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Page 59 New exhibit at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum "The Clubs: A Shoreside Tradition" opened in the Aaron DeRoy Auditorium at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on September 29, and will run through May, 2008. In the Detroit area, from Port Huron to Toledo to the Thames River, over sixty clubs cater to mariners of all stripes, in powerboats, sailboats, rowing shells, and kayaks . This exhibit features a broad cross-section of them, together representing a significant part of Detroit's maritime heritage. Each of these nautical communities has developed individual traditions, some of which rank among the oldest, longest, or most distinctive in the country. Races and regattas draw competitors from across the continent. Annual events such as a Commodores Ball, Venetian Night, or Blessing of the Fleet bring members together, serving to develop each club's personality and history. While sharing a maritime mission, each organization is different. Some have constructed elegant clubhouses and elaborate amenities. Others offer spartan facilities. Some embrace a single sport. Others include all aspects of boating. Some are places to "see-and-be-seen." Others are places to just relax and have fun. Detroit has been a center for recreational yachting and rowing as long as anyplace else in the country. The Detroit Boat Club was founded in February of 1839, and is the oldest yacht club in the country, pre-dating the New York Yacht Club by five years. Detroit Boat Club Environs - c 1880 It also enjoys the distinction of being the oldest rowing club in continuous existence in the world. Originally the DBC had a small boat house located near downtown. The first organized competition took place in 1842 with rowers pulling from Hog Island (Belle Isle) back to town. The clubhouse on Belle Isle is the fifth one built for the organization, and is now owned by the City of Detroit. The Friends of Detroit Rowing still use the facility and carry the club's burgee to competitions around the country. Other rowing crews dating to the years following the American Civil War include the Toledo Yacht Club (1865), and the Wyandotte Boat Club (1875). Also organized at this time was the Detroit Yacht Club (1868), formed by sailors, and the Old Club on the St. Clair Flats (1872), which drew sportsmen to the area's excellent fishing and duck hunting. Detroit Yacht Club Exterior - c 1900