Original Clubhouse

In 1971 the financing of the main building of our present clubhouse, designed by Atlanta architect Henry D. Norris, was arranged by auctioning nine equities with land to a Trust formed by twenty-three dedicated Club members who advanced $112,500 without cost to the Club.  They were repaid in 1972.  The final cost of the main portion of the Clubhouse was $166,500.

1972 Construction of the new clubhouse is one example of the building boom underway at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club.  Eleven private homes are also in the process of construction at Wildcat, two have just been completed, and others are in the planning stage.  Added to the homes already there, a good-sized community is emerging.  The new clubhouse (pictured above) is being built by Alvin Crowe and Co. and will encompass approximately 6300 square feet, according to Wildcat's W.H. Arnold, who reports the Club's present membership is 223. (H.H. Photo)

During the 1980s two similar trusts, Whiteside Trusts I and II, were formed to purchase land between the ninth and tenth fairways on one side and the Ridge Road on the other.  Throughout the years, members have been very generous in loaning the Club funds in this manner so that projects could be completed expeditiously.  Some folks have simply made outright gifts, for example, the rock wall on number five, the swing machine on the practice tee, the charming island on numbers six and seven, flag pins, distance markers, the warning-light system, the lightening horn and the cart path to the rear entrance of the Fitness Center.  Also, individuals have made contributions to sod and pave cart paths, to plant trees and construct landscaping on the golf course, often in memory of friends, or to finance other projects such as expanding the hardwood dance floor.  Some have responded to emergencies.  For example, several thousand dollars were donated to help clean-up the twisted and uprooted trees that fell victim to Hurricane Opal when it slashed through Wildcat during the early morning of October 5, 1995.  In addition, many either have purchased extra memberships or lots or have guaranteed loans from banks or insurance companies to help keep the Club sound.

When the Clubhouse was originally built, a room on the far side of the kitchen was used as a youth recreation room to help members' children and grandchildren become better acquainted and to give them a better feeling of closeness at Wildcat.

This is the original kitchen wing and a corner of the "PAR-TEE" room as seen from the 18th green.

In 1976, it became a kind of nineteenth hole lounge, where small private parties also could be held, called the "PAR-TEE" room.   Following that it was the "Information Center", housing real estate and marketing activities managed by Margaret and Blair Heinlein.  In 1996, the area was cleared to become the site for the new administrative wing designed by architect Jim Fox, and the Heinleins built an attractive new real estate office near the main gate.

The Board of Directors reluctantly decided to spend an extra $9,000 so that the roof of the original Clubhouse could be made of cedar shakes instead of asphalt shingles.  Steve Chenoweth recollects that when he was Club pro, "On the fourth of July in 1986 the Club had a cookout followed by a fireworks display on the practice range, and because of high wind lots of the exploding fireworks landed on the shakes, so cart attendants stayed up on the roof all night with hoses at the ready in case it should catch fire!"  In 1986 as well, flames actually did destroy a brand new home, built by Lost Tree friends of Sara Richards on the lot adjacent to hers, just as they were about to move into it.  Fortunately, the wind was blowing away from Sara's home, or it, too, might have been lost.

In 1973, when Charles Beeson was president, the Board voted unanimously to enclose the porch to provide 1,522 additional feet of dining space for the sum of $36,450.  Florence Beeson's memory is that she and Charlie gave the first party there to celebrate its completion, with festive colored-lanterns covering the lights.

The Sports Wing

The sports wing had been completed in 1964, with a rock-work porte cochere where the pro shop is presently located and a sandwich area at the other end, near our present liquor lockers.

Mable Boutwell writes "Bill Matthews was a friend of local area Indians.  He hired Cherokee Indians, led by a father and son whose last name was "Squirrel", from their reservation to bring their native rock and build the piers and do other rock work on the sports wing of the main clubhouse.  They came here, set up their wigwams, dug campfire holes and brought their squaws and families, camping on the grounds until their work was finished."  The Indians also did some of the rock work on the villas.

The large basement area in the sports wing underneath the pro shop and locker rooms was the original cart shed.  When our present cart shed was built, the rooms underneath it, which now house the library and an art room, were designed as living quarters for the chef and dining room staff.  Later, these folks were moved to a building, since torn down, near the number nine green, and they now stay in a motel-building on Lake Glenville that the Club purchased and renovated as an employee dormitory in 1990.  Until May 1997, when new administrative offices were completed in the west wing, Manager George Shook and his assistants operated from the rooms under the cart shed for several years.

Later additions to the Clubhouse, which were designed by local architect Jim Fox included the card room, completed in 1982, and the wide terrace, with its spectacular view of Cowee Mountain, shown just as it was nearing completion in the pictures that follow.  The later rock work on the main portion of the Clubhouse, as well as that on the additions, was matched as nearly as possible to the kind of stone and style of stacking it used by the Indians.

The French doors and terraces were added in 1989.  At the same time, the intricate drystack retaining wall in front of the Clubhouse was builty by Tim Henson and gifted to the Club by gracious members.

Every effort was made to save the trees when the terrace was constructed, for they tie it into the surrounding landscape.

In 1972, just as the clubhouse was being completed, there were sixty break-ins within a ten to fifteen mile radius of our area.  Consequently, James Caldwell was appointed Chairman of a special committee to study this problem.  After conferring with all Club homeowners and members residing on Cowee Mountain and Wildcat Ridge, he secured the surveillance services of Fred Stewart on a year-round basis.  This action caused a sudden drop in break-ins.  It was about this time that friends of the Caldwells caused much excitement by crashing their helicopter on the practice tee.  To everyone's relief, no one was hurt.