Inslee tours shell house of University of Washington’s famous “Boys in the Boat”

Nicole Klein, the University of Washington's recreation capital campaign manager, shows Gov. Jay Inslee around the ASUW Shell House, home to the famous 1936 "Boys in the Boat".

 “All were merged into one smoothly working machine; they were, in fact, a poem of motion, a symphony of swinging blades.” (Brown, 2013).

Daniel James Brown’s 2013 book, “The Boys in the Boat” made waves as a dramatic retelling of the Olympic success of the University of Washington men’s rowing team in 1936. 

The group pulled with all their might to surpass Italy and Germany to claim a gold medal. The ASUW Shell House was the team’s home base – the University of Washington has been restoring the facility to preserve its triumphant history. Gov. Jay Inslee toured the facility on Friday.

Within the shell house are a number of historic photographs and mementos from that 1936 team and the 1948 team, which won a gold medal in the men's coxed four (a four-man boat event).

Olympic champion crew team 1936

A feature film directed by George Clooney and casting Joel Edgerton, Callum Turner and Courtney Henggeler is currently under production. The film is expected to debut in 2023.

Local readers will remember that this book was one of the 'if everyone read the same book" events.

*CITATION: Brown, D. J. (2013). The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Penguin Books.