About Us

Thomas Alva Edison was the most prominent inventor of the early 20th century. Also, Mr. Edison spent many years working at GE in Schenectady. Although we do not have any documentation of Mr. Edison's involvement in the formation of our Club, we are proud to be members of a club named after this modern American icon.

Employees of the General Electric Test Department conceived the idea of The Edison Club in 1903. Records show that a plan was formulated during a barroom discussion while the employees were waiting for a train in Garrison, New York. Mr. J.E. Brobst, Mr. A.R. Tanner and Mr. R.R. Earle were the GE employees responsible for this brainstorm. A "men's club" would serve as a place to meet socially and develop the friendships that had been growing in their business relationships.

No thought was given to golf!

The idea of building a golf club was proposed by Mr. O.D. Young. Agreements were completed in 1925 between the General Electric Company and The Edison Club whereby the company's interest in making the advantages of a modern country club available to its professional and management employees was realized. On July 2, 1925 the Washington Avenue property was turned over to GE and the present country club, located on a high bluff overlooking the Mohawk River in Rexford was opened. Initially the Club consisted of an 18-hole golf course, four tennis courts, a combination locker house and recreational area, and a clubhouse that was later called 'The Annex." The grand opening of the golf course occurred on August 21, 1926, with a special foursome commencing play on temporary greens. Our first Club Champion was J. McArthur.