Club History 

What can you say about a name?     Well... the name is a significant part of our story.
The Green Bay Yachting Club was started in 1934 when a group of local boatmen desired to have a yacht harbor for small yachts and sailboats. They began as the Green Bay Harbor Advancement Association.    The Green Bay Yachting Club, Inc. was incorporated on July 16, 1935 with a capital stock of 200 shares of common stock without nominal or par value.
Articles of Incorporation were executed by:
             Harvey J. Lhost,     Benoit Wittig,     Walter M. Masse,     Theodore R. Dost,
             Leland Gillespie,     John A. Ebeling,   and   Milton F. Smith

On October 16, 1936 the Articles of Incorporation were amended. Article III was changed to say that stock/asset proceeds go to the Sea Scouts if the club is ever disbanded. This change was adopted by 83 of 104 members present at a business meeting voting unanimously in favor.
This change was executed by:
        Harvey J. Lhost (President/Commodore)   and   Frank J. Nickolai (Secretary)
        Other Officers at the time included   Benoit Wittig,   Walter M. Masse,
        Theodore R. Dost,    Leland Gillespie,    John A. Ebeling,
        &   Milton F. Smith (1st Commodore) Click here for a list of all Commodores

Early in 1940 the new name of Green Bay Yachting Club was incorporated while the Green Bay Yachting Club, Inc. was dissolved. The purpose of this change was to establish the club as a new non-stock, non-profit corporation and to try to keep the same business name.
In March 1940 notice of the first formal meeting of members was given from George Nau Burridge, Walter Masse, and Harvey Lhost. At the first formal meeting on March 14, 1940, officers and directors were elected, by-laws adopted, and all other matters acted upon.

Another defining name change occurred one more time and is the most recent change. On March 26, 1980 the Articles of Incorporation were Restated for the Green Bay Yachting Club, Inc. This change reestablished the original name that included the "Inc." part of the name. This provided for the continuation of the club under their original chosen name while maintaining the desired non-stock, non-profit corporation status.  (Click here for my summary notes of all the incorporations etc.)

G.B.Y.C. was formed to have a governing body.   The club purpose is to provide suitable mooring and docking facilities, to provide a meeting place for boating activities, to instruct and encourage safe use and care of boats, navigation, and marine law. In the early days, the club sponsored the boy Sea Scouts and the girl Sea Scouts. Before 1939 members stood ready to help our local Coast Guard. The club has also cooperated with the Harbor Commission, City officials, Conservation Department, and other public officials in making surveys, conserving wildlife, and aiding in the carrying on of other public programs.

As of 2002 there has been 50 Commodores and three clubhouses.

Click one of the following links for past year's  Officers and Board Members.

To learn more and see additional details, check out the major events timeline below.

Reference Sources:

Green Bay Yachting Club; Meeting Minutes 1934-1938, 1960-1992.

Green Bay Yachting Club Members - special thanks to: Dave Nelson and Roger Gilsoul.

Incorporations, Register of Deeds for Brown County, Wisconsin, 1872-1980.

Incorporation Papers: Domestic Corporations 1848-1945, G2439-G2567, Secretary of State, Corporate Division; State Historical Society, Archives Division, Series 356, Box No. 319.

Town of Preble, Tax Rolls, 1903-1920.

Town of Preble, Plat Map, 1889.

Burridge, George Nau; La Mystique du Renard: The Fox River and the Passage to the West; Green Bay: Brown County Historical Society, 1997.

Lake Michigan Yachting Association Year Book, Lake Michigan Yachting Association, Box 257, Calumet City, Illinois 60409, 1973,1977.

"Yacht Club Acquires Home on Bay Shore," Green Bay Gazette, 24 November 1909,4.

"Severe Storm Wrecked 'Bay' Club Regatta," Green Bay Press-Gazette, 18 July 1934, Retail Section, p47.

Rudolph, Jack; "Summer Storm Wrecked Regatta," Green Bay Press-Gazette, 25 July 1964.

Additional References:

"Big Amusement Park Built on Bay Shore," Green Bay Gazette, 24 November 1909,9.

"'Cap' Cusick Was Man Who Brought Bay Beach to Life Out of Swamp," Green Bay Press-Gazette, 18 July 1934, Main Section, p24.

Rudolph, Jack; "Old Bay Beach was as Popular in the Early 1900s as it is Now," Green Bay Press-Gazette, 26 July 1970, 4[p].

Rudolph, Jack; "When Bay Beach Car Line Opened," Green Bay Press-Gazette, 27 June 1959.

Van Ess, Jeanne; "Bay Beach: 'Something Doing All the Time'," Voyageur, Volume 16 Number 1 (Summer/Fall 2000) 10-18.

Wright's Green Bay City Directory, 1872-1981.