The early history of the Town of Maynard saw small groups of hunting and fishing enthusiasts getting together for that purpose, but there was no record of any formal organization until 1902. That same year, in the June 20th issue of the Maynard News, mention was made of the Maynard Gun Club holding a series of pigeon shoots on Wednesday afternoons.
Nothing further appeared in the papers until an August 27, 1909 note that a gun club with 35 members had been organized. An April 14, 1911 news note publicized the fact that this club was holding its Annual Sports Meet at Harvey Broadbent’s Field on Waltham Street. This club was short-lived. On April 15, 1915, the Maynard News reported that the new Maynard Gun Club at Brown’s Pond had dug pits for traps and would be ready for a shoot on April 19th. On July 16, 1915, an article appeared in the papers and spoke of a Sportsmen’s Club to be organized for the purpose of protection of game and fish. This Club received its Charter in 1916 with over 50 paid-up members, holding weekly meetings at Walter Peterson’s store on Nason Street in downtown Maynard. By 1920, meetings were moved to Maynard High School, and the first Annual Banquet was held at the Maynard Masonic Hall on January 21, 1921. Ninety members and guests were present.
A news note of June 7, 1929 told of the opening of a new Clubhouse at White Pond in Hudson, with 122 members listed as subscribers and shareholders. The property on White Pond Road in Hudson was purchased in 1928 by the Club with the help of member Oswald Dreschler, who was the mortgage holder. In 1932, a set of By-Laws was drawn up and the Club was incorporated.
In 1942, the United States Government issued orders that prohibited shooting events on the Club grounds because of the adjacent Ammunition Depot. By 1943, the Club had moved to the Hessa Clubhouse adjacent to Parker Street Hall in Maynard. Coming back to Maynard the Club grew by leaps and bounds. At one meeting, 40 new members were accepted.
In 1944, the Club leased the White Pond Clubhouse to the Non-Commissioned Officers Club of the Ammunition Depot and began discussions with the Town of Maynard for the purchase of 26 acres of land on Old Mill Road formerly used by the American Woolen Company as filter beds. This purchase was consummated in 1946. Additional land purchases through the years have increased Club-owned property to the present 93 acres, about half in Maynard and half in Sudbury.
The original ranges were in Maynard, in the area of the present ball fields. In 1970, new and expanded ranges were built on the Sudbury land. In 1997, additional ranges were completed on the Maynard side of the property.
The present Clubhouse was completed in May, 1950 with a major addition to the Function Hall in 1977, built over an indoor pistol range. The pavilion was first built in 1984, and rebuilt in 1996.