113 YEARS OF LEGACY - the madison club
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1 1 3 Y E A R S OF L E GAC Y. . .
For more than a century, the Madison Club has provided a unique environment
in which members could nurture and enjoy their families, develop and grow their
businesses, and work with their peers to address community needs and opportunities.
The essential service cornerstones of the Madison Club experience have been and
will continue to be focused on meeting members' needs, ensuring diversity and
appropriateness of usage opportunities, offering unparalleled food, drink and service
at a reasonable price structure, and, perhaps most important, being a place to interact
with others in an environment that respects ambition and hard work, rewards well-
earned success, and embraces the search for new opportunities.
During the last 113 years more than five generations of leaders gathered at the
Madison Club to meet the challenges and opportunities of their times. Each of those
generations shaped and guided transformational changes in their businesses and their
community.
Together we have survived and will continue to thrive because we are more than just a club. Our members are true leaders from all walks of
life that will collectively continue to give back to the community and support the traditions that have made us a strong organization.
SNAPSHOT OF THE MADISON CLUB’S HISTORY
F. WARREN MONTGOMERY’S LETTER TO STANLEY
C. HANKS ON MAY 14, 1918 MARKS A SIGNIFICANT
EVENT IN THE CLUB’S HISTORY...
“I am asking a number of gentlemen to a dinner in honor of Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt at the Madison Club.” Montgomery convinced
Roosevelt to dedicate the American Flag that graced the new
headquarters of the Madison Club, the city’s only private dining
club at that time.
THE BEGINNING
The original Madison Club was actually the Harnan Hotel, at 122
West Washington Avenue, the site of the current Hovde Building.
The initial membership was limited to 150, and the Club’s first event
was a dinner held in 1910.
“This evening at 8 o’clock the Madison Club will throw open its hospitable
doors to members and friends in the first formal social event of its
existence.... Flowers in great, fragrant profusion have been arranged
throughout the spacious rooms with charming affect, pink seeming to be
the predominant color....” - The Wisconsin State Journal, October 14, 1910
OCT 1909 OCT 1914 MAY 1918
The Madison Club is officially The Board of Directors sent a letter inviting Theodore Roosevelt greets
organized with a main purpose of fellow members to dinner for $1.00 a plate well wishers from the
taking an active role in municipal to think about “a new Club House.” The letter Madison Club’s second story
affairs and to manifest a lively stated, “We are growing to bigger things. window at its new clubhouse.
interest in the city’s growth. Your judgment is wanted.”
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THE NEW HEADQUARTERS
Within five years, the Club began outgrowing its facilities as membership was on the
increase. The Club’s Board of Directors hired an architect named Frank Riley, who
later became known as one of Madison’s most prominent 20th century architects, to
build the new Club headquarters. Riley’s design won the favor of the Madison Club
directors who paid a total cost of $101,783.69 for their new clubhouse.
On May 21, 1918, the new Club building was officially deemed ready for occupation.
An energetic group of Madison Club members, marched from their original home on
West Washington Avenue to their new home on 5 East Wilson Street. To signify this
momentous event, the Madison Club crest was created which we still use today.
CLUB MILESTONES 1927: On July 20, 1927, the Board of Directors strategized for ways to
increase revenue resulting in the decision to open the Club to women “for
bridge and luncheon parties on Tuesday and Thursday of each week from 1 - 6
p.m.” In addition to increasing revenue, the board thought this would create
‘goodwill’ among the wives of Club members.
1950s: The Club put on its first addition at 5 East Wilson by extending
the main dining room and adding a new paved parking lot which is where the
Hilton Hotel is located today.
1974: January 1974 Madison Club ends “men only” membership.
1980s: A decade dedicated to being the place for business. “I joined the
Madison Club because it was one of the few professional places to go to meet
the business leaders of the day... I found if I couldn’t get through to someone at
the office, I could usually find them at the Club.” - Member, Audrey Kleinschmidt
2005: The Madison Club Charitable Foundation was established which
has raised $1.3 million dollars to date to help local charities further their cause.
1990s - EARLY 2000s: REPAIRS,
REMODELING & REBRANDING
In 1995, the Club was asked to attend a meeting to discuss the building of a hotel to support the
Monona Terrace. One of the prime locations being considered was the site of the Madison Club.
The first thought was that the Club would take over the top floor of the new hotel. However, after
numerous hours of debate and heavy coverage in the local media, the members decided that they
needed to stay in their current location to continue to build on their tradition as “the place” to
meet in downtown Madison for meetings and social events. In the end, the Club’s parking lot was
purchased for $1,000,000 for building of the Hilton Hotel in 1997.
The Club’s Board of Directors also decided it was time for a period of renovation and rebuilding with
major remodeling efforts that began at the end of the 1990s and were completed in 2001. Changes
totaling over $5 million in updates included a revamping of the Club’s third-floor which provided a
fine dining restaurant with panoramic views of Lake Monona and several third-floor meeting spaces. This new renovation revitalized the Club
as membership grew to 1,000 members.
However, after 21 years, in order for the Club to remain true to its mission, addressing needed renovations for this “all important member
floor” needs to be a top priority in the coming year.
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THE CHALLENGES WE FACE TODAY
We believe the Madison Club Legacy of leadership and service is critical to our current times which is why the Board of Directors created the
Legacy Initiative. This crucial project is dedicated to improving the Club’s ambiance, increasing functionality, attracting new members, and
honoring the Club’s historic role in the community.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, WE NEED TO:
• Create a more upscale lounge area with casual seating, state-of-the-art wine lockers, and a completely renovated bar.
• Renovate Churchill’s into a more intimate and elegant dining room that provides a warm and inviting atmosphere with new lighting,
flooring, ceiling, furniture and kitchen equipment.
• Replace a majority of the third-floor furniture, including restaurant chairs, bar stools, patio furniture and meeting room chairs that have
not been replaced in close to 20 years.
• Address structural deterioration to prevent further issues and water damage which will allow us to build a new patio for more outdoor
dining on the front of the building.
• Meet changing member needs and expectations, and attract much needed new members, which requires renovating areas that are
outdated and no longer represent efficient use of space. The new meeting rooms will provide rooms where members can host both a top-
level board meeting with updated technology to an elegant private dinner or special event.
“Moving forward, the ability of the Madison Club to remain a viable venue for our members and Madison’s business
and community leaders, rests in your hands. To honor our prolific past, we must build on that legacy by investing in the
Madison Club’s future.”
- Mike Theo, Club Board President, 2019-2021
WHAT WILL THIS COST AND WHEN WILL IT START?
After careful consideration, we decided it is not prudent for the Club to increase the debt we already have. And, after 24 months of hardship
created by the Pandemic which included losing members and revenue, we do not want to burden our loyal members with high dues and
additional fees.
For all those reasons, the Club’s Board of Directors has launched an ambitious $1,000,000 Fund Raising Drive. We know we can count on you,
and, in fact, early generous contributions of more than $200,000 have us off to a great start. We have set a goal to raise an additional $250,000
by July 1, 2022, so we can begin ordering equipment and supplies for the project to begin in January 2023. Please join your fellow Club
members to help us reach our goal as we have a group of members who are willing to match this amount which would be instrumental
in getting this project off the ground.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Donate today by visiting madisonclub.org/legacy-initiative to see our donation levels or email your questions to mgward@madisonclub.org.
Additionally, please join us at our ‘All Member Meeting’ which will precede the Member Party on Wednesday, April 27th, from 5:00 PM - 6:00
PM, where board members and management will discuss plans, hear your questions, and present future visions of our new space.
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ALL MEMBER
MEETING & CELEBRATION
You’re invited to our All Member Meeting & Celebration on Wednesday, April 27th, in
the Atrium. The night will begin at 5:00 PM with our ‘All Member Meeting’ where we will
discuss the Legacy Initiative, including donations collected to date and how this amount
will affect future financials. Following the meeting, members are invited to stay for our 2022
Member Party to meet members, mingle with old friends, and enjoy food and beverage
from “Around the World.”
Please note, members are welcome to attend either/both events. If you wish to join us for
the member party only, please join us in the Atrium at 6:00 PM.
AROUND TH E WORLD ME N U
NEW ORLEANS:
SAZERAC & HURRICANES
FRIED OYSTER PO BOYS
CRAB JAMBALAYA
PRALINES
MEXICO:
MARGARITAS & MODELO
SALSA & GUACAMOLE
CHURROS
COCHINITA PIBIL SOPES
JAPAN:
SAKE & JAPANESE WHISKEY
MATCHA DESSERT
SASHIMI DISPLAY
FRANCE:
COGNAC & GREY GOOSE
FRUIT TARTLETS
CROQUE MONSIEUR SLIDERS
GREECE:
GREEK RED & WHITE WINE
GREEK ANTIPASTI DISPLAY
GRILLED KEBOBS
BAKLAVA
Let’s celebrate getting through the past year together and look forward to a bright future
with our exciting renovation! To register, please contact the front desk at 608-255-4861 by
Saturday, April 23rd. The price for the member party is $35.00 and includes all of the food
and beverage above.
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