Founded in 1826 the Somerset Club stands before you. It’s a Boston institution. A bastion of Boston Brahmin society. This wasn’t always its location though. The club began informally. It lacked a permanent home. By the 1830s it was known as the Temple Club meeting on Temple Street. A significant change occurred in 1851. The club purchased a house on the corner of Beacon and Somerset Streets. This marked the beginning of the Somerset Club as we know it today. The name changed in 1852.
The Civil War deeply impacted the club. Members divided along political lines. Some strongly opposed abolition. They were known as Copperheads. These divisions led to a schism. In 1863 a group of defectors established the Union Club. They sought unwavering loyalty to the Union.
Later in 1871 the Somerset Club acquired the David Sears townhouse at 42 Beacon Street. This magnificent house was originally designed by Alexander Parris in 1819. Sears himself expanded it in 1832. He also built the adjacent Crowninshield-Amory house at 43 Beacon Street for his daughter. This land had once been part of John Singleton Copley’s 18-acre farm. The club eventually acquired 43 Beacon Street. They joined the two houses creating their impressive clubhouse.
The Somerset Club is intensely private. It rarely appears in public discourse. One notable exception was a fire in 1945. Even then the club maintained its privacy. Firefighters were asked to use the service entrance. Today it remains one of the most exclusive clubs in Boston. Its history reflects the city’s elite and its evolution over time. A visit here is like stepping into a bygone era. An era of Boston Brahmin power and influence. A legacy still felt in the halls of this remarkable club.