The Holyoke Country Club
The Holyoke Country Club was built in 1906 on farmland that was formerly owned by A. Waters. The land at the time was actually part of the Ward Four section of Northampton, which was not annexed to Holyoke until 1909.
The State Legislature's approval of the annexation of the Smith Ferry section of the city came about due to the discontent of residents because of the seasonal unreliability of the main connecting road though the Oxbow, which made two-way travel difficult (this section was physically separate from the rest of the city by a thin section of Easthampton.)
Often the Holyoke Fire Dept. had to respond to fires in what technically was Northampton. The Smiths Ferry section included land from Mt. Park north to the Oxbow.
The owner's of the club remodeled Waters' farmhouse and it became the golf course's clubhouse, after which they also added tennis courts in the front of the property.
The courts were later removed for added parking space and part of this area was later cut off by the construction of I-91.
Over the years there have been many improvements and additions to the original house. The eastern section of the property went through a few changes in the early 1960s when the entrance to the club was altered due to the construction of Interstate 91.
In 2012 the Holyoke Country Club was sold to area business man Eric Suher for a reported $850, 000. At the time, it was unknown what Suher's reason and plans were for the purchase.
Club officials hope that Suher keeps the site as a golf course, but that wasn't a condition of the sale. As of 2013, the Holyoke Country Club is still going strong enjoying it's 106th year.
The Waters farmhouse in the early 1900s prior to the construction of the Holyoke Country Club.
The original entrance to the Holyoke Country Club early 1900s. The location is just north of the present day Delaney House. The construction of I-91 altered this entrance in the early 1960s.
The clubhouse buildings circa 1930s. The original Waters farmhouse is shown on the right.
A view of the First Tee looking north with the foothills of Mt. Nonotuck in the background.
A very early photo of the clubhouse and tennis courts. The Mt. Tom Range is in the background. The Waters Farmhouse was converted into the clubhouse in 1906.
Notice on the left many of Waters' farm buildings are still standing. Just south of those buildings would be the first entrance to the Mt. Tom Reservation in 1903. The area just in front of the tennis courts is where I-91 is now located.
