The History
Many institutions have influenced Detroit’s history, but few have impacted the community as much as the Detroit Athletic Club.
The DAC has shaped more than a century of Detroit history since it was established in 1887.
The original Club, founded by a group of privileged young men under the spell of amateur athletics sweeping the country at the time, was later reborn in 1913 by a group of the city’s prominent automotive and industrial leaders.
They reorganized the DAC and commissioned famed architect Albert Kahn to design the magnificent six-story Clubhouse that stands today in the center of the city’s theater and sports district.
What has set us apart over the years is that we are about more than our amenities and an impressive facade. We have become a legacy.
When the new Clubhouse opened in April of 1915 it was the culmination of the careful plans and dreams of more than 100 prominent Detroiters, many of who were automotive pioneers. Names like Chalmers, Jewett, Kelsey, Joy, Lodge, Metzger, Hughes, Navin and Scripps will forever be associated with the Club’s 20th-century rebirth and its place as a home to industrial titans.
A new DAC was born on Jan. 4, 1913, when 109 leading citizens of Detroit met at the Ponchartrain Hotel to sign articles of association and organize a framework of committees to start the club on its way.
Club Values
