NAMED
FORE
WHOM?
Norman V.
Kelly
Over the years people have asked me a lot of questions
about how our streets were named, where we got our parks and how the golf
courses were named. Since I am among the
very old golfers around here, I guess I qualify to answer those questions. Let’s start with Madison Golf Course since it
is the oldest one here in Peoria.
This original piece of park district property was acquired
in 1895 at a cost of $48,301.50 and the truth is there is nobody who can
actually say for certain for whom it was named. I often told my readers that is
was named after the old actor, Guy Madison.
I even told them that Dolly Madison was its namesake, or maybe James Madison. Then I finally told them the truth. I think
the park district should consider naming it after James Cummings, a loyal
supporter and board member of the park district for over forty years. In the beginning the land was farmed and the
corn used to feed animals at the zoo. Hay was introduced and that crop pretty
much fed all the horses and other animals within the park system. By 1909 a nine-hole golf course was opened
with the intent of expanding it to eighteen holes. By 1916 three more holes and
a pavilion were added to the property. A golf shelter with showers and lockers
were constructed, and by 1925 an additional 32.68 acres were purchased to allow
the expansion to eighteen holes.
In 1927 an incredible gift of 661 acres of land which
we now call Detweiller Park and Detweiller Golf course was given to the Peoria
Park District by Thomas Detweiller and his two sisters. They inherited the land from Captain Henry
Detweiller, a Civil War steamboat captain and local hero. Additional land down by the Illinois River
was also gifted to Peoria. Henry was our
treasurer at one time and was in the ice business with Mayor Woodruff and was a
well-known highly regarded Peorian. Henry
died at the age of seventy-eight. The
beautiful Detweiller Park houses a small nine-hole golf course and a beautiful
park that includes a massive bird sanctuary. The golf course has an impressive
view of the river and was opened to the public for play in 1963.
There was a lot of talk about the new golf course in
1928 and by September construction began on the land that would soon be known
as North Moor Golf Course. The day finally came on July 4th. 1929
when the course opened to the public who immediately loved the beautiful
setting and the name that harkened back to old Scotland. In 1930 the first women’s city tournament
took place and by 1934 the PGA and Western Open were held at North Moor. In 1987, sadly for most of us old timers, the
park district decided to name North Moor the Leo Donovan Golf Course. To tell you the truth, many of us still call
it North Moor. Leo Donovan certainly deserved the honor but we still miss the
original name. Mr. Donavan was a member of the park district for sixteen years
and ten of those he served as president. Leo was instrumental in the construction
of the Detweiller Golf Course, the Lakeview Pool and Ice Rink and the Peoria
Zoo as well.
My favorite course has always been Newman because I
lived in El Vista and we made that place an extended playground, especially in
the winter. During WW11 we spent many
hours scouring the rough and gullies for precious golf balls that brought us a
quarter or more from eager golfers desperate for golf balls. This property was a gift from Lydia Moss Bradley
and named after her daughter Laura the only one to have lived beyond early
childhood. I often wondered had her
husband and all six of her children lived, would we have a Bradley Park and a
golf course there today? The name of
the golf course was changed to Milton G. Newman in 1937. Some members of the board went to Newman’s
hospital bed to tell him that the Bradley course would be named after him.
Milton was a member of the park district board from 1907 and served as its
president from 1917 until his death in 1937.
I am no fan of Kellogg Golf Course but I was delighted
when I heard that the park district would actually build two golf courses out
there for a total of twenty-seven holes.
The Executive Course was a positive addition, and the younger players in
Peoria truly love that place. Since I am tossing my own opinions around, I
think they should name the nine-hole course the Tim Cassidy Golf Course. The Peoria
folks who know what Tim has done over the years for the Parks in Peoria
I am old enough to remember that we paid seventy-five
cents to play golf back in 1952, and back in the 1940’s we just snuck on the
back nine at Newman. Of course in those
days, the pros had no fast carts to chase us off. We could get a season pass for $15.00. Can you believe that? We are fortunate to
live here with all the recreational things that are available to us. There are folks in town that have never
stepped foot on our golf courses or walked through our parks, but I can’t help
feeling that they too have pride in those places. Parks used to be extremely
important to families in this town, starting with one of the longest linear parks
in America…Grand View Drive. Over the years a dedicated board and employees
have kept them in wonderful condition. Next time you look at your real estate
bill, gripe if you want to, but remember parks and golf courses need care, and
I think we have a great bunch of people dedicated to that cause. See you on the golf course where guys like
Tony King will take good care of you.
Editor’s Note: Norm is a
local historian and monthly contributor to ADVENTURE SPORTS OUTDOORS. He welcomes your comments. norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net
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