BY FRAN MCCURRY PLOTT
FOR THE OBSERVER
Author’s Note: Almost all of the information about the clubhouse of the Opelika County Club was learned from MaryBarnes Newman. As for finding information about the old Opelika Country Club, an online web search, attempts to research through the Opelika Public Library genealogical room and contacting the East Alabama Museum resulted in a void. The only other information I could find was from newspapers.com editions of the Opelika Daily News from 1926-1980, comments on a Facebook page, a map from Steve Penland and a conversation with Mr. Boody Brown, now age 104.
OPELIKA — The house that serves as the Opelika Country Club clubhouse was originally built in 1927. First converted into a private home in the late 1950s for the Ira Dorn family, the Ebbie Jones family bought it in 1965.
MaryBarnes and Mike Newman bought the house in 1983, and when they began renovations after their purchase, some nice surprises were revealed. The contractor found beautiful pitched ceilings and beams above the lowered ceilings in both den and dining room. The lowered den ceiling was removed, but the dining room had a bedroom above it, so that ceiling had to remain, but the tops of the closets did reveal the pitch and the beams. The original floor plan included the present den, kitchen, dining room, foyer and living room, which were all one open room.
As the clubhouse, the present master bedroom was the kitchen (actually a “prep” room, because it only had a couple of tables and hotplates). There is a stairway to the left of the master that led to a balcony on the rear of the house where people could sit and listen to bands that played outside. Sometimes bands played in the bay window area of the present kitchen. The wood floors, fireplace & mantel, and the exterior walls are all original of the 1927 clubhouse.
The driveway leading to the clubhouse wound around to the back of the house. The present back porch was originally a carport where cars could unload. The front door was the door leading to the present dining room. It was not used as an entrance, rather an exit to the front porch. The golf club property ended in back of the house where the barbed wire fence is now. The Jackson family owned the land beyond. The 9 hole golf course extended from the front of the house toward the north, down through where Jackson Lake is now. At that time, a fairway was where the lake is. All of the land west of Lakeshore Boulevard was country club property, as well as land to the north of Lakeshore (Ridge Avenue, Piedmont Avenue today).
But what do we know about the history of the Opelika Country Club? The Opelika Daily News reported that as early as 1920, men in Opelika were seeking to build a golf club as a place to entertain business associates and visitors, for “health, exercise, recreation and innocent diversion.” A clubhouse was sought to be “a meeting place for Opelika’s citizens” calling it “an ideal place to promote friendships, discuss social problems, city welfare, foreign matters and community health.” At that time, Opelika had about 5,000 citizens. Finally, in April of 1926, the 100 local business and professional men needed as stockholders to form a golf club corporation were in place. Applications for charter memberships were being taken by a committee comprised of men with the names Hollingsworth, Greene, Dickinson, Dorsey, Screws, Pitts, Brown and Wear. John Denson was the first president.
The golf course would come first, followed by a clubhouse. Early entertainment plans included a 4 a.m. early bird golf, a dance and an Alabama Jazz concert. The golf course was cleared by a force of workmen under Riley Summers and Jack Stern, utilizing even the labor from members themselves in order to get the grass growing that spring. Plans to build the clubhouse were presented to the Board of Governors at a cost of $7,500, exhibited by a sketch by Ed Warren.
In December 1926, the OCC stockholders met with President John Denson with the purpose of taking actions on the plans to build. Other officers present were I.J. Dorsey, Jake Walker, Sheldon Whittelsey, J.W. Watson, George Clower and George Capps.
A newspaper article dated Aug. 22, 1928, announced the First Annual Invitational Golf Tournament the following Labor Day.
Following that, a May 12, 1930, article reported that Mrs. F.B. SmithT hosted a graduation dance at the clubhouse for her daughter Cordelia, with music provided by a string band.
It’s hard to decipher the success of the Opelika Country Club during its first 20 years of operation. It seems that success was on again, off again at best. The only two articles found between 1930 and 1938 concerning the club was one in January reporting a mix-up in overcoats at the New Years Eve dance (coats were being held at the sheriff’s office) and one in June advertising the District FFA Dance was to be held there, 50 cents per person.
A March 4, 1938, article reported that the newly formed Opelika Young Men’s Club (AKA Junior Jaycees) had undertaken the project of revitalizing the country club “which had been closed for several years,” with plans to attract the interest of other civic clubs such as Rotary and Kiwanis. The Young Men’s Club would assume charge of the club, with the present Opelika Country Club officers and directors to remain in place. They wanted to make the club available to a greater number of locals. At that time, the population had grown from 5,000 to almost 8,500. It is important to note that at this point in history, golf was still a sport frequented by the wealthier citizens due to costs of the game.
Later the next month, a dance with music by the Auburn Cavaliers marked the opening of the newly organized OCC. The ballroom was decorated by Halls Florist and Opelika Floral. It was announced that the entire membership could use the club every night except Tuesday and Thursday when it could be reserved for private parties.
In June 1938, the board of directors met and 1)reduced the initiation fee from $5 to $2.50 and monthly dues from $1.10 to $1.00 and 2) issued an invitation to join the club to Auburn businessmen to ”take a step in promoting goodwill and cooperation between the two cities.” At that time, “new signs of life” were reported in the number of those playing golf, tennis and making use of the clubhouse.
On July 28, 1938, a Young Men’s Club article said that “the Opelika Country Club is showing progress and is quite a popular gathering place.” On that same night, The OHS O Club sponsored a dance with music by “The Opelikans,” a popular orchestra of young people. The public was invited, and 75 cents per couple admission was taken to benefit the O Club.
In the new rules for the OCC reported in July 1938, those reserving the house for private parties were advised they were responsible for the house and furnishings as well as not allowing gin and whiskey bottles to be placed on the tables. The club was to be open until 2 a.m. unless people were no longer present, then it would close at 10 p.m.
In August 1938, the OCC was to begin the remodeling and repairs of the clubhouse, which were to: 1) fix the roof; 2) construct a private dining room at the south end; 3)remodel the kitchen; 4) rework walls; and 5) do necessary painting. The financial report since the reorganization was that all bills were paid and dues were still $1 per month.
In November 1938, it was reported that the OCC had made rapid progress since spring with a membership of 200 enjoying golf, tennis and club socials.
In January 1939, delinquent dues were reported and sought after. The YMC (Junior Chamber of Commerce) was still meeting monthly at the clubhouse. In March 1939, a burglary of knives, forks, golf balls and $10 cash resulted in two boys being arrested who were recent members of the OCC.
Some 39 people entered the Aug. 8, 1939, Golf Tourney. The next month, a huge KD rush party convened at the OCC for coffee after a banquet at the Graves Center.
No news was found for 1940.
In February 1941, a Cotillion Club Dance was held at the OCC, and in the space of two months a new manager and golf pro were hired on Feb. 1 and then replaced on March 18. Both were assistant managers and pros from country clubs in Montgomery.
Also in March, the new pro offered golf lessons for $1 each or six for $5, and caddy fees went from 25 cents to 35 cents, with the extra 10 cents to fund new mowing equipment. On July 25 there were 48 golfers at the OCC one-day tourney from Auburn, Montgomery, Columbus and Eufaula.
There was no news found from July 1941 until May of 1946, except for announcing new chairmen of the board: E.M. Jones, 1941; Drew Peacock, 1945; and Phil Hudson, 1946; who again expressed favor in a joint country club with Auburn. Sixty people were recorded as present at the 1946 meeting, but the years from 1941 to 1946 were war years, and that probably accounts for the lack of news and activity.
For 1947, two buffet suppers, a Kappa Sigma Tea Dance and a BBQ supper were reported, along with a very special wedding reception for Barbara Saunders and Orrin Brown.
1948 seemed to be a more active year for the Opelika Country Club. The club was down to 45 members and although debt-free, the money in the bank was not adequate. The only way to continue was to reactivate old members and to encourage new members to use the sporting facilities. At that time, there were two rebuilt tennis courts, a 9-hole golf course, kitchen facilities and two men always on duty. To encourage old members who were in arears for the past three years, past due fees were waived and they could be reinstated with the initiation fee and one month’s dues. More ads were taken out, and dances, bridge parties, box suppers and bingo games were scheduled for members and their guests.
Through August of 1949, it was looking up for the OCC. Regular Bingo Nights were advertised. A Valentine party held by the Jonquil Garden Club with 22 tables of bridge and prizes, bingo and prizes, refreshments and elaborate decorations (including the rock mantel being bedecked with magnolia leaves with a red heart in the center, studded with yellow jonquils). Cherry Sue Jackson was president.
In March 1949 membership was at 90, with $1,100 in the treasury.
Interestingly enough, on June 11 of that year there was to be an Open (public) District AA meeting with 250-300 people expected from Columbus, Albany, Eufaula, Montgomery and Anniston.
In July, the OCC was to go public each Saturday night with an orchestra for dances. But by late September of 1949, once again the OCC was faced with hard times. Options for the future were to: 1) close it up; 2) lease it out; or 3) try to continue to operate as a country club, but interest had to be reawakened.
An October meeting to discuss this drew 65 stockholders who agreed that since the OCC property was GIVEN (it did not mention the benefactor) to the community for a country club, it could not be sold, leased or rented for any other purpose. So, on to trying to continue as a country club.
They invited garden clubs to beautify the grounds and get the city to put in outdoor lighting so they could install a swimming pool and playground equipment for the children. They proposed to invite nonmembers to use the clubhouse for a small rental fee. It was reported that some went so far as to say it was “the duty of every citizen to make the OCC a success.” At this time, the population of Opelika was approximately 12,000 citizens. Interested citizens were reported to have donated from $15 to $100. The City Recreation Department, under the direction of Ann Canon, was to host square dances at the clubhouse two nights per week.
In 1950, it was reported that the OCC had been verging on suspension for years, but the administration kept discouraging it. More dances, BBQs and bridge tournaments continued through 1950 into 1951. In 1952-1953, ballet, piano and accordion lessons were given at the clubhouse. During that time, plans to attract sororities and fraternities were established, the greens were refurbished (the greens were actually made of sand) and the fairways reseeded. The clubhouse was repainted inside and out. A Mrs. Rencher held a dance for young people. The sixth grade boys, hosted by Walter Parrent and Bill Horsley, held a dance for 80 attendees with their mothers and Hattie Graves as chaperones. The spring golf tournament of 1953 filled all of the 88 places, with another to be held in June to accommodate the overflow of those who were not able to participate in the spring tourney.
But by March 17, 1955, the OCC was “virtually non-existent: non-operative, non-profit returning, non-social and practically unkempt.” The clubhouse, still in good condition, overlooked an unusable 9-hole golf course. The American Legion moved into the OCC from August 1955, utilizing the clubhouse and revitalizing the golf course for their use. Finally, on April 5, 1956, the OCC stockholders met at City Hall to authorize the transfer and assets of the OCC, a corporation, into full liquidation. The stockholders made themselves complainants vs. the OCC from May-December that year in order to split the stock.
In the summer of 1957, the real estate consisting of 53 acres of land and a clubhouse was auctioned by Circuit Clerk Ed Johnston in front of the Lee County Courthouse into five different parcels.
Parcel 1 was 18.5 acres behind the north end of Lakeshore Boulevard.
Parcel 2 was the 13.5 acres behind the homes of Yetta Samford Jr and Bruce Trammell on Lakeshore Boulevard.
Both of these parcels were bought by Henry Carson Jackson for$16,500.
Parcel 3 was the OCC lake area bought by HR Dudley for $13,000
Parcel 4 was the 6 acres in front of the clubhouse.
Parcel 5 was the clubhouse and 2 acres.
C.S. Shealy bought these parcels for $21,200.
Total sales $46,300
The 120 original shares of stock indicated a current value of $383 each. Expenses incurred were $83 per share. Stock shares were originally $100 per share, so stockholders made $200 per share over the 28 years.
On June 28, 1960, an Opelika Daily News article reported that Mr. and Mrs. Ira Dorn bought the clubhouse and two acres and renovated it into a home.
Later, Mr. and Mrs. Ebbie Jones bought this house and listed it for sale in 1980, and in 1983, it became the home of MaryBarnes and Mike Newman.