
The Hermitage Club was originally an elegant three- story private residence located next to the Hermitage Hotel. The builder of the house was Confederate Army Major George W. Cunningham. During the American Civil War, it served as Federal headquarters for several different generals. Following the war, the Hermitage Club, an elite social club chartered in 1881, bought the Renaissance Revival-style building from Cunningham for $20,000. Members of the club added a third floor and a restaurant to the structure. Some of the many social activities held there included a debutante ball, Horse Show balls, and Jackson Day events to commemorate General Jackson’s 1815 victory at the Battle of New Orleans.