About Cottage Club

The Beginning

In 1884, a group of freshman chose to eat in a private room on the second floor of Dohm’s Restaurant on Nassau Street. In time, this group named themselves "The Seven Wise Men of Grease,” a reflection of the meals they endured.

During their sophomore year, the group moved up Nassau Street to a hotel on the corner of Railroad Avenue (now University Place) known as The University Hotel. From reports, no improvement of food was encountered, and the group began to look for a more suitable place to eat.

In September of their junior year they found a small house immediately south of The University Hotel on Railroad Avenue (where Hamilton Hall now stands) owned by the college and known as The University Cottage. The group agreed on the name "The University Cottage Club of Princeton” popularly known today as "Cottage."

A Monumental Year

1892 was a monumental year for Cottage. The property on Prospect was purchased and the shingle style Victorian was built. It was also the year that the interlocking UCC insignia was adopted and the Cottage colors were selected. The 16th Lancers Regiment of England granted the use of their colors, BURGUNDY, GOLD and BLACK, to Cottage under special arrangements made by George Trotter Class of 1891. The colors are worn with great pride at all formal functions.

On September 14, 1999 the Club was entered onto the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. On November 15, 1999 it was added to the National Historic Register of Historic Places based on the architectural structure of the building, high degree of historic integrity, and significant cultural contributions to the community. These recognitions will help to preserve and protect this historic treasure for future generations.

Noteworthy Members

Several noteworthy individuals have been members, including: Edgar Palmer ‘03, Breckenridge Long ’03, John Foster Dulles ’08, Dean Mathey ’12, James Forrestal ’15, F. Scott Fitzgerald ’17, (he began his novel "This Side of Paradise” in the UCC library), Livingston T. Merchant ’26, Henry R. Labouisse ’26, Leonard K. Firestone ’33, Jose Ferrer ’35, John N. Irwin ’37, Nicholas deB. Katzenbach ’43, Gov. Brendan T. Byrne ’49, Richard W. Kazmaier, Jr. ’52, Sen. Christopher S. Bond ’60, Sen. William W. Bradley ’65, Robert Mueller '66, Sen. William Frist ’74 and Pulitzer Prize winners John McPhee ’53 and A. Scott Berg ’71. Honorary members include: Grover Cleveland, Admiral George Dewey and Woodrow Wilson. Over the years fifteen members have been Rhodes Scholars.

Cottage Today

The inscription carved on the central fireplace, UBI AMICI IBIDEM SUNT OPES, has become a Cottage motto: “Where there are friends there are riches.” Today, as in the past, the Club’s purpose is to be a gathering place for great food, friendship and campus “family,” and also a sanctuary to study, relax and enhance the quality of life for current members, alumni and their guests. Cottage prides itself on the lifelong community and friendships built within the club.