History - 1904 - "The Men Who Came to Dinner" - First Meetings - Historic Photos 

Building the Hermit Dream

Meade and Garfield, both architects, had prepared plans to build the club with a set budget of $10,000. Meade’s dream of replicating the Lambs Club in New York provided much architectural inspiration to his design and won over the early members of the club for its appealing spirit, objective and purpose.

As administrator, Meade gathered the right people who were “doers” to help jump start the club.  As auctioneer, Hermit Albert Rees Davis sold practically all the bonds needed to build the club. Members also took great financial and personal interest in the building of the club as bonds were subscribed among many. In addition to the bonds, Hermit John Blood secured a 95-year lease on a lot on the east side of Hickox Alley, midway between Euclid and Prospect Street (now East 3rd Street) known as 2009 Third Place, S.E.

With this all in place, The Hermit Club began to rapidly take shape with its groundbreaking in June of 1904 and the completion of the club that following October.