Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Phil Young on November 25, 2015, 11:48:43 AM
-
Below is a photograph of a letter that is part of the Old Elm archives. They've reached out to a number of researchers for comments and ideas as to its veracity and why it has been at Old Elm evidently since its beginning. The content of the letter has some at the Club convinced that it might have been an overture to build their club that was never followed through on.
In any event they are hoping that those on gca.com might have some ideas as to the individual parties (there was a recent thread about Jock Macgillicuddy on here because of this) such as who "The Committee" may have been, etc...
The letter mentions a "blueprint of a proposed layout" being enclosed. The club has long believed that blueprint is the one that I posted on Ed Oden's incredible thread collating all drawings that members come across. I will also paste that below.
I have shared my ideas and opinions with the club (and after asking they gave me permission to post drawing and letter) and so I'll keep those to myself for the moment. The one thing that I will share is that I am of the opinion that the drawing absolutely could not be from 1894 because of how detailed and mature it is and so must be a copy of an original design drawing if not an actual one ca. 1913-14. In addition, it mentions a specific RR that wasn't in existence until later several years later (thanks to a friend at the USGA for that piece of info) which also proves it couldn't have been done in 1894.
They, and myself, are looking forward to seeing what the group might be able to come up with!
(http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/PhiltheAuthor/Old%20Elm%20Letter%20_zps9htu0l53.jpg) (http://s364.photobucket.com/user/PhiltheAuthor/media/Old%20Elm%20Letter%20_zps9htu0l53.jpg.html)
(http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/PhiltheAuthor/image5_zpsqstdu6xs.jpg) (http://s364.photobucket.com/user/PhiltheAuthor/media/image5_zpsqstdu6xs.jpg.html)
-
Phil, The drawing is certainly the layout that exists today at Old Elm- played there a couple of Sundays ago. Hopefully Dan Moore will chime in as he is involved with some historical research at OE. Outstanding golf course that flies below the radar and is certainly among the great courses in the US. Top 2 or 3 in Chicago , maybe the best. Easily at the level of a Garden City.
-
J,
The two questions regarding the drawing (and several other similar ones that they have in their collection) is WHO drew it and when?
-
I can add nothing to this interesting topic, Phil - but as a casual observer I was immediately struck by the 6,400+ yards of this proposed layout -- a long course for 1914, let alone for 1894 (when such a length would be, I'm guessing, literally unprecedented). Everything about the blueprint "feels" like it comes from much, much later.
Peter
-
Peter,
Long yes, and yet the redesigned East lake course which Ross worked on in 1913 (the same time period that he worked with Colt on Old Elm) measured 6,462 yards, some 42 yards longer than the proposed Old Elm course.
Courses in the 6,300-6,500 yards lengths during that time period were actually becoming more common than most think.
-
Phil -
The drawing strikes me as similar in style to Colt's 1913 drawing of Pine Valley.
Bob
-
As far as the letter goes, it was pointed out by Sven that there was a course at Ft. Sheridan - here's a view of it... (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/566/23306242555_4178301ea1_c.jpg)
...and that "Jock McGillicuddy" is the Swedish equivalent of "John Doe". Joe Bausch searched for it found 0 mentions of that name. If he couldn't find it, well, ...
No idea on the map, although I can't recall seeing any with that amount of detail that do not show the same amount for the greens.
Could be a construction plan drawn for the builder so he'd know what type and style of bunker goes where. They're all labeled - "Torn Bunker", "Pot Bunker", etc.
-
I found it interesting that the 61 bunkers were numbered as they appear throughout the course. I can't remember seeing that on any architect's plans before.
-
Perhaps J Drew Rogers might be able to shed some light?
http://www.jdrewrogers.com/41/old-elm-club
Regards,
F.
-
Here are two other drawings that the club has that are almost the same... In addition to lacking many of the details shown in the first drawing, both are also different from each other. The bottom one is quite similar to the one on the Ross Museum website which has added at the top: "Golfers magazine may 1913."
(http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/PhiltheAuthor/image1_zpslsp48mub.jpg) (http://s364.photobucket.com/user/PhiltheAuthor/media/image1_zpslsp48mub.jpg.html)
(http://i364.photobucket.com/albums/oo90/PhiltheAuthor/image4_zpskyocrwwd.jpg) (http://s364.photobucket.com/user/PhiltheAuthor/media/image4_zpskyocrwwd.jpg.html)
-
Tom,
That also jumped out to me as I've never seen that before either. To me it seems to prove that whoever designed and drew it knew that they would not be on site during the construction phase and wanted to make sure with as much certainty that they could that the hazards would be built to those specifics.
-
Kevin showed those to me too. I discussed them with Drew; we both think the most likely explanation is that they were drawn by a local surveyor or similar, to Colt's instructions.
Definitely not actually done by Colt, not his handwriting. But the phrase 'torn bunker' is very evocative of HSC at this period.
-
Phil,
Thanks for posting these maps. The last map you posted looks like the course needed more property or maybe made a surveying mistake? The first map looks like the proposed course after they obtained the property or fixed the mistake. The map in the middle looks like a later version of the golf course.
One thing that stands out to me in all of the maps are the multiple teeing areas for some of the longer holes and longer tees for the short holes.
Does the club have any plans that they know were drawn by Colt?
Bret
-
I am preparing a detailed response for the Club at their request. When I complete my research I will post my thoughts here. In my opinion the 1894 letter has absolutely nothing to do with the Old Elm Club. The key to the drawing seems to be the reference to the Golfers Magazine article May 1913 just days or weeks after Ross and Colt went over the land and planned the course. Colt visited Pine Valley a few weeks later. If that map was published in May 1913 it clearly represents the work of Colt and Ross regardless of who drew it. I spent the last two days at the USGA library and unfortunately they do not have a copy of the May 1913 issue of Golfers Magazine. I am not convinced it wasn't drawn by Colt but not convinced it was either. I see other Colt plans that are similar and some that are not. Like Bob I see very clear similarities with the Colt Pine Valley map and hole drawing. Perhaps they were done in NJ while Colt was on site by someone else at Colt's direction. More to come.
-
Adam & Dan, Kevin also told me that he had shared them with you as well. I asked him to let me post them because the collective ability of gca can be quite impressive in a situation such as this and he heartily agreed.
-
Dan, I'm certain this is not Colt's handwriting. We have plenty of examples to compare it with.
-
Also, are there only grassy hollows and no bunkers on hole #12, or did whoever drew the map color over them by mistake?
I would side with Adam and Drew's guess that these were done by a local engineer based on an original plan they were given [by Colt or Ross or whomever]. A local engineer would have been the guy most likely to tally up the number of bunkers, as opposed to Colt or Ross who drew lots of plans and didn't usually do so.
-
Adam -
I don't think anyone is suggesting the drawing is in Colt's hand. The suggestion is rather that the mysterious drawing presents bunkers and other features much same way Colt did at the time.
My guess, for what its worth, is that whoever did the above drawing based it on an earlier Colt drawing. Phil's suggestion that the drawing was 'marked up' to assist with the construction of the course in Colt's absence makes sense to me as a plausible explanation.
Bob
-
Bob, I was responding to Dan's remark 'I am not convinced it wasn't drawn by Colt'. I am
-
Adam,
Can you post some example's of Colt's handwriting so that the club and others can appreciate the difference?
-
Also, there are numerous differences in the drawing and writing characteristics between all three drawings to make one wonder if perhaps these were drawn by three different people as well. That adds to the puzzle...
-
...and that "Jock McGillicuddy" is the Swedish equivalent of "John Doe". Joe Bausch searched for it found 0 mentions of that name. If he couldn't find it, well, ...
Jim:
To be clear, "Jock McGillicuddy" is the Scottish equivalent of John Smith. "Sven Svenson" is the Swedish equivalent of Jock McGillicuddy.
Sven
-
Also, are there only grassy hollows and no bunkers on hole #12, or did whoever drew the map color over them by mistake?
Those aren't hollows, Tom, they are mounds. They have been restored recently by Drew and Dave. Here is a picture:
(https://geekedongolf.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/oldelm-aftermounds-e1448496322642.jpg)
-
Doesn't the club have detailed hole-by-hole drawings from Colt with additional notes added by Ross? And if so, would it have been a practice at the time for Colt to have just done a rough routing along with the detailed hole sketches, that anyone with reasonable ability could have subsequently combined into that map?
Also, just to be clear Phil, is the club also trying to figure out who was on this Committee?
-
Jason,
The Club wants to know if the reference in the 1894 letter was to the site that 20 years later would become Old Elm. They would also like to know as much as possible about all of the individuals mentioned in the letter as possible including who "The Committee" was as this letter has been in their archives for as far back as can be traced.
They initially also wanted to know if the first drawing I posted could have been the one that was attached to the letter. The answer to that was easy based on the information I posted in the beginning. That said, since the drawing matches the course as originally built and they have two other very similar drawings, the Club is keenly interested in trying to learn the author of each of the three drawings.
I believe that these are all copies of the original Colt design and that the hazards descriptions legend on the first one shown was added to it to aid in making certain that it was built per Colt's specifications and may have been copied onto this drawing from a separate document sent along from Colt.
The actual number of original Colt drawings number in the handful so if this were done by Colt it would be incredibly valuable both historically and financially. At this point in time there are some who believe that it isn't done by Colt himself while others believe that it is similar to known works of his.
That is why this discussion is quite valuable for the Club who are watching it with keen interest...
-
Just posting, no opinion.
Two authenticated Colt drawings...
(http://www.oldsportsauction.com/files/64550-0.jpg)
(http://www.oldsportsauction.com/files/64551-0.jpg)
...and a couple of words and letters pulled from each of them, and the blueprint.
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5753/22947643889_0674885fce_c.jpg)
-
Excerpts from the Old Elm linen map (the one with the white background) and the Colt Pine Valley map. While there are differences the similarities are striking.
Old Elm
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f385/troonster/Old%20Elm%20Map%20excerpt_zpsveey7n99.png)
Pine Valley
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f385/troonster/Pine%20Valley%20Colt%20Map%20excerpt_zpsnfb3mplo.png)
-
see also Ed Oden's Compilation reply #292 10/30/10 for more Colt writing
-
(http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/[URL=http://s1383.photobucket.com/user/agholz/media/Old%20Elm%20Colt%20sketch%20GCA%20Oden%20103010_zpspdsawjhz.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah285/agholz/Old%20Elm%20Colt%20sketch%20GCA%20Oden%20103010_zpspdsawjhz.jpg)[/URL][/img](http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah285/agholz/Old%20Elm%20Colt%20sketch%20GCA%20Oden%20103010_zpspdsawjhz.jpg)
-
(http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah285/agholz/PHGC%20book%20p165%20CampA%20dwgs%202_zps0ucq5qwh.jpg)
This from my Port Huron GC book trying to show differences and similarities between C&A's hands. The samples l&r from Old Elm (thanks Ed) and middle from PHGC
-
Phil:
This is from Hawtree's book Colt & Co. p155. Colt green drawing from a NLE course designed in 1936 per Whitten. This was long after his three American trips and Old Elm 1911-1914. This drawing looks very much like a quick on-site sketch from the master. I find it very interesting that in this 214 page book, for which Hawtree had access to Colt's files, this is the only drawing from Colt's hand. Perhaps Gil Hanse might have a comment on Hawtree's access to Colt's files as he did much leg work for the book in Europe.
Tony
(http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah285/agholz/Colt%20from%20Hawtree%20Colt%20amp%20Co.%20p155_zpseusqj1hj.jpg)
-
Phil,
Tony's recent post included a letter from Colt that mentions the club would be receiving a book of plans with an accompanying blue print.
Considering the first blueprint you posted has striking similarities to the drawings in the book of plans, and is titled 'Proposed Golf Course', what makes the club think this isn't the plan from April 27, 1913?
Regarding the artist, I am not a handwriting expert, but hiring one may not be a bad option?
I also find it interesting that Colt refers to Douglas(?) Ross in his letter!
As for the letter from 1894 and The Committee, the only avenue I can think of is the 120 Broadway address on the letter head. The Equitable Life Building has been at this same location in the financial district of New York since the 1850's. The building was destroyed in 1912, then rebuilt on the same location and re-opened in 1915. There are some interesting articles dealing with the fire and the new building including the beginning of the "World's Biggest Bankers Club" in 1915. I didn't have time to get back to 1894, but perhaps looking through some of these articles you may find names that will lead you in the right direction.
Bret
Jim,
Your post of Colt's Rough Sketch helped answer Mr. Hawtree's question. D.O. = Draw Off.
Bret
-
Bret,
The 1894 letter mentioned that a "blueprint" was attached to it. It was explained to me by the club's representative that the blueprint I first posted was always thought to be that one. Consider that there is no date on it and so its quite possible that somewhere in its past the two documents ended up together.
As for a handwriting expert, they can only compare signatures/writing to known examples of those to whom a comparison is desired. If the drawings were done by a "local" person as some have suggested, to whom would you make a comparison? Also, in order to eliminate someone more than just a few examples would be needed as a person's handwriting is specific to the function for writing (a quick note versus a formal signature), date of signing (Bobby Jones signature changes drastically and quickly through time because of his illness) and other factors.
Also, the original author of the "proposed course" design is the real question since these may or may not be copies of the original provided by the designer.
All that said there are a number of very good reasons to believe that the drawing(s) are either originals or copies from the original Colt 1913-14 design.
Your suggestion regarding the 120 Broadway address is a good one but also a near impossible one. Yes, it was home to Equitable but it also had a large number of private individuals who had office space there including many engineers (this from a search of several articles mentioning specific occupants of 120 Broadway in 1894). The real challenge is trying to obtain a list of all those who worked or had an office at the building in 1894 and then to make a search of the few golf articles, newspaper accounts, golf journals, etc... that can be found to see if any of those names played or were associated with any club at that time. And even then, proving that any or all of those found with that connection were part of a "Committee" formed to advance and expand the game in Chicago (and presumably elsewhere) at a time before the USGA was founded (that was in December 1894) is probably an insurmountable task at the moment due to lack of information of that time period and the game itself.
A better avenue of research might be an attempt to identify the "John Eliot Warner" to whom the letter was addressed. I've located a "John Warner" who was a diamond merchant in Chicago in 1894 and who would relocate to the financial district in NYC by the end of the century. Were his business interest's which clearly would point to his having long-term relationships with the exact community in which the Equitable building was located simply coincidence? Again, much more research is needed to come to any conclusion.
-
Phil: Any explanation why the second blueprint has Green Bay Road as the northern bound? Maybe Old Elm Road was not formally established? And the "Old Elm" in the northwest corner is assumed to be a surveyor's mark?
-
John,
"Green Bay Road" on the dark blueprint is but one of a number of anomalies between the 3 drawings that needs explaining. I'm wondering if there are old road maps from both 1894 & 1913 to see if the road is shown and what its name is at the time.
I don't believe that the "Old Elm" is a surveyor's mark but rather a significant and notable tree from which the club probably derived its name (I could be wrong). The reason why I don't believe its a surveyor's mark is because then one would expect others to be shown on the drawing and none are. In addition, if it were a surveyor's mark wouldn't it be at the actual corner of the property? This isn't.
-
John,
"Green Bay Road" on the dark blueprint is but one of a number of anomalies between the 3 drawings that needs explaining. I'm wondering if there are old road maps from both 1894 & 1913 to see if the road is shown and what its name is at the time.
I don't believe that the "Old Elm" is a surveyor's mark but rather a significant and notable tree from which the club probably derived its name (I could be wrong). The reason why I don't believe its a surveyor's mark is because then one would expect others to be shown on the drawing and none are. In addition, if it were a surveyor's mark wouldn't it be at the actual corner of the property? This isn't.
Phil: I am quickly running out of my surveying knowledge but old and prominent trees were often used to define boundaries. Charter Oaks and such. I think they are called benchmarks. I am guessing that this was such a tree because it is specially marked on the print, the road is Old Elm Road, and the road defines Highland Park and Lake Forest. I wonder if Lake County Recorder of Deeds is online? But this is a minor issue, overall.
-
It was a tree. There are photos of it in some of the old magazines from when the course was built noting that is where the name of the club came from.
Sven
-
One of the Club's questions asked if the blueprint (the map with the blue background in post #1) could have been the blueprint mentioned in the 1894 letter.
It is 100% clear that it could not have been the blueprint referred to in the letter. The blueprint, regardless of who drew it or when, clearly represents the Old Elm course as designed and built by Colt and Ross. There is abundant information from 1913 and 1914 that Colt and Ross collaborated on the design, where on site together in April 1913, staked out the course and prepared a map and drawings in 1913. That question is settled. I'm also inclined to think the map with the white background is the oldest and the maps with the blue backgrounds came later. They date pre-1930's as the Skokie was rerouted in the 30's and the stream seen on the 4th hole was replaced by bunkers when the Skokie was re-engineered.
Could the blue print have been attached to the letter. Yes, as a practical joke played between members on some future date. Its also possible they were innocently filed together at some much later date.
Could the letter be authentic and the jokesters combined a real letter with the blueprint. Maybe, but there are enough questions to make one wonder if the letter is a fake, part of a joke. Why a fake; no "Bonny Jock," The Fort Sheridan Station did not exist in 1894, it opened in Feb. 1895 (thank you David Moriarty), there are questions about the authenticity of the 540 N. Michigan Ave address, it was unsigned, sent from NYC??
The Ft Sheridan Station may have referred to the Highwood station which served Ft Sheridan in 1894. The station was directly west of the Stupey Farm which was considered by the Chicago Golf Club as the site of their Club before they deciding on Wheaton instead where they moved in 1895. The Stupey farm was selected by WA Alexander for the Exmoor Club which was formed in 1896 with HJ Whigham, HJ Tweedie and Charles Blair Macdonald contributing to the original 9 hole lay-out which opened in 1897 (revised by Macdonald in 1898). Coincidently Alexander came up with the idea for Old Elm in 1912 when he was frustrated with the long waits at Onwentsia where he was a founding member in 1896. Could Macdonald have sent the letter from NYC in an attempt to solicit more members to support the move to buy the Stupey Farm property for this then ideal 18 hole course? Could the Committee have been a committee of the Chicago Golf Club doing the same by someone with business interests that took them to the Equitable Building in NYC?
A key to its authenticity seems to be if there was a John Eliot Warner at 540 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago in 1894. Exmoor's historian Don Holton has noted in emails that street addresses in Chicago were very different in 1894. What today would be 540 N. Michigan Ave. was Pine Street in 1894. Street numbering was dramatically changed in the early 1900's. A 1890's map of Chicago lists a Michigan Street north of the River running east west near where Kinzie street is today.
I found a reference to a Mrs. John Eliot Warner in the 1950's stepping down as President of the Western Women's Golf Association. Could her husband (or his father or grandfather) be the letter's John Eliot Warner? A 1931 newspaper report lists a John Eliot Warner as VP of Warner Reciprocal Insurers 155 E. Superior Street Chicago. President Lansing Warner. Another article in 1920 has Lansing Warner as president of Lansing Warner Insurance 1?4 S. Michigan Ave with a home address of 542 Michigan Ave. Evanston. Both in the instance business, ties to the Equitable building in NYC?
More questions than answers. I suspect some of the answers may lie in the Club's archives.
-
To piggy back on Dan's post...
The local lore is mildly more scandalous (for the times) than Dan's description that OEC was founded because of "long waits at Onwentsia". The story goes that a small group of members from Onwentsia, who had become quite taken with the game, became frustrated with Presbyterian social-religious mores which prohibited both drinking and the playing of sports on Sundays. Therefore, they located their new club outside of the Lake Forest city limits and made it a men's club to be out of reach of the powers that be (including their ministers and their wives).
I'm not sure if there were actual "Blue Laws" in Lake Forest at the time, but the social pressure would have certainly been there. Onwentsia was a family club, and would have adhered to the social conventions.
Back to the letter. Onwentsia was looking for a new/permanent location in 1894, and it is certainly possible that the land that would ultimately become OE was found (but rejected) during that search. Perhaps the letter refers to Onwentsia, and not Old Elm?
Or perhaps more likely, the letter is the equivalent of a recruitment letter for a secret society? Perhaps the men who ultimately founded Old Elm ("The Committee") were already contemplating the off-shoot, but wanted to keep their plans under wraps? Keeping up appearances was much more important then than it is now, even for those who had the wealth and power to do whatever they wanted. These men would have known from their exposure to Scottish heritage, the history of the game, and how it came into conflict with the Church.
All speculation, I know, but not entirely implausible.
-
Until someone can find an early pro named Jock McGillicuddy (who we have yet to locate in any source), I wouldn't give much credence at all to the letter.
To add to the rampant speculation, perhaps it was the 1890's version of spam.
Sven
-
I have this from a xeroxed copy of the Old Elm Club Report of Board of Governors, dated October 17, 1914.
In January, 1913, Old Elm Club was organized and plans for commencing construction of the course as early in the spring as the weather would permit were made. Donald Ross was engaged to lay out -the course, and later, H. S. Colt, the famous English golf architect, who was in this country, was secured, and Old Elm represents the best ideas and skill of two recognized experts in this work. The results obtained have been very gratifying and experts who have played on prominent courses of the world pronounce Old Elm superior to a great majority of the inland courses and equal to many of the seaside courses. The topography of our grounds astonishes nearly everyone who visits Old Elm.
Our original purchase of land comprised 140 acres. In April, 1913, after spending many days trying to adapt the 140 acres to the kind of golf course we wanted, Messrs' Colt and Ross recommended the purchase of twenty acres additional land. We finally bought the twenty acres which now comprise our southwest twenty, and the purchase of these twenty acres helped create our deficit, as our calculations as to the cost of constructing the course were made before the necessity for this additional land was known. The Club owns 160 acres of land, and competent appraisers value this land at prices much higher than the club paid for it.
According to this document, twenty additional acres of land were purchased to accommodate a routing that both Colt and Ross were mutually satisfied with. The “southwest twenty” is probably referring to the area where the various prints show the location of the 12th fairway, 12th green, 13th tee and the first half of the 13th fairway. The blueprint is probably from sometime after Ross and Colt made their reconnaissance of the property, between January and April 1913. It is highly doubtful that the “blueprint” attached to the letter from the committee in 1894 could have been this one.
I would not be surprised however if this letter was written on behalf of a group of gentlemen who were even then in possession of the land where Old Em Club now sits. It is unlikely that the club would have had a name at this point because it did not have a golf course. The name was chosen from a huge Elm tree that sat directly behind the original 1st green. Probably the name was voted upon some time during the routing of the course by Colt and Ross in 1913.
When I was the assistant of Old Elm in the early 1980s I was given an orientation around the clubhouse. One of the older employees, Rudy, explained to me that the club was founded by Lake Forest businessmen who wanted to play golf on Sunday and enjoy the fraternity of a game of cards and a cocktail. Lake Forest, being the musty fusty Presbyterian community that it was in those days, did not allow any of these activities within the city limits.
My guess is that the founders sat on this land in Highland Park (right over the border) for many years before finally building the golf course. By 1913 this land would have been highly valued for real estate; it makes perfect sense that the austerity and foresight which gentlemen of that era prided themselves on, would have prompted the purchase of this land during an earlier and more affordable market period. My guess is the letter was sent at a time when there was some initial excitement for starting the club which waned and was rekindled later.
-
I have this from a xeroxed copy of the Old Elm Club Report of Board of Governors, dated October 17, 1914.
In January, 1913, Old Elm Club was organized and plans for commencing construction of the course as early in the spring as the weather would permit were made. Donald Ross was engaged to lay out -the course, and later, H. S. Colt, the famous English golf architect, who was in this country, was secured, and Old Elm represents the best ideas and skill of two recognized experts in this work. The results obtained have been very gratifying and experts who have played on prominent courses of the world pronounce Old Elm superior to a great majority of the inland courses and equal to many of the seaside courses. The topography of our grounds astonishes nearly everyone who visits Old Elm.
Our original purchase of land comprised 140 acres. In April, 1913, after spending many days trying to adapt the 140 acres to the kind of golf course we wanted, Messrs' Colt and Ross recommended the purchase of twenty acres additional land. We finally bought the twenty acres which now comprise our southwest twenty, and the purchase of these twenty acres helped create our deficit, as our calculations as to the cost of constructing the course were made before the necessity for this additional land was known. The Club owns 160 acres of land, and competent appraisers value this land at prices much higher than the club paid for it.
According to this document, twenty additional acres of land were purchased to accommodate a routing that both Colt and Ross were mutually satisfied with. The “southwest twenty” is probably referring to the area where the various prints show the location of the 12th fairway, 12th green, 13th tee and the first half of the 13th fairway. The blueprint is probably from sometime after Ross and Colt made their reconnaissance of the property, between January and April 1913. It is highly doubtful that the “blueprint” attached to the letter from the committee in 1894 could have been this one.
Bradley,
I would think that the 12th and 13th would be considered the southeast twenty, if they have such a name?
The twenty acre rectangle to the west (including the 5th green, 6th tee and 16th tee) would most likely be considered the southwest twenty. The club's property includes 8-20 acre parcels, all making an equal rectangle. If you look on the white linen map in Reply #9, the southwest twenty wasn't included, showing only 7-20 acre parcels.
Bret
-
Is there any information regarding the acquisition of more land?
Something in the vicinity of 49 or 50 acres?
The dark blue map shows an acreage of 209.327.
-
Bret,
As for land acquisitions, that information is with the club and is proprietary. Several members are watching this thread and so if they want to share it they will pass it along.
-
Phil,
I understand. I don't need to know this information. If the club knows when they acquired enough land to get to 209.327 acres, that would be a good starting point for finding the approximate timeline for the dark blue print.
The Board of Directors meeting notes that the Club owns 160 acres on October 17, 1914. The dark blue print would have to be post 1914.
Bret
-
I have this from a xeroxed copy of the Old Elm Club Report of Board of Governors, dated October 17, 1914.
In January, 1913, Old Elm Club was organized and plans for commencing construction of the course as early in the spring as the weather would permit were made. Donald Ross was engaged to lay out -the course, and later, H. S. Colt, the famous English golf architect, who was in this country, was secured, and Old Elm represents the best ideas and skill of two recognized experts in this work. The results obtained have been very gratifying and experts who have played on prominent courses of the world pronounce Old Elm superior to a great majority of the inland courses and equal to many of the seaside courses. The topography of our grounds astonishes nearly everyone who visits Old Elm.
Our original purchase of land comprised 140 acres. In April, 1913, after spending many days trying to adapt the 140 acres to the kind of golf course we wanted, Messrs' Colt and Ross recommended the purchase of twenty acres additional land. We finally bought the twenty acres which now comprise our southwest twenty, and the purchase of these twenty acres helped create our deficit, as our calculations as to the cost of constructing the course were made before the necessity for this additional land was known. The Club owns 160 acres of land, and competent appraisers value this land at prices much higher than the club paid for it.
According to this document, twenty additional acres of land were purchased to accommodate a routing that both Colt and Ross were mutually satisfied with. The “southwest twenty” is probably referring to the area where the various prints show the location of the 12th fairway, 12th green, 13th tee and the first half of the 13th fairway. The blueprint is probably from sometime after Ross and Colt made their reconnaissance of the property, between January and April 1913. It is highly doubtful that the “blueprint” attached to the letter from the committee in 1894 could have been this one.
Bradley,
I would think that the 12th and 13th would be considered the southeast twenty, if they have such a name?
The twenty acre rectangle to the west (including the 5th green, 6th tee and 16th tee) would most likely be considered the southwest twenty. The club's property includes 8-20 acre parcels, all making an equal rectangle. If you look on the white linen map in Reply #9, the southwest twenty wasn't included, showing only 7-20 acre parcels.
Bret
You make very good points Bret.
-
I have submitted my draft report to the Club and here is what I've come up with. Much of this was already discussed in my last reply.
With the help of several people (thank you Kevin, Hilary, Don, David and Paul) here is what we have found so far regarding the Warner letter.
The Ft. Sheridan Station did not open until February 1895 nine months after the letter was sent.
The Scottish pro “Bonny Jock MacGillicuddy did not exist.
Extensive searches failed to find a John Eliot Warner at 540 North Michigan Ave. in 1894.
North Michigan Ave. as we know it today did not even exist in 1894. Michigan Ave. ended at the river until the Michigan Ave. bridge opened in 1920. What is North Michigan Ave. today was called Pine Street until the bridge opened and the streets were joined.
Census and internet news searches located a John Eliot Warner who was born in 1899. In 1930 he was VP of his father’s insurance company. Warner Insurance opened an office at 540 North Michigan Ave. sometime between 1930 and 1932. Warner’s wife was elected President of the Western Women’s Golf Association in 1952. They were members of the Glen View Club.
The letter was filed in the club archives with a blueprint of the Colt/Ross course that was created no earlier than April 1913.
Notwithstanding these factual inconsistencies it is very curious that the Old Elm Club has the Warner letter in its archives. John Eliot Warner was never a member of the Club.
Can a case be made that the letter is genuine and was sent to a different John Eliot Warner on May 1, 1894? I have done extensive research on the early years of golf in Chicago. There were only several dozen players in 1894, mostly novices, who had just taken up the game, and probably only 2-3 individuals or groups that were trying to found a golf club in 1894. Macdonald founded the Chicago Golf Club which incorporated in 1893 and had their links in Belmont. Hobart Chatfield Taylor was trying to get golf going in Lake Forest but had little success until the summer of 1894. Old Elm’s founder WA Alexander founded Exmoor in 1896, but its pretty clear that effort started in 1896. Golf was also being played at that time in Riverside by residents of the area, but they would not have been looking at land for a course in Highland Park.
One might be tempted to think the brash, relentless Charles Blair Macdonald, having found some ideal land west of the soon to be opened Fort Sheridan station sent such a letter from New York on a business trip to a knowing friend with Macdonald humorously referring to himself as “Bonny Jock” since he in fact functioned as Chicago’s first golf pro distributing clubs and teaching the game to fellow aficionados during those first two years of golf in Chicago. However, given all the factual inconsistencies that just seems to farfetched to believe. Ultimately one is hard pressed to make such a case. Absent finding another John Eliot Warner at 540 N. Michigan Ave. in 1894, there are simply too many hurdles to surmount.
Therefore, I feel the evidence we have so far conclusively shows the Warner letter was concocted no earlier than 1931. The Warner letter probably was a practical joke involving members of the Old Elm Club perhaps involving members who knew John Eliot Warner and were having fun with him about “joining or refusing to join” a proposed new golf club located directly west of the Fort Sheridan Station with a blueprint of the proposed course (the Colt/Ross Old Elm blueprint) attached. I found a neat photo from the 1950's of Mrs. Warner and Mrs. WA Alexander together at a WWGA event. WA Alexander founded Old Elm so they clearly moved in related circles.
Here's a quick look at how the Old Elm Club was actually started in 1912.
Joe Davis was the dean of early Chicago golf writers. He was the lead golf reporter for the Chicago Tribune from 1899 to 1925, a contributor to national golf magazines such as the American Golfer using the name Lochnivar, and the founder and editor of the CDGA Magazine Chicago Golfer in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Davis wrote numerous articles about the Old Elm Club when it was formed in 1913 in the Tribune and American Golfer Magazine. In the September 1932 issue of the CDGA Magazine Chicago Golfer he looked back on the “interesting story” of how the Old Elm Club was formed. Davis reported the Old Elm Club was founded in response to crowded conditions at the Onwentsia Club in 1912. W.A. Alexander and R.H. McElwee were waiting to play one day when Alexander asked if there was some place to get away from the long waits. McElwee suggested the Dick farm and other property near Fort Sheridan which coincidently is located “directly west of the Fort Sheridan station.”
They moved quickly to obtain the land and sign on 46 Charter members and the Old Elm Club was born. The Club was incorporated in January 1913. By February work on the land had commenced and in late April, Colt and Ross convened to go over the land and design the course. The course was seeded by September 1913 and opened for play by June of 1914. As written by Colt in his notes dated April 27, 1913 “Everything is marked out on the land and with this book of plans and with the accompanying blue print there should be no difficulty in carrying out the work.”
Old Elm is the only course in the world where Colt and Ross, two of golf’s greatest architects of the Golden Age, worked together on an original design. Truly a one of a kind course.
[size=78%] [/size]
-
Nice work Dan.
-
Thanks for sharing your findings Dan. Always a joy to learn more about that special place.
How cool would it have been to walk the property with Colt & Ross as they worked out the routing?
So, was a conclusion reached about the different course maps and drawings from earlier in the thread?
-
Paul Turner believes this writing is by the hand of Colt and I agree. It certainly matches Jim's drawings/writings.
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/bsdesign/Edgbaston3rdplan.jpg)
Ciao
-
Some more random information on Old Elm and John Eliot Warner and the letter.
First, here's an 1892 Railroad map that shows Ft Sheridan station, so the station must have preceded the letter.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5820/23428859701_a5f4e49fee_c.jpg)
In my search for John Eliot Warner, I could find only two John E Warners in Chicago in the 1900 census. Neither sounded like they would have been a prospective member of a course for the rich elite of Chicago given their jobs and neighborhoods.
As others have noted there was no North Michigan Ave before 1920. There was no 540 Michigan Ave in the 1900 Census - in fact no addresses on Michigan between the 300's and the 1200's. Perhaps the 540 address was from some time after 1920 and was a business address and not a home address.
I did find many of the social column references to a Mrs John Eliot Warner in the late '30's and '40's. They sounded like they might be from the right crowd for Old Elm. One reference had them throwing a party for 100 people at their home in Winnetka, so maybe they never lived in Chicago. Winnetka sounds like a moneyed area.
I found another reference to a John Eliot Warner being a director of the Lake Geneva Country Club in 1946. That club seemed/seems to cater to the wealthy of Chicago in the summer. Following is the article from the 50th anniversary celebration in 1946 that mentions Warner. There's an interesting mention of Charles Blair Macdonald near the end. Perhaps Old Elm was soliciting Warner and he chose to go to Lake Geneva instead.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/645/23511599515_538aff386d_o.jpg)
Regarding the Green Bay Road on the blueprint, I couldn't find a historical map of the area with street names on it. Here is a 1907 topo map that's sized to overlay on the current map. The configuration of the roads is obviosly different, although what is now Old Elm ran at least to the current clubhouse. Searching other historical maps of the adjoining areas, with street names, I couldn't come up with any Green Bay Roads. Sheridan existed back the as did many of the cross streets. The main north south route was called either Waukegan Road or Chicago-Milwaukee Road or Railway Road.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5766/23511330805_a749659a09_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/626/23428857591_ae407dc6d2_c.jpg)
-
John,
"Green Bay Road" on the dark blueprint is but one of a number of anomalies between the 3 drawings that needs explaining. I'm wondering if there are old road maps from both 1894 & 1913 to see if the road is shown and what its name is at the time.
I don't believe that the "Old Elm" is a surveyor's mark but rather a significant and notable tree from which the club probably derived its name (I could be wrong). The reason why I don't believe its a surveyor's mark is because then one would expect others to be shown on the drawing and none are. In addition, if it were a surveyor's mark wouldn't it be at the actual corner of the property? This isn't.
Phil,
I don't understand the anomaly with "Green Bay Road". Green Bay Road can also be seen on the first blue print you posted titled "Proposed Golf Course". In the lower left hand corner is a separate map, showing the property as it relates to the surrounding area. In that smaller map there are only two roads listed and they are both called Green Bay Road.
Even on a modern map you can see that S. Green Bay Road merges with Old Elm Road, just west of the club. Green Bay Road was simply the road from Chicago to Green Bay. Before all the roads were rearranged and names changed this road was the connector to the southern section of Green Bay Road that can still be seen on modern maps.
If you are not sure what I am saying is true, do a quick search on Illinois Route 131.
I agree with Dan that the white linen map and blueprint are most likely from Colt's design in 1913, considering the white linen map shows 140 acres and the blueprint shows 160 acres.
The dark blue print is the map that still perplexes me a little. This map shows 209.327 acres, including 2 more 20 acre parcels to the west of Holes 1-4 and the 9.327 south of the southwest 20. There are two shelters that now exist on the property and the fourth hole no longer has the Skokie River running through the middle of the fairway.
Dan mentioned that the Skokie River was shifted in the 30's, so I would have to estimate this dark blue print is from the 1930's. What is interesting to me is, the Old Elm Tree in the corner of the dark blue print was not on Old Elm's property until they acquired this additional land. Perhaps there was more than one Old Elm Tree?
Bret
-
Bret,
I used the word "anomaly" to mean differences between the 3 drawings. For example, "Green Bay Road" is only shown on two of them with it missing from the hand-colored one while a large "Slough and Creek" section is not shown on the dark blue print yet is on the others. There are a fair number of "differences" or "anomalies" such as these between all three drawings.
-
Phil,
I understand now and agree there are certainly differences between the three maps. Obviously a big part of the conundrum was the filing of these items. If we remove the letter and the dark blueprint, we have two maps that have more similarities than differences. Both of these maps could have been used side by side with Colt's book of plans to build the golf course he designed.
The dark blueprint has more differences than similarities and represents to me, a golf course from a later date.
Have you or Dan come to any conclusions regarding the date on the dark blue print?
Bret
-
Here is a map from 1907 showing the property Old Elm Club would eventually purchase in 1913.
Forwarded to me by Jim Kennedy:
http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/220484/Deerfield+and+West+Deerfield++Highland+Park++Lake+Forest++Lake+Michigan/Lake+County+1907/Illinois/
In 1907, this property was not owned by W.A. Alexander.
-
Here is a map from 1907 showing the property Old Elm Club would eventually purchase in 1913.
Forwarded to me by Jim Kennedy:
http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/220484/Deerfield+and+West+Deerfield++Highland+Park++Lake+Forest++Lake+Michigan/Lake+County+1907/Illinois/
In 1907, this property was not owned by W.A. Alexander.
The plot thickens!
Unless I am mistaken, this 1907 map indicates that the same people (Mr. Hugh T. Birch and Mrs. H.M. Williams) who owned the land that eventually became Old Elm, also owned the land that eventually became Bob O' Link?
Am I reading this right?
-
Back in the 1890s Hugh Birch and others were buying up as much land in the area as they could, and promoting the electric railway, in anticipation of reselling it to the rail company and making a buck on the residential and commercial development that would necessarily follow the passenger line.
-
Brian,
Interesting find on the rail station. The current Ft. Sheridan station definitely opened in 1895 so they must have renamed the stations when the new station opened with the old Ft Sheridan station seen in your map being renamed Highwood. That would put the Ft. Sheridan/Highwood station in 1894 closer to the Stupey Farm scouted by Macdonald with the Old Elm land no longer located "directly west of the Ft. Sheridan station."
Regardless, it is clearly documented Warner Insurance opened a new office at 540 N. Michigan Ave. after 1930 and a John Eliot Warner was VP of the Company at that time. Also appears that North Michigan Ave. did not exist before 1920. Until that information is discredited I'm sticking with my original conclusion the letter post-dates 1930.
-
Back in the 1890s Hugh Birch and others were buying up as much land in the area as they could, and promoting the electric railway, in anticipation of reselling it to the rail company and making a buck on the residential and commercial development that would necessarily follow the passenger line.
It's pretty interesting if in fact Hugh T Birch would have been promoting an electric railway - since he was counsel for STANDARD OIL!! :)
"Ready For The Road", col. 3
https://www.newspapers.com/image/28548520/
-
Brett: it might as well have been. Hugh T Birch was a founding governor of Exmoor and therefore a friend of WA Alexander.
So I'm sticking with my instinct- All roads run through WA Alexander here.
Want to take a guess what the name of Hugh T Birch's farm in Highland Park to the south of Exmoor was?
David,
Was it Bob O'Link Farm?
-
Thanks.
It makes a lot of sense that a bird lover like Hugh Taylor Birch would name his farm after a bird.
Dolichonyx oryzivorus Farm would be too hard to say. :)
Was Birch a member at any of these clubs? How about Mrs. H. M. Williams? Who is she and where does she fall into the picture?
Both of these clubs bought property from Hugh T. Birch, but they also bought property from other owners. Hugh T. Birch seemed to be a shrewd real estate investor. He also owned property in Florida, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. Not all of his properties turned into W. A. Alexander Country Clubs.
I agree that W.A. Alexander was a pioneer when it came to Chicago golf. He may have also ran in the same circles as H. T. Birch, but to assume Birch bought all of this land for Alexander's future golf courses may be too much for me to swallow given the little information we have available.
Bret
-
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/700/23009548013_708387b130_o.jpg)