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JOHN F. GILCHRIST TELLS OF HOW FLOSSMOOR COUNTRY CLUB STAF“Father of Flossmoor” Tells of Thirty Years Ago Whei moor Was Acreage; How Golf Developed the Great Homewood AreaBy JOHN F. GILCHRIST(EDITOR'S NOTE: Readers of The Homewood News are indebted to “The Town Crier,” a leaflet published by the Flossmoor State Bank, for this accounting of early Flossmoor. The Hom'e-wood News thanks Art Panzar, editor of The Crier, and R. B. Hewetson, cashier of the hank, for permission to republish the story.—J. F. F.]The authentic story of the Cotmtrv Club, and—incidentally—formation of the Fllt; -Flossmoor itself, startelt;years ago.On the 8th day of July, 1899, Mr. Fred Jenkins, my associate in the Edison Company, and I went to lunch to-gether at the Chicago Aathletic Association. The National Golf Tournament was being played at Onwcntsia. Both of us had played golf several times, and as we lived on the South Side, in the Hyde Park district, we were convinced that there should be a golf club somewhere 011 the line of the Illinois Central.1 suggested to Mr. Jenkins that we start out that afternoon to see what the land was like. He told 111c that lie Was very anxious to see t handler Egan plav in the finals at Onwentsia and would rather make it the next day. However, Mrs. Gilchrist and I got 011 the Illinois Central train, going as far as Harvey, then hired a team and drove down to about where the Calumet Country Club is now, when one of our horses became sick and we returned to Harvey and Chicago.The next day. Sunday, July 9th. Mr. Jenkins and I went out to Harvey, walked from there to Homewood, looked over a good deal of property around Homewood and returned. The next day I asked Mr. Louie Seebcrgcr, my associate in the Edison Company, to •provide me with a map of the farms ii the vicinity of Homewood. After studying this, Mr. Jenkins and I, realizing that we needed a good real estate man who could talk German, decided upon Mr. Frank Riedel, then living on Black-stone avenue near 59th street. .Mr. Riedel went to Homewood, got acquainted with the people, and as a result of his work for about a month, three pieces of property were placed under option, one the property of Mr. Briggs, now the property of the Ravis loe Country Club, another some property north of 183rd street, between the Illinois Central tracks and Kedzie lt;nue, belonging to a farmer whose name I think was Elbracht, and the third piece of property east of Homewood.Mr. Jenkins and I went down and looked these pieces over, and were not satisfied. A week or two later M Riedel took us to what is now Floss moor, and we saw first the property of August Hccht and Chris. Hibbing, being 160 acres each, one on the east side and one on the west side of Western avenue. We were- very much impressed with this property. We found that Judge Pinckney of the firm of Pinckney and Tatge, in the old First National Bank building, was the lawyer of Hecht and Hibbing and many other farmers in that vicinity.As a result we had a meeting with these two farmers in Judge Pinckney's office, but found them very suspicious and unwilling to give an option except for a very unreasonable amount.In the meantime we had had some talks with Mr. A. H. Hanson, then general passenger agent of the Illinois Central Railroad. Mr, Hanson evident • ly mentioned the matter to Mr. John F. Wallace. He also mentioned it to Mr. John G Nellegcr and said he understood that Mr. Nellcger was lt;1 ious to join a golf club. We talked trains with Mr. Hanson and got the assurance of the Illinois Central people that if we purchased property at what is now Flossmoor, they would tend their train service there and build a depot for us.As a result of the information garding Mr. Nellcger, I called him up one morning and made an appointment to lunch with him at the Chicago Athletic Association, of which both members. I had never Nelleger and remember very tfollowed the page boy up lounge, seeing him jump up ve ly and come across the floo ever, prior to talking to Mr. 1 had stirred the matter up good many of my friends Park, notably Mr. Walter Nt John C. Welling, Mr. Thomas Dr. H. W. Gentles and others we first talked with Mr. Nelle the middle of September or pe first of October when he cam picture. Mr. Nelleger and hi Mr. Wells, Mr. Jenkins am clown and looked over the far we had under option, althoug nothing at that time to them Hecht and Hibbing farms.About the 23rd of October ' ized a good sized excursion we thought we would like ti the club and took them to H We looked over the various j we also looked over the pr Mr. Gore, part of which is as Markham Yards. We cot; rather a joke on us, as our 1 literally stolen and dragged t by an agent of Mr. Gore wl the train without our knowlc Wells was quite impressed Gore property and insisted or see Mr. Gore, which we did c day morning, and found Mr. stiff in his price at $300 an at was at least twice the markt time.When Mr. Wells was sa’ this turn-down, I informed hi other property that we woulc to see. That afternoon Mr. Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Wells anc out to Harvey, took a team ; down and looked over the f Hibbing properties, with wl were very much impressed. August Hecht and made an ment for him to come in Pinckney’s office, which he 1 days later. We found that I Hibbing were in a very 111 mellow mood, as they had he; property under option at F and became convinced they h opportunity for a sale. Thei made an option contract w with the understanding that not be put on record, but left in the hands of Judge under which we had an optilt; their farms for $125 an acre tion to last for sixt ydays froi on which it was made, Nov1899. Mr. Jenkins and I put as option money, Mr. Jenki having put up the money on pieces option at Homewood.We then started in to recr and quickly had a subscri drawn. The club was to be Homewood Country Club.There were two corporatu was the Homewood Land A and the other the Homewooc Club. The capital of the L: ciation was $28,000. Any 011c two shares of $100 stock at membership without further fee in the Homewood Cour Anyone who took twenty sliai of the stock in the Land A at par) got a life members! Homewood Country Club.When the original prop closed up some time in March1900, (we having obtained an on our option) Mr. Jenkins aWINIWrites of Hon
Newspaper Details
The Homewood News
Homewood, Illinois, US
Fri, Nov 08, 1929
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Tom D.
USA 23 Nov 2024
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