11 Most Exclusive Private Clubs in America

11. Jonathan Club

Location: Los Angeles, Santa Monica

Founded in: 1895

The origin of the Jonathan Club is a bit unclear, even the etymology of the name has two versions. According to one, it was named after Jonathan Trumbull, one of the George Washington’s advisors. The second version claims that it was named after a cartoon character Brother Jonathan, an early version of Uncle Sam from the 19^th century. With two locations, it offers its members a luxury experience they are accustomed to. Its beach clubhouse in Santa Monica is something most other clubs on our list don’t have and it’s one of the Jonathan Club’s main selling points. To its credit, it was the first of Los Angeles private clubs to start admitting women and African-Americans in its ranks. It only happened in the late 1980s, but hey, better late than never.Notable members: Ronald Reagan, Henry Edwards Huntington, and Robert S. MacAlister.