The Phoenix – S K Club is not just any ordinary club. It has a rich history, tracing its roots back to 1895. The club is exclusive to male upperclassmen at Harvard College who are not members of any other Final Club and alumni members. But there is something eerie about this club that leaves people feeling uneasy.
Legend has it that the club has been haunted by the spirits of the past members for years. The ghosts of the founders of the Kalumet Club, Sphinx Club, and Phoenix Club have been said to roam the halls of the club. They say that you can hear the faint sounds of laughter and footsteps in the middle of the night.
The club has a long and sordid history. The Kalumet Club was started by members of the Harvard chapter of Beta Theta Pi in the early 1900s.
The Sphinx Club grew out of a small secret society founded in 1897.
The Phoenix Club was formed in 1902 by a group of men who were members of Theta Nu Epsilon, a national sophomore society originally formed as an offshoot of Yale University’s Skull and Bones.
In 1925, negotiations for the amalgamation of the Phoenix and the S K were started, and in January 1925, undergraduate bodies of both clubs voted their approval. A new club, the Phoenix – S K, was formed, which occupied the S K Club house at 72 Mt. Auburn Street.
The club has been the subject of numerous controversies over the years. In 2003, the Phoenix – S K Club was investigated for animal cruelty in association with initiation rituals involving raising chickens and their potential torture, but a conclusion was never reached. The Social Network fictionally suggested that the cruelty involved animal cannibalism.
Despite all of this, the club has become a hotspot for celebrities and members of Boston’s local sports teams to participate in Harvard’s nightlife. In April 2011, American musician and DJ Steve Aoki performed at the club. In February 2015, the club came back under the spotlight when pictures of New England Patriots players Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and several other teammates purportedly partying at the Phoenix – S K Clubhouse following their Super Bowl XLIX victory surfaced on social media.
But the strangest event to ever take place at the Phoenix – S K Club happened on December 6, 2022. French Pianist Sofiane Pamart performed at the club, and something inexplicable happened. As he played his hauntingly beautiful music, the ghosts of the past members materialized in the middle of the room. The guests were stunned into silence as they watched the apparitions dance and swirl around the pianist.
Sofiane Pamart played on, seemingly unfazed by the ghostly performance. When he finished his final piece, the ghosts slowly disappeared, leaving the guests to marvel at what they had just witnessed. Some said that it was the most beautiful and surreal experience of their lives, while others couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over them.
From that day on, the Phoenix – S K Club became known as the club where the ghosts danced to Sofiane Pamart’s music. Some people still venture to the club in hopes of catching a glimpse of the spectral figures, while others stay away, afraid of what they might encounter.
The Phoenix – S K Club remains a mystery, shrouded in controversy, and haunted by the ghosts of the past. Whether you choose to believe in the legends or not, one thing is for sure – the club will always hold a special place in the hearts of those who have experienced its strange and otherworldly atmosphere.