Edgewater Golf Club
Original address: Devon and Evanston Avenues.
2045 W. Pratt Boulevard, Source: Rogers Park Directory, 1919, page 24.
Damen Avenue to Western Avenue, and Pratt Boulevard to just north of Artesian Avenue.
For additional information, see: Edgewater Golf Club
Note: Although the club was only located in Edgewater for its first year, the name was retained until dissolution in 1968.
One of the earliest golf courses within city limits,the Edgewater Golf Club (EGC) was established by the city in 1897. EGC was incorporated the following year (1898). During its 70-year existence, EGC occupied three different locations. Originally, it was situated in Edgewater on a 55-acre strip of land west of Broadway between Foster Avenue and Balmoral Avenue. When additional land could not be obtained for this 5-hole course, it moved north a year later to a swath of land bounded by Sheridan Road, Loyola Avenue, Albion Avenue, and Lakewood Avenue.
The original 9-hole course on Sheridan Road measured 2,804 yards, though the length was increased to 3,008 yards by 1900. One hole ran 593 yards and was considered the longest hole in the entire area. Several other Edgewater holes featured extremely narrow fairways bordered by rows of mature oak and birch trees. The members referred to these slender fairways as "bowling alleys." An early improvement was a fence installed to encircle the grounds at a cost of $750. Within two years, however, the expenditure had been totally recouped through a new revenue source - the outside of the fence was sold as an advertising medium.
Formal opening of the clubhouse at Edgewater Golf Club in April 1911.
In 1912, the Edgewater Golf Club was relocated to 2045 W. Pratt Boulevard (surrounded by Pratt Avenue, Western Avenue, and Ridge Avenue). After EGC moved, the original land was taken over by the Shore Acres Club (golf), and it had a club house at 6570 N. Sheridan Road.
In 1899, when the Western Golf Association was established, the EGC was one of the 15 charger members. The club soon became a prominent fixture of local golf.
Until it closed in 1968, EGC was restricted. No Jews were allowed to join or play at Edgewater. They couldn't even caddy there.
The "new" Edgewater Golf Club, and the row of fine houses directly opposite of it along Pratt Boulevard could be considered one of the earliest planned golfing communities. Many members purchased lots and built homes there starting in 1911 with the direct proximity to the course being a major selling point. Several presidents of EGC (William J. McDonald, Walter Gillette, and Victor Curto, to name a few) lived across the street in these grand residences.
The first president was William J. McDonald, of 2208 W. Pratt Boulevard.
In 1913, a stunning prairie-influenced Tudor Revival clubhouse was completed at 2045 W. Pratt Boulevard, which was the epitome of style and grace. EGC administrative offices, dining facilities, and activities were centered here. Many wedding receptions, parties, and social events took place during the nine months that EGC was open each year. The club annually shut down after New Years and reopened, again, in April.
To understand the affluence of Pratt Boulevard and the Edgewater Golf Club area in the 1920s, you have only to listen to the comments of John Dickson, a former West Ridge resident. John states that his boyhood home was at 2054 W. Pratt Boulevard. It was a big red brick house with white pillars across from the golf club. His family employed a maid, chauffeur, and gardener. Then because of financial losses in 1922, his family became so poor that they moved to Glencoe.
Memories of former EGC members, Mary Kay Dooley and Arlene Dinkel, illustrate just how special the EGC was during its heyday. They recalled that, in addition to the many golf-related tournaments and contests held, they also had a myriad of recreational activities like luncheons, bridge groups, Florence Bourke-Ellis book reviews, and fashion shows sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue, Keim Furs, and other upscale retailers. Professional-Amateur tournaments at EGC, featuring stars like Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, were not uncommon. It was also the only local golf club to host women's Pro-Am events.
The EGC's facilities were improved and expanded several times over the years. Most notably, a swimming pool was added in 1958 and a new ladies locker room was built. Sadly, these improvements, and others, came too late. A combination of suburban competition and the economics of operating a first-rate golf club within the city limits , became prohibitive. In 1965, the necessary 2/3 vote of the approximate 300-person membership voted to sell the valuable property and the club was dissolved by 1968. Kenroy, Inc., a real estate developer, paid $7.8 million in 1969 for the land, netting EGC equity members nearly $21,000 each.
The Edgewater Golf Club's clubhouse was torn down in the 1960s.
Amateur Golfer Charles “Chick” Evans was a caddie at Edgewater Golf Club. When Chick was 8, his family bought a house at 1413 W. Pratt Boulevard.
That accident of geography changed Chick Evans's life. The house on Pratt backed up onto the original grounds of the Edgewater Country Club. Naturally, he became a caddie and started playing golf. By the time he turned 16, he was a splendid player.
Professional Golfer Chester Horton was an instructor at Edgewater Golf Club.
The 94-acre private Edgewater Golf Club was the basis for Chicago's Warren Park. In 1965, it was learned that real estate developers offered to purchase the old golf course for $7.8 million from its members. Soon after the community learned that the buyers wanted to build high-rise apartments and a large shopping center on the site, a coalition of local groups known as the Allied North Side Community Organizations launched a major campaign to save the land as open space. Despite the strong community objection, however, the City re-zoned the site in 1968 to allow development to move forward. Warren Park was created in the 1970s from the remains of the Edgewater Golf Club.
When the city failed to support the park scheme, the community groups solicited the support of the State Government. In 1969, Governor Richard B. Ogilvie signed a bill to make the private golf course into a State Park. The Governor announced that this would be "the first major state park in Illinois created in an urban area. By bringing a park to the people, instead of requiring them to go to a distant park, we shall mark an historic turning point in the battle to preserve open lands."
The State of Illinois acquired approximately one-third of the property for $8 million the following year. In 1971, the state officially named the park in honor of Laurence C. Warren (1923-1970), a key figure in the fight to save the golf course as open space. The son of German Jewish immigrants, Warren was a successful attorney and community leader. He was a past president of the North Town Community Council, and chairman of the Allied North Side Community Organizations. Governor Ogilvie said "while the new name of this great urban park memorializes a single community leader, it symbolizes the remarkable partnership that saved most of the former club for the public."
Despite the progress in creating a state park, plans to develop the remaining golf course acreage continued, and community opposition stayed strong. To save the rest of the golf course land as open space, the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners agreed to condemn the remaining 32-acre site in 1972. The state transferred its property to the Chicago Park District in 1975.
In the late 1970s, the Chicago Park District began a major construction project for the park which included a field house, playground, ball fields, sledding hill, cross country ski trails, and a nine-hole golf course. In 1980, Warren Park's Robert A. Black Golf Course was officially dedicated in honor of Robert A. Black (1896-1978), Chief Engineer to the Chicago Park District for more than 30 years.
This golf club was featured in the 1996 Annual Fall House Tour.
Members
Walter Howard Chamberlin, 1911.
William Arthur Grant, 1911, 1917.
Dr. Fred C. Honnold, 1917.
William T. Irwin, 1911.
Ben Mayhew Smith, 1905, 1911, 1917.
Charles Frederick Tritschler, 1911.
Other Sources
http://forgottenchicago.com/features/chicago-areas/edgewater-golf-club/
Photos
RPWRHS photo B012-0103 Looking east toward Sheridan Road, near the present day corner of Arthur Avenue and Lakewood Avenue. The original Edgewater Golf Club, opened in the late 1890s, stretched east to Cape Hayes, the current location of Loyola University. The original St. Ignatius Church is seen in the upper right hand corner shortly after it was built in 1907. Photo 1910.
RPWRHS photo D004-PC0102 shows the prairie style Edgewater Golf Club clubhouse, with its cast concrete Porte-cochère, urns, and beautiful Tudor half-timbering on the upper level, is shown in 1915. Located near Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, the clubhouse was torn down in the late 1960s. Photo 1955. Information for S013-0877, S013-0878, S013-0879, S013-0880, S013-0881, S013-0882, S013-0883, S013-0884 state this photos were taken in March 1974. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0877 shows Edgewater Golf Club, clubhouse, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0878 shows Edgewater Golf Club, clubhouse, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0879 shows Edgewater Golf Club, clubhouse, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0880 shows Edgewater Golf Club, swimming pool, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0881 shows Edgewater Golf Club, swimming pool, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0882 shows Edgewater Golf Club, view of links, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0883 shows Edgewater Golf Club, view of links, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0884 shows Edgewater Golf Club, two people examining a fallen tree, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0885 shows Edgewater Golf Club, two people examining a fallen tree, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0886 shows Edgewater Golf Club, view of links, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0887 shows Edgewater Golf Club, large tree, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0888 shows Edgewater Golf Club, Bar BQ grills, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0889 shows Edgewater Golf Club, view of links, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0890 shows Edgewater Golf Club, clubhouse, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
RPWRHS photo S013-0902 shows Edgewater Golf Club, parking lot looking south, towards playlot at the end of Hoyne Avenue, Pratt Boulevard and Ridge Boulevard, March 1974. Information for D004-PC0102 states clubhouse was torn down in late 1960s. So, date on this photo is questionable.
