A Guide to the Roanoke Country Club Collection

A Guide to the Roanoke Country Club Collection

The Roanoke Country Club was founded in 1899 as a golf and tennis club. Its first clubhouse was a repurposed home near where it rented land from the Crystal Spring Land Company for a golf course; tennis courts were also built on adjacent lots purchased by the club. Club members also participated in other sports and games and held social events. In 1902 membership was 113 active and 49 associate members. In 1908 the club moved to its present location off Melrose Avenue, which was accessible by streetcar from downtown Roanoke. It included a clubhouse, 9-hole golf course, and tennis courts; the course was expanded to 18 holes in about 1920. A new clubhouse was constructed in 1924; the first swimming pool at the club was installed in 1937. In subsequent years, facilities were further improved, expanded, and enlarged. In 1964 the club acquired more land to expand the golf course to 27 holes in 1966. In 1967-68 the club house was further expanded and modernized and an indoor tennis facility was built.
The collection features the club newsletter, Country Club News from 1956-1970, though not all issues are present. It also includes materials gathered to prepare a club history on occasion of its 70th Anniversary in 1969, including a reproduction of “Golf in Roanoke” written in 1917 by Walter A. Carpenter, and typescript drafts of the history of tennis in Roanoke and of the Roanoke County Club written by George Hanger in 1969.

Unknown

Roanoke Public Libraries

No known restrictions. Virginia Room copy fees apply.

pdf

Text

RoanokeCountryClub