Founded in 1879, the Union League Club of Chicago (the Club) traces its roots to the earlier Union League of America.
The Union League of America was founded during the American Civil War to support Abraham Lincoln and preserve the Union. Its first council was founded on June 25, 1862, in Pekin, Illinois and spread rapidly across the North with the first Chicago council formed on August 19, 1862. [2]
After the last Chicago council of the Union League of America disbanded in 1877, Orrin H. Salisbury, a local politician and former member, conceived an idea of a new club in the same tradition that would influence local, state and national politics. He approached John Wentworth ("Long John") who saw in the idea a "marching club" to specifically support Ulysses S. Grant's bid for a third term as President. Even after Grant lost his bid for a third term, Wentworth recruited heavily for the Club. [3] : 30
The Club was incorporated as the Chicago Club of the Union League of America on December 19, 1879. It was later renamed The Union League Club of Chicago. [3] : 53 The first directors included, among others, James B. Bradwell, John Wentworth, William Penn Nixon, and John H. Kedzie. [3] : 38 The Club had two sets of officers its first year: James B Bradwell and Lewis Larned Coburn, both elected as President of the Club. [3] : 43
In the Articles of Association, the Club's primary objectives are to (paraphrased): encourage loyalty to the Federal Government, defend the Union, inculcate good citizenship, maintain equality of all citizens, assure the purity of the ballot, oppose corruption, and secure honesty in the administration of National, State, and Municipal affairs. [3] : 27–28 At the same time, some members, led by R. S. Critchell, wanted the Club to have the amenities of a social club including fine dining. [3] : 48 Today, according to the Club's website, it is both "a catalyst for action in nonpartisan political, economic and social arenas" [4] and a social club with "an array of unique opportunities for entertainment and personal growth" and fine dining. [5]
The Club's website states: "the Public Affairs Committee and its various subcommittees address a wide range of public policy issues and serve as the conduit for the Club’s involvement in civic affairs". [6] Some of these issues have included:
The Club is one of The Top 100 Platinum City Clubs of the World for 2020/2021. [16]
The Club's first clubhouse was designed by William Le Baron Jenney. The current clubhouse, built on the same site as the first, was designed by Mundie & Jensen. The building houses meeting rooms, overnight guest rooms, 5 dining areas, a swimming pool and workout facilities. [3] : 238
The Club’s art collection is extensive prompting the Chicago Tribune to call the Club “The other art institute in Chicago” [17] The same article discusses the depth of the collection in historic and contemporary Chicago artists.
According to the Club's website, the Library and Archives are one of the oldest amenities of the Club. [18] The Library was renamed in 2019 to honor long-time member and jurist, George N. Leighton. The Club is a Partner Organization with the Chicago Collections [19] in order to share its archives more broadly.
The Club sponsors and houses the administrative staff of 3 non-profit foundations, according to the Foundations' websites,
According to the Club's website, it supports the men and women of the armed services through the following groups: [25]
Naval Submarine Base New London is the primary United States Navy East Coast submarine base, also known as the "Home of the Submarine Force." It is located in Groton, Connecticut directly across the Thames River from its namesake city of New London.
Hyman G. Rickover was an admiral in the United States Navy. He directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of the U.S. Naval Reactors office. In addition, he oversaw the development of the Shippingport Atomic Power Station, the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor used for generating electricity. Rickover is also one of four people who have been awarded two Congressional Gold Medals.
USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine and on 3 August 1958 became the first submarine to complete a submerged transit of the North Pole. Her initial commanding officer was Eugene "Dennis" Wilkinson, a widely respected naval officer who set the stage for many of the protocols of today's Nuclear Navy of the US, and who had a storied career during military service and afterwards.
John Lawrence Sullivan was an American lawyer who served in several positions in the US federal government, including as Secretary of the Navy, the first during the administration of Harry S. Truman.
A nuclear navy, or nuclear-powered navy, refers to the portion of a navy consisting of naval ships powered by nuclear marine propulsion. The concept was revolutionary for naval warfare when first proposed. Prior to nuclear power, submarines were powered by diesel engines and could only submerge through the use of batteries. In order for these submarines to run their diesel engines and charge their batteries they would have to surface or snorkel. The use of nuclear power allowed these submarines to become true submersibles and unlike their conventional counterparts, they became limited only by crew endurance and supplies.
USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, pioneer of the nuclear Navy, and the only Los Angeles-class submarine not named after a United States city or town. She was initially to be named USS Providence; however, following the retirement of Admiral Rickover, her name was reassigned prior to official christening. SSN-719 was later given the name USS Providence.
One ship of the United States Navy and one planned one have been named USS Hyman G. Rickover, after Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, known as the "Father of the Nuclear Navy".
USS Newport News (SSN-750), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Newport News, Virginia. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 19 April 1982 and her keel was laid down on 3 March 1984. She was launched on 15 March 1986 sponsored by Mrs. Rosemary D. Trible, and commissioned on 3 June 1989. Mayor Jessie M. Rattley presented the ship with a commemorative plaque containing the poem "Newport News," written by Newport News native Ronald W. Bell, whose poem "Admiral Rickover" also appears upon a plaque aboard the Los Angeles-class submarine Hyman G. Rickover.
Senn High School is a public four-year high school located in the Edgewater neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Senn is operated by the Chicago Public Schools system and was opened on 3 February 1913. The school is named in honor of surgeon, instructor, and founder of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States Nicholas Senn. Senn has advanced placement classes, an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, a fine arts program, and a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. It formerly housed the public but administratively separate, Hyman Rickover Naval Academy. The architect for the Senn High School building and campus was Arthur F. Hussander, who was the chief architect for the Chicago Board of Education; the contractor was Frank Paschen.
United States ship naming conventions for the U.S. Navy were established by congressional action at least as early as 1862. Title 13, section 1531, of the U.S. Code, enacted in that year, reads, in part,
The vessels of the Navy shall be named by the Secretary of the Navy under direction of the President according to the following rule: Sailing-vessels of the first class shall be named after the States of the Union, those of the second class after the rivers, those of the third class after the principal cities and towns and those of the fourth class as the President may direct.
The Commander, Naval Submarine Forces is the Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet type commander under the United States Fleet Forces Command.
The Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) is the principal advisor to the Commander, United States Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) for submarine matters. The Pacific Submarine Force (SUBPAC) includes attack, ballistic missile and auxiliary submarines, submarine tenders, floating submarine docks, deep submergence vehicles and submarine rescue vehicles throughout the Pacific.
The United States Submarine Veterans, Inc. (USSVI) is an organization created by a group from the United States Submarine Veterans of World War II. They shared a belief in the need for an organization open to all United States Navy submariners, from the very beginning of the Submarine Service to the present and into the future - not limited to just those who served so ably in World War II. They wanted to ensure their shipmates who were killed in action on submarines would never be forgotten.
USS Illinois (SSN-786) is a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. Named for the State of Illinois, she is the third vessel with the name, the previous two being battleships BB-7 and BB-65, which was never completed. She was built by the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics, the third of their Block III variants which feature a revised bow and technology from the converted sub-class of Ohio guided missile submarines (SSGN). The contract for the build was awarded on 22 December 2008 to Huntington Ingalls Industries in partnership with Electric Boat, and construction commenced with the keel laying ceremony on 2 June 2014, at their yard in Groton, Connecticut. First Lady Michelle Obama served as the ship's sponsor, and christened the boat on 10 October 2015. Illinois was launched on 8 August 2015 and completed sea trials on 2 August 2016. She was delivered to the Navy on 27 August 2016 and commissioned in a ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London on 29 October 2016. Then-First Lady Michelle Obama, as the sponsor, attended the ceremony and is considered to be an honorary member of the crew due to her support of military families and her involvement with the Illinois crew and their families.
Hyman G. Rickover (1900–1986) was a U.S. naval admiral responsible for the development of naval nuclear propulsion, and also known as the "Father of the Nuclear Navy"
Oregon is a nuclear powered attack submarine in the United States Navy. She is the fourth vessel to carry the name Oregon, the 33rd state of US, and the 20th Virginia-class submarine. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced her name on 10 October 2014 at a ceremony hosted at the Battleship Oregon Memorial in Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon.
USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795), is a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the United States Navy and the second such boat commemorating Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, pioneer of the nuclear navy. The boat's sponsor is Darleen Greenert, wife of then Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jonathan Greenert. Both the boat's name and her sponsor were announced by the Secretary of the Navy at a ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard on 9 January 2015. Hyman G. Rickover's christening occurred on 31 July 2021, and she was commissioned on 14 October 2023, during a ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London, in Groton, Connecticut.
Montana (SSN-794) is a Virginia-class attack submarine of the United States Navy. She honors the U.S. State of Montana. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the name on 3 September 2015 at a ceremony hosted in Billings, Montana with U.S. Senator Jon Tester.
Captain John Henry Ebersole, M.D., United States Navy Medical Corps was a pioneer in submarine medicine and radiation oncology, selected by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover to serve as medical officer aboard the US Navy's first two nuclear powered submarines, the USS Nautilus and the USS Seawolf. He was the radiologist for NASA that screened the Mercury Seven astronauts for Project Mercury. Ebersole was the radiologist responsible for the x-rays taken during the autopsy of John F. Kennedy on 22 November 1963 at Bethesda Naval Medical Center.
USS Resolute (AFDM-10),, was a AFDM-3-class floating dry dock built in 1945 and operated by the United States Navy.