Oswego YMCA

249 West First Street
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 343-1981

YMCA History

The YMCA was founded in London, England, in 1844 by George Williams and some friends who lived and worked as clerks in a drapery, a forerunner of dry-goods and department stores. Their goal was to help young men like themselves find God. Their first members were evangelical Protestants who prayed and studied the Bible as an alterative to vice.

The first U.S. YMCA was started in Boston in 1851, the work of Thomas Sullivan, a retired sea captain and lay missionary. From Boston, YMCAs spread rapidly across America, many of which started opening their doors to boys and men of all ages. Some YMCAs were started to serve specific groups such as railroad and factory workers, as well as African Americans, Native Americans and recent immigrants. After World War II, women and girls were admitted to full membership and participation. Today, half of all YMCA members are female, and half are under age 18.

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