Atwood Yacht Club

Frank F. Cope, a Carroll County Common judge who is said to have launched the first sailboat on Atwood Lake in 1939, led the formation of the Atwood Yacht Club on January 28, 1948, and became its first commodore.

The same year, the first small clubhouse building was built on a nine-acre site leased from the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District. Establishing an ongoing tradition of membership involvement, construction was completed with donated labor, materials, machines and the sale of 100 shares of stock at $100 each.

A dance on November 20, 1948, officially opened the club and launched a tradition of popular social events for members. And in 1950, the club held its first Harvest Moon Regatta, now an annual event that attracts boaters from throughout the Midwest.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the club built its first docks - forerunners to today's excellent boating facilities including in-water and dry land accommodations for 150 boats, plus a private launch ramp and hoist. Picnic areas, shuffleboard courts and playground equipment have undergone constant upgrades. To accommodate requests from many families, the club built a swimming pool in 1969.

To accommodate continual growth, the membership limit has been increased several times to today's level - 400 - and facilities have undergone numerous expansions and modernizations.

Members who travel enjoy reciprocal privileges at yacht clubs worldwide, and return home to attest to the fact that Atwood Yacht Club compares favorably with some of the most renowned yachting facilities.