1934 Connecticut Aerials

[Bret Lawrence]

Thank you for the follow up info on Danbury Golf Club...


1.  I haven't seen that exact pic before, but I've seen other period postcards/tableaux of Kenosia and it seems to be "right"...the most confusing thing is the labeling on your pic "Country Club" - I've never seen/known the Kenosia park to have been referenced that way or as a private "cc" type facility.


2. Even though Tarrywile Lake is somewhat close, the topography between the DCC site (current Immaculate HS) and that lake would preclude any view of the Lake and DCC's clubhouse in any one picture. 


Based on these items, I suspect the pic is not capturing any part of this NLE.

Thanks Vinnie.  I appreciate your feedback. I took a look at the aerials of Lake Kenosiia vs. Tarrywile Lake and it’s more likely this picture was taken near Lake Kenosia, as you pointed out. There are quite a few structures surrounding Lake Kenosia in 1934, while Tarrywile Lake is unbuilt. I am including a screenshot of what is today called Anthony’s Lake Club. The building on this aerial looks like it could fit in with the postcard picture from above (after a few decades). Perhaps it was a Lake Club, rather than a Golf Club? Thank you for helping me sort this out.


1934 Aerial of Lake Kenosia near cemetery. You may need to zoom in to the center of the frame, before you can make out the building.

[V. Kmetz]

.
There are quite a few structures surrounding Lake Kenosia in 1934, while Tarrywile Lake is unbuilt. I am including a screenshot of what is today called Anthony’s Lake Club. The building on this aerial looks like it could fit in with the postcard picture from above (after a few decades). Perhaps it was a Lake Club, rather than a Golf Club? Thank you for helping me sort this out.

This last exchange helps it make sense...yes, it's Kenosia and not DGC. Indeed, when you said "Anthony's LC" I realize I wasn't considering that eastern portion of the property, which has been an Italian-American community center (locally known as the Amerigo Vespucci club) who usually hosts various church. bingo, bocce and Italian-American themed spaghetti nights for years and years, and whose main building extends to the lake edge, even today....today's structure has a similar shape and lakeside vibe.


Tarrywhile was a private residence, neglected disused property before the 1980s and wouldn't have had any such structures.  It's now a registered historic site and public lands park, a jewel of Danbury's civic portfolio.


Regarding the old DGC property and that Ridgewood Club History description of it, I'd like to add my speculation this would have been one miserable place to play except in the driest stretch of weather as the main field of the property (now Immaculate's back lawn and athletic fields) is at the bottom of two fairly steep drainage hills...a broad, very steep incline from the Deer Hill neighborhood (across and down over what I believe is Wilson St midway down that hill) all along its east and north east and a slightly smaller embankment which borders the Immaculate property on the Lincoln Road west/sw part of the property, where a Still River creek tributary ambles through.  Before it was renovated some years ago the Immaculate main football/soccer field was indeed a muddy, low mess, one of the swampiest I remember.


All by way of saying, I can understand that interviewee's comment "..there wasn't enough member interest to support it..." It would have likely been a chunky. muddy thing, basically flat, a bit swampy and a mosquito's delight...a humid sunstroke valley on even the dry summer days.  As his comments point, it seems to have been a rudimentary placeholding thing available for use in the days before development...a frequent model before World War I it seems.

[Bret Lawrence]

.
There are quite a few structures surrounding Lake Kenosia in 1934, while Tarrywile Lake is unbuilt. I am including a screenshot of what is today called Anthony’s Lake Club. The building on this aerial looks like it could fit in with the postcard picture from above (after a few decades). Perhaps it was a Lake Club, rather than a Golf Club? Thank you for helping me sort this out.

This last exchange helps it make sense...yes, it's Kenosia and not DGC. Indeed, when you said "Anthony's LC" I realize I wasn't considering that eastern portion of the property, which has been an Italian-American community center (locally known as the Amerigo Vespucci club) who usually hosts various church. bingo, bocce and Italian-American themed spaghetti nights for years and years, and whose main building extends to the lake edge, even today....today's structure has a similar shape and lakeside vibe.


Tarrywhile was a private residence, neglected disused property before the 1980s and wouldn't have had any such structures.  It's now a registered historic site and public lands park, a jewel of Danbury's civic portfolio.


Regarding the old DGC property and that Ridgewood Club History description of it, I'd like to add my speculation this would have been one miserable place to play except in the driest stretch of weather as the main field of the property (now Immaculate's back lawn and athletic fields) is at the bottom of two fairly steep drainage hills...a broad, very steep incline from the Deer Hill neighborhood (across and down over what I believe is Wilson St midway down that hill) all along its east and north east and a slightly smaller embankment which borders the Immaculate property on the Lincoln Road west/sw part of the property, where a Still River creek tributary ambles through.  Before it was renovated some years ago the Immaculate main football/soccer field was indeed a muddy, low mess, one of the swampiest I remember.


All by way of saying, I can understand that interviewee's comment "..there wasn't enough member interest to support it..." It would have likely been a chunky. muddy thing, basically flat, a bit swampy and a mosquito's delight...a humid sunstroke valley on even the dry summer days.  As his comments point, it seems to have been a rudimentary placeholding thing available for use in the days before development...a frequent model before World War I it seems.

I think you’ve summed it up nicely.  Thanks again for your feedback.

[Bret Lawrence]

CONNECTICUT FUTURE COURSES REMOVED FROM 1934 LIST

These two courses somehow made their way onto the original list a few decades before they were built.

Banner Lodge Country Club-Moodus, CT. Currently Black Birch Country Club
18 Holes, 6,357, Par 72: Article Below.
Designed by Al Zikorus. Established in 1960.

There used to be a myth going around that Banner Lodge may have an old Donald Ross course, which likely led to Banner’s addition to the original list 15 years ago? We can safely say that myth has been busted.  Banner Lodge was established as a resort in 1922, but golf never entered the equation until 1960.  Al Zikorus is responsible for the design of the 18-hole Banner Lodge golf course. The first nine holes were opened in 1960, with the second nine holes opening seven years later.  Frank Gambardella has been given credit for the design in a few sources, but he appears to have been the pro-superintendent of the Banner course.  Today the course is known as Black Birch Golf Course. Today’s routing closely follows the Al Zikorus layout from 1960-1967.

Story about the first nine holes opening at Banner Resort in 1960:


Story including a dinosaur bone found during the second nine’s construction.
Article mentions Al Zikorus designed the layout about 8 years ago:



1934 Aerial showing Banner Lodge and Resort Property. Future site of Banner Lodge golf course:

Connecticut State Library, State Archives Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.
Modern Aerial of Black Birch Golf Course.



Deercrest Country Club-Greenwich, CT (NLE) AKA-Green Hills Country Club.
18 Holes, 7,000 Yards,
Designed by Orrin Smith. Established in 1955.

Deercrest Country Club was included on the original list.  The aerial photograph identified with Deercrest, was actually showing E. Gaynor Brennan golf course in Stamford. Deercrest Country Club was located in Greenwich, abutting The Stanwich Club to the north.  Orrin Smith designed the golf course in the mid-1950's. The original owners of the course were Lou and Max Block.  In 1962, the club was sold to Mal Deitch and Dr. Joseph Goodstein for $2 million dollars. The new owners changed the name to Green Hills Country Club.  The club survived through the 1970's before it was purchased by Peter Brant and transformed into an estate in the 1980's. Peter Brant and his supermodel wife, Stephanie Seymour still owns the property. Today, the estate is called White Birch Estate and Lionshare Farm.

Al Salamone appointed pro for the new Deercrest Country Club:


1962 article about the club changing hands:


1964 article including the new Stanwich Club (Tunney's club). The Green Hills Country Club was the former Deercrest Country Club.


1934 Aerial showing future sites of Deercrest and Stanwich.

Connecticut State Library, State Archives Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.
Modern Aerial-Showing White Birch Estate in place of Deercrest with Stanwich below.


For the best aerial while the course existed, search Stanwich on historicaerials.com and scroll to the north of the Stanwich golf course. If you select the 1971 aerial, you can view the course in color.  I am including a 1965 black & white aerial below from the Connecticut State Library:

[Bret Lawrence]

MASSACHUSETTS


Longmeadow Country Club-Longmeadow, MA
18 Holes, 6,567, Par 73: 1930-1931 American Annual Golf Guide
Designed by Donald Ross. Established in 1922.

Longmeadow Country Club was founded in 1922 and designed by Donald Ross. The course is very much intact today, following the original Donald Ross routing. The club’s website has an informative historical page including a video about the club’s history.  Brad Klein offers his historical insight on the course and a few of the members contribute their stories and love for the course. The video can be found in the link below.

https://www.longmeadowcc.com/history


A 1924 article noting Orrin Smith worked with Ross at Longmeadow in Massachusetts.
The Hartford Courant., September 14, 1924:


1934 Aerial-Northern section of the course is cut off.

Connecticut State Library, State Archives Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.
Modern Aerial

[Bret Lawrence]

NEW YORK


The Blind Brook Club-Rye Brook, NY
18 Holes, 6, 198 Yards, Par 74: 1930-1931 American Annual Golf Guide
Designed by Seth Raynor in 1916. Established in 1915.

The Blind Brook Club was established in 1915.  The founder of the club, William Hamlin Childs became inspired by a visit to the Old Elm Club in Chicago.  Childs was looking to develop a club in New York along the same lines as Old Elm.  The result was an all-men's club with a limited membership of 150 wealthy individuals. 

According to the club history: "The basic ideas back of the Blind Brook Club were several: to build a course which did not demand too much walking or severe hill climbing nor continual use of the long-hitting clubs; to create a limited membership and eliminate waiting at the first tee; to provide a retreat where a group of similar tastes could gather."

It was reported that Donald Ross, C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor had all assessed the property with Findlay Douglas before the course was built. (Findlay Douglas was a charter member of The Blind Brook Club). Seth Raynor was ultimately hired to design 18 holes for the club. The golf course was opened in July of 1917 with only the greens bunkered.  Many of the fairway bunkers were added in the ensuing years.  The golf course appears to follow the same routing today that we see in 1925 and 1934.  The course has recently been restored by Jim Urbina.  I believe the first (2019) modern aerial below is before Jim's work began. I recently found an updated aerial from 2022.

The Evening World., January 07, 1916:


Golf Illustrated., April 1918:


Blind Brook-1957

O.J. Noer/Milorganite Image Collection, MSU Turfgrass Information Center.
Blind Brook Club scorecard from 1944:

USGA Seagle Archives, USGA Museum.
1934 Aerial

Connecticut State Library, State Archives Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.
Modern Aerial


Recently Updated Modern Aerial:


1925 Westchester Aerial of Blind Brook Club

The Historical Aerial Photography Collection of Westchester County, Department of Planning, 1925.

Pound Ridge Golf Club-Pound Ridge, NY FKA High Ridge Country Club-Stamford, CT
9 Holes, 3,080 Yards, Par 34: 1930-1931 American Annual Golf Guide
Designed by: Unknown. Established in 1924.

Pound Ridge Golf Club started in 1924 as High Ridge Country Club.  High Ridge Country Club was actually listed under Stamford, CT in the 1930-1931 Golf Guide.  The southern portion of the golf course was located in Stamford, CT., while the northern portion was located in Pound Ridge, NY.  In the 1960’s a developer purchased the course and split the 50 acres in Stamford into housing lots. Pound Ridge had strict zoning laws in place that didn’t allow the developer to piece off the property into housing lots.  The golf course remained in place for 40 more years until 2003.  In 2003, Pete Dye completely redesigned the 9-hole course into an 18-hole course using additional land available to the west.

High Ridge Country Club is mentioned in this 1924 article on new courses:



Story about Jackie Robinson golfing at High Ridge and a few other area courses.  Robinson was turned down for membership at High Ridge in 1956:. 



2003 story about Pound Ridge Golf Club being transformed into a Pete Dye course:



1926 Westchester Aerial showing 9 Holes:

The Historical Aerial Photography Collection of Westchester County, Department of Planning, 1925.
1934 Aerial showing 18 Holes.

Connecticut State Library, State Archives Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.
Modern Aerial showing same area as 1934:


Modern Aerial showing today’s 18-hole Pete Dye course.



Kingsridge Country Club-Rye Brook, NY (NLE) AKA Green Valley Country Club, Doral-Arrowhead Golf Course
18 Holes, 6,120 Yards, Par 70: 1930-1931 American Annual Golf Guide
Designed by Thomas Winton. Established in 1930.

Kingsridge Country Club was designed by Tom Winton in 1928 and opened for play in 1930. Kingsridge has changed hands on several occasions.  The course was later known as Green Valley Country Club, Purchase Country Club, Arrowhead Golf Course and most recently: Doral-Arrowhead golf course.   9 holes were sold off around the mid-1950’s.  In 2022, the course closed for good.  There is still a golf academy on the location according to a map search, but the golf course is no longer maintained.  For more detailed information on this course, see Paul Rudovsky and Vinnie Kmetz’s replies 59, 62 and 64 on page 3 of this thread.

The National Greenkeeper., September 1928:


1934 Aerial

Connecticut State Library, State Archives Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.
Modern Aerial showing same area as 1934.



Robert Law Private Estate Course-Rye Brook, NY-(NLE) AKA Lawridge
No listing in 1930-1931. 6 Holes.
Designed by: Unknown. Established in 1925-1933?

I don’t have a lot of information on this private estate course.  The estate was formerly owned by Richard Crocker Jr. and later purchased by Robert and Frances Law.  The golf course appears to be a 6-hole course which was located directly south of the Blind Brook Club.  The architect and the year the course was built are unknown. However, the 1925 aerial shows the estate before the golf course was constructed, which leads us to believe the course was built between 1925-1933. The only information I could find on Robert Law is his obituary which I have included below.  Robert Law died in 1933 and his wife maintained the course throughout the 1934 aerial.  By the mid-1940’s the golf course was gone.  Frances Law hosted many horse show events on the property. Most of the news clippings about Lawridge pertained to horse shows.  Today, the land is fully developed into housing and the Bruno M. Pontario Ridge Street School.  One of the streets in today’s subdivision is named Lawridge Dr.

Obituary for Robert Law, the owner of the Lawridge Estate:






1934 Aerial

Connecticut State Library, State Archives Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.
1925 Westchester County Aerial showing the Law Ridge estate prior to the golf course:

The Historical Aerial Photography Collection of Westchester County, Department of Planning, 1925.


Westchester Women’s Golf & Tennis Club-Banksville, CT/NY (NLE) AKA Middle Patent Country Club
9 Holes, 3,100 Yards, Par 36: 1930-1931 American Annual Golf Guide
Designed by Devereux Emmet. Established in 1928.

The Westchester Women's Golf & Tennis Club was established in 1928 on the Banksville, CT/Bedford, NY state line.  The course was actually listed under Banksville, CT in the 1930-1931 Golf Guide.  Looking at the aerial, the entire property was well within the New York border.  Miss Glenna Collett appears to be the driving force behind this all-women's club.  Westchester Women's appears to be modeled closely after the Women's National Golf & Tennis Club started by Marion Hollins about 5 years earlier. Devereux Emmet was responsible for the design of the golf course, much like he was at Women's National.  I am unsure how long this club operated as an all-women's club.  The course eventually opened up its membership to men, while changing their name to the Middle Patent Club.  The Middle Patent Club survived until the 1960's before the land was developed into housing. The Westchester Women's Golf & Tennis Club used an old 1760 farmhouse as their clubhouse.  This house from 1760 still stands on the property today as La Cremmaillere Restaurant and is considered the oldest house in Banksville.

Article noting Miss Glenna Collett and Devereux Emmet:

1934 Aerial

Connecticut State Library, State Archives Record Group 089:11a, Records of the Department of Transportation.

[Bret Lawrence]

Tony:
Old Oaks in Purchase, NY was designed by Tillinghast. It was originally a 27 hole layout , but 9 holes were claimed by I-684. I can't seem to be able to manipulate the search function, but it would be neat if we could move just a little west to see if we could peer in on the lost nine.

In response to this inquiry from 15 years ago, here are a few aerial photographs of Old Oaks Country Club.


Old Oaks Country Club-Purchase, NY
27 Holes.
Designed by Albert W. Tillinghast. Established in 1925.


1934 Connecticut Aerial showing northeasten portion of the golf course:



1926 Westchester County Aerial showing the golf course under construction:

1940 Westchester County Aerial:

Modern Aerial

[Bret Lawrence]

RHODE ISLAND

The Misquamicut Club-Westerly, RI FKA-Misquamicut Golf Club
18 Holes, 6,100 Yards, Par 69: 1930-1931 American Annual Golf Guide
Designed by Donald Ross in 1921, Seth Raynor (4-5 holes) in 1913, Tom Bendelow, Willie Anderson, Willie Park Jr.
Established in 1895.

Misquamicut Golf Club was established in 1895, although golf was played in the area prior to that date.  The club was incorporated in 1896 and quickly became a USGA member club upon incorporation.  The course has had several  architects visit between 1895-1934.  The first nine holes were designed by Willie Park Jr. The club believes one of his holes from 1895 is still in the routing today.  Willie Anderson designed the second nine holes to the west of Willie Park’s holes which no longer exist. 

Sometime after 1901, the clubhouse moved locations from the south of Ocean Avenue to today’s location. This is likely when Tom Bendelow was called in.  In 1913, Seth Raynor was hired by the club for $500 and expenses to build 5 new holes.  The letters indicating Raynor worked for the club, do not specify which 5 holes Seth Raynor worked on.  The club has evidence from 1916 that Walter Travis drew up a proposed plan for the Misquamicut Club.  The Olmsted Archives holds a proposed plan from Misquamicut ,but the plan is dated 1920 and there is nothing in the Olmsted files suggesting who drew the map. I have included a copy below.

In 1921 Donald Ross was hired to redesign the course. There are no field notes from Misquamicut to determine what Ross changed versus what he built, making it harder to determine which holes were in place when Ross arrived.  Today’s course closely follows Ross’ 18-hole plan.  The biggest difference is the ninth hole.  The ninth hole on Ross’ plan was a dogleg left measuring 370 yards, playing into what would be today’s driving range.  The 9th hole on the 1931 scorecard measured only 316 yards and appears to be a straight hole in the 1934 aerial.  By the 1938 Rhode Island aerial, the 9th green was moved into the 10th hole corridor which reduced the length of the 10th hole by 40 or so yards and created almost a slight dogleg to the right on the ninth.  I have no information on who built the new ninth green between 1934 and 1939. 

The club has recently written an extensive history which I believe includes all the work the architect’s accomplished throughout the course, but I have been unable to get my hands on a copy.

1899 Official Golf Guide Listing:

Early layout of the Misquamicut Golf Club.  The hole at the top of the map, in the easternmost part of this layout called “Beauty”, played to 467 Yards in 1900.  Today, this is the westernmost hole on the golf course, and the club believes today’s 2nd hole closely follows this Willie Park Jr. hole laid out in 1895.

Layout from Olmsted Archives (this plan was not used) the club believes this is a Walter Travis layout.

Courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.

1931 Misquamicut Scorecard:

USGA Seagle Archives, USGA Museum.
1934 Connecticut Aerial

1939 Rhode Island Aerial


Modern Aerial




This concludes the update to The 1934 Connecticut Aerial list.

[Bret Lawrence]

An interesting 1984 article I found while looking through the Hartford newspapers.  I thought this would be suitable for this discussion group.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Bret,


Happy spring.



Nowadays BC would more likely get in 'trouble' for citing Yale as CBM with some Ross tossed in than his critique of TPC. 


Good stuff!

[Bret Lawrence]

Bret,


Happy spring.



Nowadays BC would more likely get in 'trouble' for citing Yale as CBM with some Ross tossed in than his critique of TPC. 


Good stuff!

Jim,


Happy Spring to you too!


Everything was Donald Ross in 1984. 


One more article on Ben touring the GHO Site. Edgewood was designed by Robert Jack Ross (for those not following)

[Sven Nilsen]

Tony:
Old Oaks in Purchase, NY was designed by Tillinghast. It was originally a 27 hole layout , but 9 holes were claimed by I-684. I can't seem to be able to manipulate the search function, but it would be neat if we could move just a little west to see if we could peer in on the lost nine.

In response to this inquiry from 15 years ago, here are a few aerial photographs of Old Oaks Country Club.


Old Oaks Country Club-Purchase, NY
27 Holes.
Designed by Albert W. Tillinghast. Established in 1925.

Probably a good idea to note the full history of Old Oaks.  Founded in 1925 as Progress CC, the club was renamed Purchase CC a short time later (and reverted back to the original name a shot time thereafter), before merging with Oak Ridge CC in 1935 with Oak Ridge abandoning its course in Tuckahoe.


The Tillie design was supposedly constructed by Alison's build team.