On January 27, MAC members gathered for a program that reflected something uniquely special about the Club: the opportunity to experience St. Louis history, art, and conversation all in one place. The MAC Art Society welcomed John C. Guenther, FAIA, LEED AP, for an engaging presentation on the Eads Bridge – one of the city’s most iconic landmarks and a familiar presence throughout the Downtown Clubhouse.
 
Designed and built by James Buchanan Eads between 1867 and 1874, the Eads Bridge was a groundbreaking engineering achievement in its time and quickly became a defining symbol of St. Louis. Today, it continues to resonate with members not only as a city landmark, but as a recurring subject within the MAC Art Collection.

 
Members encounter the Eads Bridge in several works displayed throughout the Clubhouse, where art and everyday life intersect. These pieces are part of a collection that has been carefully shaped over more than a century, beginning in 1918 with the acquisition of Windswept Meramec River by Tom Barnett. With the guidance of a dedicated Art Committee in the 1940s and continued stewardship since, the collection has grown into one of the Club’s quiet distinctions.
 
Among the featured works are Eads Bridge and Riverfront by Frank Nurderscher, on view in the Art Lounge, and a portrait of Captain James B. Eads by Dorothy Johnson Quest. Both pieces offer members a closer connection to the bridge and the story behind it.  
The revival of the MAC Art Society in 2021, led by MAC Past President Thomas Albus, renewed member engagement with the Club’s artwork and cultural programming. Today, the Society remains dedicated to preserving and promoting the MAC Art Collection while creating opportunities for members to gather, learn, and share meaningful experiences rooted in the arts.
 
The MAC Art Collection remains a distinctive part of the member experience - curated for members and accessible only within the walls of the Club.

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