Lorain Country Club in the News – Part 3

April 4, 1943

By the spring of 1943, the option of playing golf at the Lorain Country Club was no longer being advertised in the Lorain Journal. The City of Lorain was still mulling over the possibility of purchasing the golf course. The Lorain Country Club clubhouse, however, was still a popular nightclub, with regular ads in the paper.

In May, the Lorain City Council was not only tabling plans to buy the golf course, but – surprisingly – the Broadway Building as well, as noted in this article from May 4, 1943.

May 4, 1943

The Lorain Chamber of Commerce decided to get involved, forming a committee to study the possibility of the city making the purchase.

May 14, 1943

But – a year later – the city finally decided against buying the Lorain Country Club golf course and converting it to a municipal golf course and park. The article below from the June 20, 1944 Lorain Journal notes the various reasons why the proposal was rejected, mainly because of the expense of maintaining it, and the fact that there were already parks in Lorain that needed improvement.

Meanwhile, the clubhouse continued to host dance bands and offer fine dining and catering to its customers.

Feb. 3, 1945

But with the closing of the Lorain Country Club golf course, Lorain golfers needed a new local golf venue. So the Lorain Chamber of Commerce got involved again.

July 8, 1946

The Chamber determined the level of local interest in a new course, and ended up taking an option on land on Kolbe Road, bordering Jaeger and Oak Point Roads.

Feb. 5, 1947

Feb. 20, 1947

Meanwhile, the Lorain Country Club nightclub was still doing big business in 1950 – and the City of Lorain was still talking about buying the long-closed golf course.

March 8, 1950

Sept. 6, 1950

Sept. 8, 1950

Sept. 22, 1951

The proposed new golf course for Lorain championed by the Chamber of Commerce was still being talked about. The small item below appeared in the Lorain Journal on July 13, 1951. It noted that former Lorain Country Club operator and professional golfer "Curly" DeBracy had sold his tavern in Amherst so that he could purchase the acreage bordering Kolbe, Jaeger and Oak Point Roads.

"Curly" DeBracy followed through with his plan, as seen in this article from April 22, 1953.

Strangely, small items about the Lorain County Clubhouse appeared in the Lorain Journal sports pages as filler during 1954.

May 20, 1954

July 14, 1954

As for the former Lorain Country Club golf course property, the photo below revealed that it was to be the location of a new allotment.

May 21, 1954

Sadly, in early December 1954, the story of the Lorain Country Club drew to a close with the fire that destroyed the clubhouse.

And "Curly" DeBracy's golf course would undergo an ownership change and emerge with a new name: Oak Hills Country Club.

Dec. 7, 1954

By the spring of 1955, the Sherwood Allotment was celebrating its Grand Opening – and the new Oak Hills Country Club would hold one of its own around July.

May 7, 1955

June 9, 1955

June 25, 1955

The 125th Anniversary of Lorain special edition of the Lorain Journal included a nice, comprehensive history of the Lorain Country Club. The article even mentions Curly DeBracy and Oak Hills Country Club (today's FoxCreek Golf & Racquet Club) as well.

Fittingly, the Lorain Country Club golf course lives on in memory. Its name continued to be attached via advertising to various housing sites on the West Side of Lorain, which was growing rapidly in the early 1960s.

June 20, 1960

April 29, 1961

Lorain Country Club in the News – Part 2

Vintage aerial view of the Lorain Country Club clubhouse.
That's Lake Erie in the lower left hand corner of the photo. A two-car
Lake Shore Electric train is heading west down Lake Road towards the railroad undercut.
(Photo courtesy of Dennis Lamont)

During the 1930s, the Lorain Country Club continued to be the subject of articles in both Lorain daily newspapers on the sports pages as well as the social pages. Sometimes it even figured prominently in a crime story. Below is the story from the Lorain Journal of Feb. 2, 1931 of how the Lorain police made an arrest by using the Country Club in a stakeout.

Most of the time, however, the Lorain Country Club was just mentioned on the sports pages.

Lorain Journal, April 29, 1931

Lorain Journal, August 12, 1931

The Women's golf teams were particularly good in 1931.

Lorain Journal, August 15, 1931

Lorain Journal, August 29, 1931

Unfortunately, the Lorain Country Club seemed to have bad luck.

Lorain Journal, May 31, 1932

The opening of the course each year always seemed to rate coverage in the newspapers.

Lorain Journal, April 15, 1933

Lorain Journal, April 9, 1934

Lorain Journal, April 21, 1934

Even when the season was over, the Country Club still made the sports pages.

Lorain Journal, October 17, 1936

But as the latter part of the 1930s unfolded, the Lorain Country Club golf course was suddenly offered to the City of Lorain for purchase.

Lorain Journal, Sept. 21, 1938 

Lorain Journal, Nov. 21, 1938

But the Country Club clubhouse was not part of the sales proposal. And while the city pondered the offer, the course remained open.

Lorain Journal, August 15, 1939

It seemed to be a time to look back at the Country Club's history.

Lorain Journal, July 26, 1939

Nevertheless, golf was still being played there and the clubhouse remained a popular gathering place.

Lorain Journal, August 17, 1940

Lorain Journal, Sept. 14, 1940

Lorain Journal, Oct. 19, 1940

Lorain Journal, Nov. 30, 1940

Lorain Journal, April 17, 1941

April 27, 1942

Even as the City was still trying to decide in 1942 whether to buy the Lorain Country Club golf course, another issue arose to complicated matters: the extension of W. 21st Street. The road was to be extended west from its ending at that time at Leavitt Road to meet up with Lake Road at the undercut. The article below from the Lorain Journal of Sept. 17, 1942, explains how the new road "slices off the extreme north edge of the golf course, necessitating the re-location of some of the greens."

Sept. 17, 1942

The Mayor of Lorain backed the proposal to buy the golf course.

Dec. 7, 1942

But it was not to be.

Next: The wrap-up

Lorain Country Club in the News – Part 1

Vintage postcard postmarked 1923.

The Lorain Country Club may have only been in existence as a local golf course for about 25 years, but it leaves behind has a rich legacy. Its lakefront clubhouse on Lake Road opposite the Pueblo is also well-remembered, as a setting for a variety of social events, and later, as a popular nightclub. 

Back in 2017 I did a single post on the Lorain Country Club, focusing on the fiery demise of the Clubhouse on Dec. 6, 1954. I indicated then that I had some additional clippings in my file. Here they are.

On March 26, 1919, a small article in the Lorain Times-Herald revealed the plans for the club's creation. 

It noted, "A country club will be formed in Lorain. This was determined yesterday when a meeting of a number of Lorain men was held at the farm of D. D. Deeds west of the city.

"The tentative plan is to organize a country club company with a capital of $100,000. It is proposed to buy 13 acres of land on the lake shore. This would include part of the farm of D. D. Deeds and the Nichols farm, west of Lorain. Slater's grove would be included in the tract.

"A club house would be built on the lakefront with a modern bath house nearby.

"An eighteen hole golf course, tennis courts and a landing place for aeroplanes would be included in the project."

Another article appeared in the Lorain Times-Herald on April 3, 1919, provided additional details of the ambitious plans for the country club.

The intention was to build a three-story clubhouse with "a lounge, dining room and a modern kitchen, sleeping rooms and accommodations for week-end parties.

"There will be broad verandas overlooking the lake, screen dining porches and sun rooms for use on chilly days.

"In the club house will be a large well-built dance floor for the use of members. All of the equipment will be modern and intended to provide comfort during the time members and their families will spend at the club.

"An 18 hole golf course will be laid out on the property south of the shore road.

"Plans now provide for a gun club with a shooting range, for a yacht club and a boys' and girls' summer camp. Jetties will be built at Slater's grove for the accommodation of yachts.

"A large aeroplane landing field will be provided on the south side of the property.

It didn't take long for financial backing to materialize, according to this small article from the April 15, 1919 Lorain Times-Herald.

And the news spread quickly as well. This small item appeared in the Sandusky Register on June 28, 1919. 

The goal of a brand new clubhouse was apparently put on hold, as the article notes that "the house standing on the grounds will be converted into a club house."

The impending opening of the Lorain Country Club's clubhouse is mentioned in the March 20, 1920 Chronicle-Telegram in a small item mixed in with other Lorain news tidbits.

Once it opened, the Lorain Country Club and its members seemed to be in the Lorain Journal sports section every day.

August 27, 1924

May 14, 1925

June 30, 1925

August 3, 1926

Dec. 28, 1927

The Lorain Country Club was also regularly mentioned in the society pages nearly every day, as various social clubs and fraternal organizations enjoyed the clubhouse as a place for their meetings and dances.

Dec. 29, 1927

The big news for the Club in 1929 was the proposed addition of nine new holes to make it an 18-hole course. The Cleveland Plain Dealer printed two small items in 1929 making the announcement.

April 21, 1929

Nov. 17, 1929

The Plain Dealer also gave it a headline on one of its sports pages on May 25, 1930 (below). It provides a nice description of many of the holes, and describes the course itself as "a pleasant little layout on rolling terrain and cut by a winding and high banked creek, deep enough to fish in. It has trees, hills and water, but not any of them to excess."

May 25, 1930

The eagerly anticipated opening of the back nine was featured prominently in the Lorain Journal on July 3, 1930.

However, disaster struck in the early hours of July 4, 1930 with a fire that destroyed the golf shop/caddie house – along with thousands of dollars' worth of golf clubs. The big July 4th event went on as scheduled, however.

Lorain Journal, July 5, 1930

Lorain Times-Herald, July 5, 1930

Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 5, 1930

Plans to rebuild the caddyshack were announced immediately.

July 8, 1930 Lorain Times-Herald

Perhaps the replacement of the caddie house inspired the club trustees to resurrect the idea of building a new clubhouse, as noted in this small article from the July 20, 1930 Sandusky Register.