by Paul R. Spitzzeri
As previous posts here, large portions of William Workman’s half-share of the nearly 49,000-acre Rancho La Puente were lost to Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin, when the San Francisco millionaire foreclosed in the late 1870s on a loan made to the failed Temple and Workman bank and then, after Baldwin’s 1909 death, largely went on the market as his estate was settled.
A large tract south of the Homestead along and at the base of the Puente Hills was acquired by a syndicate of investors and, led by Edwin G. Hart, developed as North Whittier Heights, renamed Hacienda Heights by 1960. Having successfully marketed the tract for raising citrus and avocados, Hart then turned to land to the east within the hills and embarked on the La Habra Heights project.
In summer 1919, Hart acquired 4,000 acres comprising the Willits J. Hole ranch, formerly owned by the Sansinena family, and formed the La Habra Heights Company to work on the development of the land for a subdivision similar to North Whittier Heights in terms of the agricultural emphasis, but there were some notable differences, including the fact that one of the early purchasers of property there was a group of investors that formed the Hacienda Country Club and embarked on a golf course project.
That acquisition was recorded by the Los Angeles Times of 2 May 1920, which shared information provided by Hart of major recent purchases, including R.L. Reynolds’ buying of more than 300 acres at nearly $135,000, as well as the Club’s taking of 133 acres for not quite $65,000. A little over two weeks later, the Whittier News of the 19th reported on the imminent incorporation of the Hacienda Land Company, the course’s holding company.
The new entity’s president was John B. Chaffey, son of the prominent town building and water project creator, George Chaffey, best known locally for his work on Ontario, but also important for his water delivery efforts in southeastern California. George joined Hole and Epes Randolph and Henry E. Huntington of the Pacific Electric Railway, the massive regional streetcar company, to create the town of Randolph along one of the PERY lines—this is now the city of Brea.
While George took over water companies in East Whittier and the La Habra area adjoining La Habra Heights, John was involved in efforts involving water delivery systems and father and son were residents of Whittier, as well. The land company’s vice-president was Charles L. McComber, a prominent figure in the Orange County town of Buena Park, while well-known Whittier business figure Wallace Gregg was secretary.
With the land company handling the development of the course and buildings, with the club leasing these, the News added,
One of the best golf course experts on the Pacific coast is now working on the golf course and laying out the grounds. This gentleman is Mr. Watson of Los Angeles, a man who is in constant demand for expert advice in regard to the golf courses. It is claimed that Mr. Watson has declared that the Hacienda Country Club will have one of the best courses in the state. Natural hazards and the ideal location of the grounds have combined to make the expert enthusiastic over the property.
William Watson, a native of golf’s homeland of Scotland, specifically the well-known St. Andrews, designed his first course in Northumberland in northern England and migrated to the United States in 1898 where he soon worked on a Minnesota course. Almost immediately, he came to Los Angeles, which was just then beginning to foster the sport, and among his early projects were the Casa Loma in Redlands, the Hotel Raymond in South Pasadena, the Hotel Green in Pasadena, and the links at Garvanza, within Los Angeles city limits and adjacent on the west to Pasadena.
From these, Watson, widely known for his use of natural contours and features to shape his designs, went on to major success with the Annandale course, the first Hollywood Country Club, the Altadena course, Midwick in Alhambra, the Huntington Hotel at Pasadena, the Virginia in Long Beach (which surrounds Jonathan Temple’s Rancho Los Cerritos adobe house) and many others. One of his early assistants was William Bell, who became a major designer, and Watson worked consistently until his retirement in 1930 at age 70, while Charles Mayo, a English former professional golfer, had a major part in the Hacienda project, as did George C. Thomas and Edward B. Tufts.
In addition to discussing the course, the account remarked that “actual work will be started on the new club house building within the next month” and that officials were musing over plans and material types, with it noted that “a number favor the adobe construction.” In its brief report, the Los Angeles Express of the 20th commented that the directors of the Club was “composed of prominent residents of [Whittier], Fullerton and Anaheim” and that “the mission style of architecture will be the favored design” for the clubhouse.
The News of 8 October reported on an “unavoidable delay in getting building operations underway” due in large measure to the fact that club officials sought to expand the acreage “to secure a perfect course,” so that 20 more were purchased. Another problem was that 30% of the original 200 members failed to pay their $300 dues comprised of three shares of stock of $100 par value each. The account added that “building plans have been adopted for the clubhouse and they are pretentious and ambitious,” while they were drawn up so that the edifice could be done in phases and “the architectural beauty . . . will be constantly preserved.”
The 16 November number of the Whittier paper, covering a Club directors meeting, informed readers that
Considerable work has already been done on the grounds and fourteen holes have been located and work done on the greens. Water will soon be piped to the golf course and it is now proposed to establish temporary greens, so that members may start playing while the work is progressing.
In its 7 December edition, the News commented that the latest directors’ meeting yielded the information that $16,000 was to be expended on the water delivery system and the completion of 18 holes. One member of the grounds committee and who soon succeeded Chaffey as president was Alphonzo E. Bell, nephew of the prominent banker and real estate owner, John E. Hollenbeck and whose father James owned a ranch that is now the City of Bell.
Bell was a former amateur tennis champion whose turn to golf somewhat predates that of Jack Kramer of the Los Serranos Country Club (which opened in 1925 with Kramer getting involved in the 1950s) and his main enterprise, with his father, concerned oil wells at the massive Santa Fe Springs field, while another was in real estate development, including his Bel-Air and parts of Beverly Hills and Westwood, while he was also instrumental in the creation of the Riviera Country Club.
D. Scott Chisholm, the golf columnist for the Los Angeles Express, wrote, in the 29 December issue, that “the Hacienda Country Club is the name of the new organization that is being formed out Whittier way” and added that he was taken on a tour of the site by Mayo at Bell’s behest. The sportswriter’s assessment was “that they are to have as nice a layout as one could wish for” and the course “is to be really high-class and extremely sporty” with a similar experience as at the Wilshire Country Club “because of a series of barrancas [steep-sided gullies] that adorn the scene.”
In its New Year’s Day 1921 edition, the News recorded that the Hacienda Land Company was formed on 14 May 1920 and the country club entity followed six days later, with one of the eleven directors being Grover T. Russell, Hart’s sales agent at North Whittier Heights. It was added that construction on the new clubhouse was slated to start soon and that it would be built of adobe, though a design had not yet been chosen. Notably, the article concluded that “Whittier’s country club is no longer a dream.”
Two days later, the paper revealed that “announcement has been made that the directors of the Hacienda Country club have secured the services of Carl[e]ton Winslow well-known architect, to design and furnish plans for the proposed new clubhouse and grounds.” It continued that that “Mr. Winslow visited the club property last week and is enthusiastic over the possibilities,” while looking at how to adhere to the “unit plan” adopted by directors, while also agreeing that adobe was a desirable material.
Winslow, who hailed from Maine and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, worked for a New York firm, for which he was supervising architect for buildings for the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego. He decided to stay in California and work on his own, becoming well-known for his work on churches, the Carthay Circle Theatre, the Bel-Air Country Club and finishing the work of mentor Bertram Goodhue on the Los Angeles Central Public Library.
In the 18 January number, the News summarized the proceedings of a Club directors’ meeting, in which it was reported “that every phase of the work . . . preparing the golf links for use was progressing splendidly and optimism ran high.” Gregg added that Perry Gail, a professional golfer, was hired “to superintend the finishing work of constructing the course” while Winslow had tentative plans completed and pipe was acquired for the water system.
Bell was lauded for his devotion of so much time to the project as well as his work with experts “in all matters pertaining to the success of the club, and all the improvements planned.” The secretary concluded that “the directors possess an optimistic feeling for the rapid advancement and success of the club” and “feel that the hard and thankless work has been done.” Moreover, with 200 members already on the rolls, it was hoped that evidence of accomplishments on the site would increase that number by 50%.
Also printed by the paper was a report by Whittier engineers Kemmerer and Trounce, who opened by remarking,
The golf course has been finally determined upon, and, according to the opinion of all members, who have inspected it, all tees and holes are located with such excellent judgment that it is the belief that the links will be second to none in Southern California.
Following from Watson’s original concept, it was added that “advantage has been taken of every natural hazard to add to the interest of golf, and incidentally has cut down expenses in construction.” The features on the site were incorporated “with such skill, by the able designers, that it is no exaggeration to say . . . that the course will prove an undoubted Mecca to the most discriminating and critical experienced golfers.
Watson was cited for his work “to lay off the course, and prepare plans for the construction,” while Mayo, with the intercession of Bell, “made some valuable suggestions, many of which have been adopted.” There were other amateur and professional experts who made recommendations “and their opinions have received careful consideration.” Kemmerer and Trounce then suggested “the immediate preparation of nine holes for temporary use” with this involving “choosing nine convenient holes.”
Meanwhile, work was to be conducted to determine the layout of the water system, but to do so by studying other courses in the region with solid structures with respect to placement of fairways and greens, while maintenance was also to get due consideration. A map was to be established based on the original surveys made by Hart’s engineers with particular emphasis on the delivery and distribution of water.
Otherwise, the report concluded with the comment that “a smaller scale perspective drawing [is to be] made to include proposed plans of clubhouse, golf course, tennis courts, etc.” and which would also be useful for promotion “such as having the plan printed in Whittier and other local town papers interested in our project” while it would “prove useful in the campaign for new members,” from whom necessary funding was to be obtained.
Chisholm devoted more space in his Express column to the project in the 24 January edition and he observed that the word hacienda in Spanish referred to the headquarters of a large property and found it “a very attractive name for a country club and the oil and citrus kings [of the region around and near it] displayed good taste and common sense in making their selection.” Despite the News’ statement above, he continued that “it is not by any means a Whittier club—far from it,” because the towns around it “will in a very few months boast of their country club” which “will be a crackerjack” and he opined,
In the first place, let me tell you that they have almost everything right there on the spot. Tons of water, 151 acres of the finest soil imaginable, thousands of sheep (in itself a tremendous asset), numerous natural greens and a rolling country that lends itself to the making of a first-class golf course at no great expense.
Chisholm further remarked that, “although William Watson primarily laid out the 18 holes, the architect of the Hacienda course will always be known as Charles H. Mayo,” with Mayo providing for 6,300 yards and a par 71. It was commented that “the distances of the various holes show a delightful assortment of most enchanting wooden and iron shots and I understand that there a series of barrancas over which you will have to cross about 16 times. The more the merrier.”
In a concluding section titled “Listen to Scotty,” the sportswriter advised those in the area that the club was to be “the greatest power for good that has yet come into your community and your life” and he ended with the claim that,
Take to golf and you will derive more happiness and joy out of life than you have ever done before, because it is the greatest game and the most health-giving exercise that the mind of man ever conceived.
Ads by the end of January by Hart for La Habra Heights were sure to include mention of the club as part of the promotion of the 3,600 acre tract. The News of 4 February informed readers that “interest continues to grow . . . and golfers and near golfers [?] are already planning to take advantage of the first temporary nine holes,” which were expected to be ready for play in a few weeks.
Golf course engineer William H. Tucker was quoted as remarking, “you have very much in your favor at Whittier” including the light loam soil, protection from winds and frost by the surrounding portions of the Puente Hills, as well as the landscape “that is truly beautiful, and should afford the golfer an excellent recreation in itself.” The article concluded that, “those who have visited the 151 acres of rolling land . . . agree with him that from a scenic standpoint the club property is hard to equal in this or any other district.”
Another vital element to the planning and execution of the club plans was access, although the secluded location was, naturally, a benefit as noted above. The Times of 13 February reported that,
Rights of way are now being secured for the construction of a new paved road connecting the Valley Boulevard near Puente with the Whittier Boulevard [which was a state highway, eventually part of Highway 72, now on that portion from Beach Boulevard, Highway 39, to Interstate 605]. When completed the new boulevard will be the shortest route to Fullerton, Santa Ana and Balboa Beach. The new road will run through La Habra Heights . . . and the Hacienda Country Club has bought 150 acres for a fine golf course, which has been laid out under the supervision of Charles Mayo, one of the best-known golf experts in the country.
While there was no name provided for this route, the moniker, taken, of course, from the new club, of Hacienda Boulevard was adopted by 1924. Speaking of that road, we’ll pause now and pick up a new post tomorrow related to this route, while returning soon for part two of our look at the some of the early history of the Hacienda Country Club.
Please come back to check both of those out!