The Clubhouse
The proposed clubhouse for the new golf course was envisioned as something extravagant. A simple structure as seen in the historical images preserved, for its time it was considered state of the art.
Architect Nat Smith was hired "to prepare plans for a Clubhouse, the cost of which is not to exceed $7500 to include heating, plumbing and a room for a water tank and an engine.” *16 The 12/19/02 Minutes show the Board’s displeasure in that the - "Plans for Clubhouse shown and all bids were in excess of $7500 which architect agreed that cost should not be exceeded". But ultimately it was “Agreed to sell more bonds if possible" to cover the additional expense. As a result, nine more bonds were subscribed by January 9th making the total money available $26,100.
In the end, Clubhouse plans were contracted with Nat Smith for no more than $8795 - not including heating and plumbing! What follows is almost comical to read. At the January 9th Meeting architect Mr. Smith objected to “the Clubhouse position being so high (in the Olmsted elevations) as it would have looked poorly in his opinion. Extensive discussion ensued and it was; Moved to reconsider (the) previously approved Olmsted elevation.” *22 Apparently this was a serious point of contention because on 4/15/03 - “A letter was (then) read from the Olmsted Brothers concerning the proposed elevations. Informal votes were taken to lower the Clubhouse elevation by 4 feet, then by 2 feet and it was finally adopted by a formal vote to lower the Clubhouse elevation by 18 inches.” *26
Apparently the Board was anxious to use their new location for golf while they awaited construction of the new clubhouse. There was a suggestion made to “ascertain what it would cost to move the old Hawthorn Club House and set it upon Grounds of Country Club". *19 The Board was given an estimate for moving that clubhouse to the Dartmouth location and of setting it up ready for use on the Grounds of the Country Club at a cost of $350. *19 Thus it was voted that “Mr Jesih Swift be a Committee of one to attend the auction of the Hawthorn Golf Club and purchase the club house with lockers included at a cost not to exceed $150." "That Mr Swift be empowered to purchase the lockers if sold separately at a cost not to exceed $75." *20
There is no further indication in the Board Minutes as to whether or not the purchase was ever made or whether the old Hawthorn Golf Club’s clubhouse was actually moved to Slocum Rd.
An antique colorized postcard of the new Nat Smith designed clubhouse shows a rather large boulder prominent in the foreground. This boulder is likely the same one referenced many years later in the Minutes dated 9/19/22 while the course was being expanded to eighteen holes when it was;
Voted "That the Secretary write Miner Wilcox on account of so much feeling being expressed by members of the Club in the proposed removal of the boulder near Club House, he obtain a new location for seventeenth tee and leave boulder as it is, for present."
The original clubhouse at CCNB was featured in a very descriptive Sunday Boston Herald article on March 15, 1903, making it appear rather elegant, is quoted below.
“ A specially constructed driveway winding through the trees, leads the visitor to the clubhouse, a commodious and attractive one story building of the bungalow style of architecture .... now being erected by F. B. Sistare from plans by Nat Smith.
Alighting under the porte cochere, the visitor enters the southern end of the building through a piazza and vestibule into the keeping room.” This room containing a large fireplace measured 29 by 19 feet. “Adjoining it and connected by an open doorway and beyond it is the main dining room (19’x18’) and beyond this in connection with it is a private dining room (14’x12’).” This private dining area contained “a spacious fireplace flanked by old fashioned lockers with glass doors. These three rooms, the keeping room and the two dining rooms, are so arranged that for dances or other large gatherings they can be thrown into one large hall.
Off the keeping room, to the east .... are two smaller rooms, one a parlor the other the locker room and toilet for the ladies. Beyond the private dining room to the north is a large smoking room, back of which are the men’s toilet, locker room and shower baths. This part of the house can be made practically separate from the main part as it has a separate entrance opening off the men’s piazza. On the east side are the kitchen, pantry, and chamber for the servants.
The interior construction will be entirely of cypress. The keeping and the dining rooms will have wainscoting six feet high with shelves and bracketing continuously around the walls. The former which will be eighteen feet high in the clear will be finished with open rafter work and English bracketed cornice. On the southeast corner is a recess fitted with lounging seats occupying three sides and provided with English seat arms. Both the keeping and the dining rooms will open on the main, or west, piazza through Dutch doors.
The whole construction with the exception of the service portions of the house, will be finished in dark English Oak color rubbed to a dead finish.
Not the least attractive feature of the clubhouse will be the three fireplaces, which are large and attractively designed. Over each one will be a wooded panel, on which an appropriate legend will be burned in.
The toilet rooms, both for men and those for women, will be fitted with terrazzo floors and partitions of the same material.” *56
It was not until 1913 that the Board authorized the House Committee to contract the New Bedford Gas and Edison Light Co. to bring electricity to the clubhouse. The Committee also was able to obtain city water for the club in the most advantageous terms and arrangements were made with the town of Dartmouth. *67
Sadly the original clubhouse burned to the ground on a Sunday afternoon in 1922 while the expansion to eighteen holes was already underway. The fire began in the boiler room and accelerated rapidly through the all wood construction fanned by a strong northwesterly breeze.
Club Steward Leo Doucette and his wife were lodged in an apartment on the upper floor of the clubhouse at that time and Mr. Doucette was credited with saving his wife’s life. Fortunately he had thought to install a rope in their apartment after having a premonition several days before the fire. Mrs. Doucette was laying down and unaware of the fire when it broke out and thus became trapped in the upper story. Leo fought his way upstairs through the smoke to reach his wife, opened a dormer window and she was able to slide down the newly installed rope to safety.
Minor Wilcox and George Cherry were the first to discover the fire. They traced it to its source in the boiler room and tried to extinguish it with a hose line connected to a hydrant on the Club property. They were assisted in manning the hose by both John Morris and Club professional John Gilholm. The smoke was already too thick to get inside when the fire was discovered, so they were forced to use the hose through a window.
The stream from their hose was hopelessly inadequate and the city firemen were subsequently summoned. An hour into the blaze the South Dartmouth engine was called in as well. Hoses were laid from a hydrant on the corner of Slocum Rd. and Kempton St., but to no avail. The two fire engines summoned to the scene were unable to effect the blaze due to the small size of the water main and the lack of water pressure in the vicinity.
When the fire was ultimately extinguished, all that remained was a small portion of the north section of the building and the small one story caddy house adjoining it.
Members on the course spotted the smoke and flames poking through the roof simultaneously. “A number of club members were on the scene when the fire broke out and worked like beavers to save the furnishings and golf equipment. The golf clubs and other personal property of the women members were in wooden lockers in the south part of the building and it was impossible to save any of them. The wooden lockers occupied by the men on the first floor were broken open and the contents removed but only those members who happened to be dressing in the basement locker room which was equipped with steel lockers had the opportunity to get any of their property out.” *63
The most serious losses were two pieces of art by Leander Plummer - a painting of two tautog struggling on a fisherman’s hook and a wood carving of a leaping salmon which hung in the dining room. The valuable carving was highly regarded by other artists for its fine detail.
The clubhouse was valued at $30,000 and the loss was only partially covered by a $20,000 insurance policy. Despite the extensive financial loss caused by this fire and the complete loss of the clubhouse, somehow the expansion project from nine holes to eighteen holes managed to continue.