The original Quaker City/Fairmount Boathouse.  In 1881, the founding members of Fairmount Rowing Association purchased 1/2 of this structure from the Pacific Barge Club, which had fallen on hard times.

1894 Junior Eight with Charles Salinger.

Unknown.

The members assembled. ca. 1914.

This is Fairmount's junior eight from 1930. They won both the Junior 8 and ???? The rowers are from Roman Catholic High School's crew, who continued rowing at FRA during the summer. For those of you old enough to remember him, the coxswain is John Facenda, long-time news anchor for WCAU television news.




Fairmount's November 4, 1939 Annual Banquet Awards Dinner. Members and guests are seated in what is now known as the Carlin Room. Notice that there are no doors next to the fireplace. That's because the bar room wasn't built until after World War II. Note also that there were separate doors leading up to the locker room and down to the boat bay.




A Fairmount quad circa 1940. That's Mer Sonzogni in the bow seat, 2 Walt Sonzogni, 3 ?, Stroke Pat Jones. Note the dock sticking out at 90 degrees to the sea wall. 



Schuylkill Navy Cross Country Champions. Thanksgiving Day 1940.

Fred Plaisted (c. 1946). Before there was Lloyd Hall there was a Public Boathouse on the same site. The Public Boathouse was eventually renamed Plaisted Hall in honor of Fred Plaisted, the last of the great professional rowers from the late 1800s. Mr. Plaisted (center) is shown here at age 96. He is explaining his woodworking technique to Fairmount member Joe Sonzogni (left). In the right hand side of the photo is a man known to local rowers of the time only as Russ. Russ lost his legs in an elevator accident during the 1930s. Russ was a fixture on Boathouse Row until his death from a heart attack in 1944.




The Boathouse sometime before 1945.



The Boathouse in August 1945. Construction is well underway expanding the Quaker City boat bays and deck space, and adding the bar room to connect the Quaker City and Fairmount buildings.




1947 National Champion Senior Quad.

C. Kain (b), L. Kieffer, J. Coughlan, J. Kieffer (s)

Sometimes you find Fairmount members in the strangest places. In this photo of Penn ACs 1953 Cross Country team, there's Tom Dowd kneeling in the lower left corner and Jack Scholl standing fourth from the left.



Thanksgiving Day, 1957, after the Schuylkill Navy Cross Country Run.  #20 is Steve McKenna, #19 is Tom McDonough, #17 is John Kieffer, #8 is Tom Brophy, and #15 is Larry Kelly. (l-r) Standing: Steve Mckeena, Frank Moffitt, Frank Cosgrave, Tom McDonoght, John Kieffer, Tom Brophy, Larry Kelly. Kneeling: Jim Pettitt, Gene ???, Joe Hasiak, Tom Hasiak, Joseph Kerrigan.




John J. Kieffer (bow), Tom McDonough (stroke), and Tom Hasiak (cox), 1955 Pair With, National Champions.



Fairmount's 1958-59 Championship Basketball Team.



1961 Intermediate four with. The crew is notable in that the three man, Stan Cwiklinski, won an Olympic gold medal as part of Vesper Boat Club's 1964 eight.



Fairmount Rowing Association 1965 National Championship Quad. The same crew repeated in 1996.
(Al Wachlin, Rod Beary, Bill Rafter, Dave Robinson)



Bill Belden pictured with coach Bill Mastalski after winning the 1978 World Championship in the lightweight single.



1992 Frostbite Regatta Masters Eight Champions (left to right: Charlie Bracken, Curt Kaufmann, Jim Green, Mike Bowers, Al Wachlin, Paul Stewart, Dietrich Rose, Harry Todd, standing front: Michel Hollenback Bowers, coxswain)



1993 Frostbite Regatta Masters Eight Champions (left to right, Greg Stefan, Tom Owston, Sean Drea, Bob Beaty, coxswain Mike Cipollone, Red Sargent, Mike Bowers, Bob Galli, Paul Stewart).




Fairmount's entry in the 1998 Head of the Charles Regatta practicing the day before the race. The coxswain is Kevin Knecht, stroke: Charlie Bracken, 7: Tom Owston, 6: Al Wachlin, 5: Bob Beaty, 4: Dietrich Rose, 3: Mike Bowers, 2: John Gaughan, bow: John Tierney.




Masters Quad, Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, October 27, 2001. Left to right: Pete McNamara, Frank McAleer, Roy Robson, Steve Whalen.



Fairmount Workday April 27, 2002
1. Trusties Russ Abbey and John Kieffer enjoying a few minutes of freedom outside the fence.
2. Guy Iverson on Work Release program.



Tom Owston, Jr., successfully defended his title as Fairmount's club singles
champion. He's shown here accepting the "Rooster" trophy from club
president Mike Bowers on Memorial Day, 2002.



Fairmount members Tim Afflerbach and Lee Silverberg at the Masters Nationals in Oakland,
California.



Tim and Lee (con't).



Work Day 2002. Bob Beaty asks, "What are you talking about. It smells just like money to me!"



Work Day 2002. Hi, ho, hi, ho: (l-r) Tom Monnat, Tim Afflerbach, Michel Bowers, Bob Beaty, and Ed Boyle.



Work Day 2002. Jerry Dudley asks, "Cheese? What cheese? I didn't cut any cheese!"



Work Day 2002. Harry Todd and Steve Whalen practicing their Swing Dance technique.



Tunnel Rock around the turn of the century. This photo shows the pathway on the side of the rock. Note that the original path actually went through a tunnel of its own. If you look closely, you can see a couple of local kids sitting on top of the rock waiting to steal a bicycle.



The Tunnel Rock on Kelly Drive just after its completion. Note that Kelly Drive, then called East River Drive, had not yet been paved. Get out your magnifying glass. To the right of the tunnel just in front of the street lamp is a young man in a top hat and formal attire. That's John Kieffer the morning after his senior prom at Roman Catholic High.



Fairmount's Leatherneck eight. Marine Corps. veterans and Fairmount members after racing in the 2001 Navy Day Regatta. Left to right - Mark Davis, Greg Stefan, Jack Long, Kevin Flynn, Jim Lang, Bob Beaty, Bob Smith, Red Sargent. Standing front - Honorary Marine and coxswain Mike Cipollone.




Fairmount's Leatherneck Eight after taking the Silver Medal at the Head of
the Christina Regatta in Wilmington, Delaware, October 6, 2002




From the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, October 26, 2002

This photo was originally titled "Leathernecks Take Prisoners" but I'm told that the crews played nicely together and posed for this picture right after a group hug. With the exception of Jim Lang, everyone seems to be having a good time.

Left to right: Spike Sweeney, John E. Kieffer, Ted A. Nash, Stu Lockhart, Curt Kaufmann, Greg Stefan, Jr., Kevin Flynn, Jack Long, Al Wachlin, Bob Smith, John Scott, Bob Beaty, Tom Owston, Jim Lang, Steve Whalen, Red Sargent, John Glasgow, and Nick Bartucci. The little guy in front is Robbie Smith, Bob Smith's grandson.

Memorial Day 2003

Tom Owston, Jr. successfully defended his title as Fairmount's fastest single sculler.  Tom is shown here accepting the Rooster
Trophy from club president Bill Rafter. Tom also earned the right to be called "Rooster" whenever he is in the Boathouse.



Memorial Day 2003- Will be remembered for the miserable weather. Fairmount rowers huddle in a boat bay waiting to launch for their races.

From the 2003 Canadian Masters Championships, Montreal, August 2003
Red Sargent, Curt Kaufmann, Al Wachlin, Enda Bracken, Tom Owston, John Scott, Frank Biller, Mark Davis.  Kate Wood, coxswain.



Tom Owston, John Scott, Al Wachlin, and Curt Kaufmann.  Kate Wood, coxswain.



Mark Davis, John Scott, Frank Biller, and Enda Bracken. Kate Wood, coxswain.



Red Sargent

Spring Break 1987. Fairmount masters rowers traveled to Miami to race in the Miami Invitational Regatta. After the racing, members Jim Lang (left) and Gus Ignas (right) were seen hanging out on the beach with a local television personality.

All pictures scans and comments by Mike Bowers.