And now something from the big city: Today's WSJ House of the Day is a rather impressive full-floor condo in Brooklyn's Montauk Club, a Park Slope private club with some interesting connections to its namesake. The origin of its name comes from the founders' appreciation for the Montauk tribe, whose storied history on the East End seems to have played a role in the club's formation. Surprisingly, the club's website boasts a detailed account of the tribe's trouble retaining their land on Long Island. (It appears the Montauketts had a strong relationship with British settlers in the 1600s and the Gardiner family soon after, but lost their land around the time the club was formed.) The building itself is home to an array of original artwork and carvings displaying the tribe's history.
Today, the Montauk Club seeks out an under-35 crowd, forming the Stephen Talkhouse Fellows subcommittee for young members, named after the tribesman, not the Amagansett venue, and hosting Park Slope's youthful and affluent population year-round. The landmarked building at 25 Eight Avenue has housed the club since 1899 and only turned the top floors into condo units within the last decade or so when membership declined.
· A Slice of Historic Brooklyn [WSJ]
· The Montauk Club [Official Site]
· The Takeover [NYMag]
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