Lost links, Philly: Brookline Square, Penn RR, Hermitage, Villanova, Altwood

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle,
I noticed that - however, the creek to the south is named "Little Neshaminy." I don't know if that's significant. Both cross 611 at almost equal distances from Warrington.

If local anecdotal evidence is of any measure - nobody around there makes the distinction really - the same creek flows through Kemper Park in Warminster and is referred to as Neshaminy Creek. In fact, that section of Warrington is referred to as "Neshaminy." Though I'm guessing Warrington in the past was the hamlet at the intersection of Bristol Road and Easton Road and not the township bounded by Valley Road, Lower State Road, County Line Road and Almshouse Road/Bristol Road like today.

[Dave_Miller]

Joe,
 in 1926 for $1M and the members moved to what is now Paxon Hollow.  .

Paxon Hollow in Broomall is now owned by the township of Marple.  Paxon Hollow as a Private Club actually moved sometime in the sixties to what is now White Manor located between Newtown Square and Malvern.
Best
Dave

[Mike_Cirba]

Found out that Brookline Square basically received a real-estate offer that they couldn't refuse for their course in 1926.

They immediately made plans to move out to the country, and built Paxon Hollow.

When the course opened, a match was played with Ed Clarey, George Hoffman, Bill Coltart, and Lew Spahn.   Clarey is one possibility as the architect.

But, just as interestingly, at the opening Alex Findlay, Robert Lesley, and Frances Warner were the speakers.

Warner designed Paxon Hollow along with J. Franklin Meehan.

We all know who Findlay was.

My guess....another collaborative affair.

[Joe Bausch]

Found out that Brookline Square basically received a real-estate offer that they couldn't refuse for their course in 1926.

They immediately made plans to move out to the country, and built Paxon Hollow.

When the course opened, a match was played with Ed Clarey, George Hoffman, Bill Coltart, and Lew Spahn.   Clarey is one possibility as the architect.

But, just as interestingly, at the opening Alex Findlay, Robert Lesley, and Frances Warner were the speakers.

Warner designed Paxon Hollow along with J. Franklin Meehan.

We all know who Findlay was.

My guess....another collaborative affair.

Mike, that is good info you dug up, I think from The Chester Times, eh?

I now have permission from the Hagley Museum to put some higher res photos up for viewing.  This series of Dallin aerials (3 pics) starts in 1926 when BSC will still 18 holes, to 1927 when it was going to a nine-hole course, then in 1931 there is barely a trace left of the course.

Thanks to Ben Blake at the Hagley Museum for making these available to me. 

These are courtesy of the Hagley Museum and Library.

October, 1926:



April, 1927:



December, 1931:

[Joe Bausch]

Got another 'lost links' near Philly to report.  Perhaps somebody here knows more about Atwood CC.  Or maybe it was Altwood.  Or Atwold!  I've seen it spelled all three ways.

First mention was part of a January 24, 1915 Joe Bunker article in the Philadelphia Inquirer:



Then a week later on January 25, Joe Bunker mentions it again:



So Findlay and Webb are the suspects!  But I could not find anything more about it...until recently.  On September 17, 1916 the Philadelphia Inquirer did a story on Atwood. 

[Willie_Dow]

Joe

Are you sure it was Cobbs creek that went through that course, it might have been Darby creek.

Bill

[Joe Bausch]

Joe

Are you sure it was Cobbs creek that went through that course, it might have been Darby creek.

Bill

Bill, I think you are likely correct in that it was Darby Creek.

[Mike_Cirba]

Joe,

I'm wondering if the present ValleyBrook GC is the remnants of Atwood.

I played it around 25 years ago when it was known as Blackwood GC, and it was a Findlay that had been turned into a township course.   It was since changed a bit to accommodate housing, but looking at the aerial I still see a number of holes I played.

[Joe Bausch]

Joe,

I'm wondering if the present ValleyBrook GC is the remnants of Atwood.

I played it around 25 years ago when it was known as Blackwood GC, and it was a Findlay that had been turned into a township course.   It was since changed a bit to accommodate housing, but looking at the aerial I still see a number of holes I played.

Mike, thanks for the lead.  I'm looking into it.

[Dan Herrmann]

Berkleigh.  Valley Forge.   

I wonder what's next?

[Joe Bausch]

Berkleigh.  Valley Forge.   

I wonder what's next?

(not to mention Ashbourne)

If I was to say "10 is the over/under of courses to close in the Philly area in the next year", where would you put your money?  I really don't think it will be unheard of to be over 10.

[Mike_Cirba]

Dan,

Did you know that Berkleigh is still alive and well, and operating as a daily fee course?

I don't know what the long-term outlook is, but the people who own/manage Fox Hollow are running it, and they do have it in really good shape.

It's definitely worth a visit for anyone who's never played it.

[Kyle Harris]

Dan,

Did you know that Berkleigh is still alive and well, and operating as a daily fee course?

I don't know what the long-term outlook is, but the people who own/manage Fox Hollow are running it, and they do have it in really good shape.

It's definitely worth a visit for anyone who's never played it.

In Quakertown?

I could see some of the courses up that way being sold and developed... like Hickory Valley, or Butter Valley Golf Port.

[Mike_Cirba]

Yep...in Quakertown.

I believe talk in recent years was the Hickory Valley would sell 18 of the 36 holes to a developer.

Of course, that was before the housing bust and the gas crisis is not helping the suburban flight situation.    In fact, if I had some cash, I'd buy real estate close within the city.

[Mike_Trenham]

I'll take the under on that bet.  I'm not saying there are not clubs that are struggling but the take out options are pretty limited today with the housing market.  Sitting around at clubs where memberships are falling and loses rising members know about all the other courses in similar states so based on those discussions it seems as if everyone is on the brink of closing.  Secondly being a member of a club is an expensive proposition and when you are part of a failing one you feel like a fool for continuing to pay those high dues when so many others are bailing out.  If we can just outlast xyz and abc we will be fine is often the discussion or sadly our land is worth 35 million and if we can get down to 200 members we can each get 175K before taxes.  This was the case at my club four years ago before they turned it around.  Now we are back to discussing important thing like why the ice cubes are square and not rectagular.

[Dan Herrmann]

Mike- you're absolutely right about Berkleigh, but it is slated to become a cement quarry.

[Joe Bausch]

Update on Altwood Country Club in NJ:

It was later known as Forest View, then Oak Valley Country Club (which finally was sold to be developed for houses around 1950).  It was located in the Oak Valley section of Deptford, now a nice cozy neighborhood:

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=%22oak+valley%22+deptford&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title

The above info comes from a 1990 story (November 7) in the Gloucester County Times by Bob Shryock that recounts the history of the Altwood Golf Club.

Also, no great surprise is that the article says Fred Pickering helped Findlay with the design.  I'm assuming that meant Pickering was the construction foreman.  However, also in the article is that Findlay is mentioned as the architect of Blackwood and Pitman (which I think is not anything new), but also stated is ".... Pickering is best known for his design of the famed Seaview bay course...."  I'm trying to dig up more on this interesting tidbit.  Stay tuned.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Bump...while doing some "real" work, I stumbled upon what appears to be an abandoned golf course, just south of Wenonah NJ.  

Scroll down just south of Bark Bridge Road (South as you look at the picture)

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&gbv=2&q=4+Indian+trail,+Wenonah,+NJ&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x89c6d091d554e2db:0x90db5dc2d3a77164,4+Indian+Trail,+Wenonah,+NJ+08090&gl=us

What was/is this?


**Addendum** I did some searching, and it was Tall Pines GC/Maple Ridge GC which I think became Jaworski's Eagle's Nest.  This is now closed. 

[Sven Nilsen]

Update on Brookline Square.  It was an Edward Clarey and Frank James course, just like Hermitage which is also mentioned in this thread.

July 30, 1923 Delaware County Times -

[D_Malley]

Sven,
Thank you for posting this!
This is an important piece of info for us to add to the history of Paxon Hollow.


I have also recently discovered a drawing of the original PH routing which was 27 holes.
not sure how i post it on here

[MCirba]

D_Malley,
If you email me the Paxon Hollow map at mik4cj@yahoo.com I'd be happy to post it, thanks.

[Sven Nilsen]

Is this it?

[MCirba]

Wow...27 holes on 150 acres.   Looks pretty tight.

[D_Malley]

That is it....thx Sven!


I just sent Mike the rest of the brochure that this map appeared in.

[mike_malone]

Many of the original 18 look similar except for the one section of the property.


Dan,
 Any chances of recovery?