Igniting a passion for paddling

Tucked away behind the bustling SEPTA depot on Ridge Avenue sits a beloved 18th century clubhouse cherished by a group of people united by water.

The Philadelphia Canoe Club is one of the oldest paddling organizations in the country.  

Tucked away behind the bustling SEPTA depot on Ridge Avenue in between Manayunk and East Falls sits the beloved 18th century clubhouse cherished and protected by a group of people united by water. 

The club was established in 1905 as a men’s social club and later evolved into a recreational paddling organization for men and women.  In the early days, many members raced in the Olympic Games, including Russ McNutt, who competed in the 1936 games in Berlin. 

Today, the club’s 140 canoeists and kayakers take trips on waterways throughout the region and country.  While the majority of members come from the East Falls section of Philadelphia, some come from New Jersey and Delaware. 

The Philadelphia Canoe Club is an active teaching club, training new paddlers in flatwater and whitewater canoeing, whitewater kayaking and sea kayaking.  All of the club’s trips, training and events are open to the public. For more information about the club, visit http://www.philacanoe.org/.