The Thunder Bay Rowing Club, originating in 1904 as the Fort William Rowing Club, is one of the oldest sports organizations in the district. The name changed to the Thunder Bay Rowing Club after the amalgamation of the cities of Fort William and Port Arthur.  The club has continued strong to the present day, uninterrupted except for the war years.

The first clubhouse was built in 1904 on the banks of the Kaministiquia River near the James Street swing-bridge in Westfort.  In the 1930s it was moved to its present location further downriver. For a time the club also ran a tennis program and maintained tennis courts near the clubhouse.  Rowing was an incredibly popular sport in those early days. Large civic events would often include a rowing competition as part of the festivities. Hundreds of spectators would watch the regattas, which would be well-covered in the press.

By the 1970s, the world of rowing was changing from a traditionally male-only sport.  The 1976 Montreal Olympics were the first to include women’s rowing.   Leading up to these Olympics, future Olympians Tricia Smith and Betty Craig came to Thunder Bay specifically to train under the excellent coaching and facilities offered by TBRC.

The Club has been a fierce competitor in the North West International Rowing Association (NWIRA) from 1906 right through to the present. NWIRA member clubs today also include Duluth, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Long Lake, Rochester, Kenora, Pinnawa, Winnipeg and Regina. At the annual NWIRA Championship Regatta these teams vie for the coveted Lipton Cup, donated by Sir Thomas Lipton, the Lipton Tea baron. The Thunder Bay Rowing Club has a proud history as a 20-time winner of the Lipton Cup.  

In addition to NWIRA championships, local rowers have competed and medalled nationally, internationally, at the Olympics and at the Paralympics.  Twenty local rowers have been inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.