CLUB HISTORY
Address
Highland Country Club, Inc.
931 Alexandria Pike
Fort Thomas, Kentucky 41075
Highland and the History of Golf in Greater Cincinnati
Samuel Bigstaff incorporated the Highland Park Land Company in 1890. After
building homes in the Cote Brilliant area of Newport in the 1880's, he wanted
to encourage construction in the District of the Highlands, where he was a
large land owner. With his influence, the military barracks and Army post
were moved from its former flood prone sight in Newport (at the confluence
of the Ohio and Licking Rivers) to a ridge top along the Ohio River. The unincorporated
area was called the District of the Highlands. Several early votes of the
residents to incorporate failed. Bigstaff constructed the street car line
from Newport to the District of the Highlands, and not so ironically, to his
new housing development and the military post. Bigstaff was a native of Scotland.
He gave several streets Scottish names and planned a golf course in the development.
The Inverness Country Club was laid out and built in the 1890's. It was the
first course in Northern Kentucky and contained nine holes on less than 25
acres. Current streets near the old Inverness course included Memorial Parkway
(then the location of the street car line), North Fort Thomas Avenue (then
Mt. Pleasant Avenue), and Southgate Avenue. By 1903 a newspaper recorded that
the club had 400 members. When a post office was built and the city was finally
incorporated in 1887, a debate began about naming the city. It was resolved
to use the name of the military fort and not the District of the Highlands.
The fort was named for civil war General George Thomas and is the only city
in the nation named in his honor. He died in 1870.
Several problems surfaced
by 1908. The course was small. One hole required golfers to hit over the street
car tracts. The course was surrounded by development. The club did not own
the land and developers saw greater potential with home sales. A new 40 acre
location near the old site was chosen and plans were developed to have the
new course, clubhouse and baseball field built by 1910. Financing difficulties
hindered the plans. The Inverness golf course was closed in 1909. A fire then
destroyed the old Inverness clubhouse on New Years Day 1910. Many Inverness
club members joined the new Ft. Mitchell Country Club. By 1913 plans began
again for a new club. A 40 acre site adjacent to the old club and 200 feet
from the street car line, owned by Captain Gottlieb Hartweg, was seriously
investigated as the new site. Architectural plans were drawn up for a new
clubhouse. However, these plans also fell through. Finally in the spring of
1915, 70 acres north of the Metcalf homestead was looked at and agreed to
be purchased. The Highland Country Club was established on April 24, 1915.
The Atlamont Hotel was the location of the first meeting to elect a board
of governors. Harry Stegeman was elected president, High L. Head as vice president,
and Frank Stegeman as secretary. The club had 78 members, but projected 200
members, and had $200,000 in capital.
The land site was considered country
and was at the end of the street car line on Alexandria Pike. By April 29,
1915, the sale of land was complete. About 100 acres were purchased from B.F.
Graziani and Harry Geiskemeyer for $9750. The tennis courts were finished
and several golf holes were laid out for an informal opening on September
4, 1915. A Labor Day newspaper account said the club had 112 members. The
completed golf course opened on April 15, 1916. Alex Baxter was hired as the
first golf instructor. Baxter was the former pro at East Hills Golf Course
in Cincinnati and Little Falls Country Club in Utica, NY. On July 4, 1915
the clubhouse opened. A reported said the frame building featured a large
fireplace, ballroom, shower and locker facilities, a kitchen, bowling lanes,
billiard tables, and a large veranda that overlooked "an expanse of the most
beautiful, graceful and rolling country anywhere."
The first couple to operate
the clubhouse dining facility was the parents of future hall of fame baseball
player and Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning. In 1928 Alex Baxter left the club
and was replaced by Elmer Gerth, who expanded Highland's annual invitational
tournament that was started in 1924. "The Highlander" is the Midwest's oldest
invitational tournament. The 1929 Highlander was won by Johnny Fisher. Fisher
then went on to win the US Amateur in 1936. Later in life, Fisher became the
pin setter for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National. Elmer Gerth's caddy
master, Harry McAtee, succeeded him in 1944.
A fire beginning in the kitchen,
sweep through the clubhouse building on March 14, 1968. Club manager Howard
Schwartz and golf pro Harry McAtee attempted to control the fire with extinguishers.
Bookkeeper Marty Hunter escaped the second floor offices by going out a window.
A ladies bowling league was holding a banquet, but luckily, no one was injured.
Three local fire departments fought the flames but were hampered by a lack
of hydrants. Damage was estimated at over $250,000. Plans to rebuild were
immediately started. Late that year the new building was opened.
Harry McAtee
was known throughout Northern Kentucky, especially as an excellent golf instructor.
He lived with his wife Ade in a two story white frame home behind number 3
green for over 30 years. Their son Denny grew up in the house and he was also
an excellent golfer. Retiring in 1980, the lower level lounge is renamed in
his honor. Harry was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Golfers Hall of Fame.
The white frame home behind number 3 green that served as the golf professional's
residence was raised in 1981.
In 1983 the course planned to expand from 9
holes to 18. By 1985 the new nine holes were complete and a condominium complex
was being built off Blossom Lane. A new 25 meter pool with diving well was
built in 1985 to replace the smaller pool that was located just behind the
clubhouse.
In 2007, 14 acres of land south of number 6 tee were sold for another
condominium development. A new maintenance building was constructed at the
two old barns were raised. Constructions of new homes off the main driveway
began, with the first home completed in 2008. The pro shop was completely
rehabbed and enlarged with new porches facing the golf course and the pool.
Social events, weddings, and golf tournaments have been held at Highland throughout
the years. The Club has hosted many memorable events and is still a center
for activities in Northern Kentucky.
Sources
Kentucky Post, July 18, 1990
Pieces of the Past, Jim Reis
Audio tape on the history of Highland Country Club with
Frank Stegeman, Harry McAtee and Morris Garrett, 1990
Kentucky Post, April 15, 1938
Cincinnati Post & Times Star, March 15, 1968
Cincinnati Post, November 28, 1980
Oral and written history by Dan Demmerle & Dan Schlarman,1997-2007.