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On February 11, 1835, Leonard and
Hepzebah Fosdick Tufts had a son, and named him James Walker Tufts. What seems
unremarkable was actually the birth of an extraordinary man who eventually
purchased a barren patch of land and turned it into one of America’s foremost
resort locations, Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Leonard and Hepzebah had four
children, two of whom died very young. James’ surviving brother was several
years older than he and when his father died in 1851, he was immediately
apprenticed at Samuel Kidder & Company in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was
apprenticed there at age sixteen for six years, earning $50.00 the first year
and $175.00 by age twenty-one. During the time he worked for Kidder, he earned
extra money, making cigars out of sweet fern, selling lozenges and almanacs
around the neighboring towns, and began experimenting with making chewing gum.
In addition to his earnings from Kidder, some weeks he made as much as $1.46.
Three days after he completed
his apprenticeship, with help and advice from some of his father’s friends, he
located and purchased his own shop in Sommerville, Massachusetts. He worked
long hours and prepared his own remedies and extracts. Four years later, he was
able to purchase a second store in Medford, Massachusetts, and later he
purchased shops in Winchester, Woburn and Boston, Massachusetts, creating one of
the earliest drug store chains.
About this time, he met and
married Mary Emma Clough and started a family. They had four children, two of
whom died young, and Mary Gertrude Tufts, and Leonard, who later inherited
Pinehurst upon his father’s death. He began manufacturing items for other
apothecaries, and by age 27, created a complete line of soda fountain supplies
including flavored extracts. He developed his own soda fountain apparatus and
started the Arctic Soda Fountain Company. The Tufts soda fountains were made
out of Italian marble, block tin, and heavy silver plate. He also manufactured
functional silver-plate items such as napkin rings, toothpick holders, baskets,
urns, jewel boxes and casters. All items were made of quadruple silver plate
and bore the Tufts mark and number. In 1877 he published a catalog, offering
soda fountains ranging in price form $2400 to $275. Most were elaborate,
bearing multiple spigots, cherubs, figures of women or animals, plants and
ferns, weathervanes, and towers. The catalog also offered other devices such as
mineral waters, siphons, beer attachments (for root beer and ginger ales) and
items invented or perfected by Tufts such as carbon dioxide gas generators for
carbonation, table top fountains, bottling machines, and tumbler washers. In
1891, Tufts manufacturing business consolidated with A.D. Puffer & Sons of
Boston, John Matthews of New York, and Charles Lippincott of Philadelphia into
American Soda Fountain Company. James W. Tufts was president.
In 1876, a Centennial
Exhibition was held in Philadelphia, celebrating the birth of the republic and
100 years of progress. On exhibit were numerous gadgets, inventions, and
widgets. Included was a prototype slice of the cable that was used to secure
the Brooklyn Bridge, the first typewriter, an early telephone that frightened
visitors by “talking”, and the Corliss Steam Engine, huffing and puffing and
larger than a house. Newspapers were printed on site, machines were sewing,
wallpaper was printed and logs were sawed. In the midst of all this stood a
Tufts Artic Soda Fountain. In 1876, James W. Tufts and Charles Lippincott paid
$50,000 for exclusive rights to sell soda water beverages and ice cream sodas.
They displayed a 30-foot tall fountain with elaborate spigots, hanging ferns, a
chandelier, and it even sprayed perfume in the air. For $.25 one could purchase
a packet of dried herbs to take home and create root beer, an early instant
beverage.
During this time, James’ son,
Leonard and Gertrude’s husband, William Jenney became active in the business,
and by 1895, James sold his part of the American Soda Fountain business for
$700.000. Not content with the quiet life of retirement, at age 60, he began to
plan a mid-south resort.
There were always people from
the North trying to seek some respite from the harsh New England winters, most
heading to Florida. Also, at this time, many people were suffering from
consumption—tuberculosis. Tufts, not a hearty man himself, hoped to find a
place where the un-well could come for the cure and bring their families and
friends to a restful, healthful area. James W. Tufts had heard talk about the
curative powers of the Sandhills from an acquaintance in Boston, Rev, Edward
Everett Hale. Hale, a Unitarian minister, chaplain of the US Senate, author of
The Man without a Country, was a well-known reformer. With his
assistance and inspiration, Tufts planned his mid-south resort.
The first step was to find a
location. After visiting the Sandhills, Tufts selected a location and purchased
about 600 acres of land from Luis A. Page
in 1895, the area
that is now the racetrack, the country club, and most of the village green.
Later purchases were made from Sally Throne and H. A. and J. R. Page.
Eventually Tufts purchased almost 6000 acres averaging about $1.25 an acre. A
local resident, Mr. Neil Shaw, was quoted saying that the Pages had cheated Mr.
Tufts, as the land wasn’t worth “but $.85 an acre.
The area Tufts purchased was
part of the Pine Barrens. The trees in the area had been used for the
turpentine, pitch and tar industry. The trees were cut in v-shaped downward
angles that allowed pinesap to flow into a flat area cut into the tree. The
section was referred to as “the box.” Experienced workers could cut the box in
10 minutes, using an ax especially created for the job. As years went on, a new
box would be cut, finally weakening the tree enough that they simply fell or
blew over, or died. The old, dried resins and sap created a highly flammable
residue and flash fires were frequent. A very serious conflagration threatened
the village in February of 1898; the fires could be seen from the village and
backfires were set, saving the village from harm.
Because of the damage from
fires, and his anxiousness to create an attractive and welcoming village, James
W. Tufts called on the firm of Olmsted, Olmsted & Elliot. Frederick Law Olmsted
had become known for designing the layout for Central Park in New York. Olmsted
believed that cities should be places of beauty and not just commerce centers.
He planned scenic areas and areas for recreation. He attempted to follow the
curve of the land and avoided traditional usage of right angles, or the
resulting grid patterns. He believed in a transitional area between the homes
and public streets for public use. This area would be filled with plantings.
Tufts had originally intended the village to be a health resort for recovering
consumptives. His motive was entirely philanthropic and he intended to sell no
land or make a profit. He would build a hotel, several cottages and rooming
houses for rental. He wanted the buildings to fit naturally into the landscape.
Tufts agreed to a plan for
$300. Warren Manning, an associate, would make visits and supervise, as Olmstead
was in the early stages of dementia. Manning worked for Olmsted from 1888 to
1895. He began visiting in 1895. He took charge of plantings immediately and
acquired over 200,00 plants, with about 47,000 coming from France. Local
plantings were brought in from the surrounding swamps, and a great many were
cultivated and propagated on site. The soil was poor and sandy. Grasses and
small grains were difficult to grow. The planned Village Green became a grove
of pines. Eventually the plants thrived and the buildings appeared to be
tucked into the plantings.
Construction workers and
shippers of goods had begun referring to the settlement as “Tuftstown” or “Pinalia.”
Tufts disliked both names and actually chose Pinehurst from a list of potential
names for Martha’s Vineyard. There had been a contest and the finalists were
printed in the local paper, and Tufts had seen them. He wrote the individual
who had suggested the name and got permission for its use, and the village was
officially named Pinehurst.
The end of 1896 had built
twenty cottages. They were rented for the season at 10% of the cost to build
them. After learning that tuberculosis was contagious, guests were required to
send, in advance, a certificate of health from a physician, and a statement of
religious and moral standing from a minister. Between 1895 and 1897, 38
cottages and boarding houses were built, 32 of which survive. Early cottages
were usually small, but well made frame and wood shingled.
During this time of rapid
growth and construction, the guests were looking for new ways to be entertained
and many of the guests from the North began banging around a little white ball
in the dairy fields. James Walker Tufts had been advised by a number of his
associates that golf was probably a “passing fancy” and not worth the cost or
trouble, but fearing that milk production would be adversely affected with all
the commotion, James Walker Tufts commissioned a nine-hole golf course during
the 1897-98 season built on 60 acres south of the lower end of the village green
and designed by Dr. D. Leroy Culver. Dr. Culver had a medical practice in New
York, but had moved to neighboring Southern Pines. During his travels to Europe,
he visited many of the finest links in England, Scotland and the continent. Mr.
John Dunn Tucker of Stockbridge, Massachusetts was the first course
superintendent and golf instructor. By the fall of 1899, a clubhouse had been
built and the course had been extended to 18 holes. Interest was further
stimulated when British Open Champion Harry Vardon visited Pinehurst and was
very favorably impressed.
 Donald James Ross was born in Dornoch, Scotland. He apprenticed under Old Tom Morris at St. Andrews and
finished his golf education at Carnoustie. At age 26, he left Scotland for the
states, where he became golf professional and green keeper at Oakley in
Watertown, Massachusetts. In 1900, James Walker Tufts met Donald James Ross at
Oakley Golf Club. He immediately engaged him for one year. He worked in
Pinehurst only during the winter, and continued at Oakley during their season.
He immediately reworked the 18
holes, the first 9 of which had been scraped out by Dr. Culver and the last nine
by Tufts and Mr. George C. Dutton of Boston. As the demand grew, more holes
were added and revised by Ross. Pinehurst #2 opened in 1901.
Construction on the early
golf courses was all done by hand, and with horse and mule drawn carts, wagons
and apparatuses. Using a variation of what was called the King Road Drag, they
created the fairways. The adjustable blade would smooth the surface. A drag
pan was used for scooping out bunkers and surfacing greens, and a harrow was
used to remove roots. The courses followed the lay of the land, and consisted
mostly of small built-up clay tees and holes with a few feet of flattened clay
around the hole. Boxes of sand were placed at each hole so that a small pile of
it could be used to create a tee. Putting greens were made of sand and clay.
They were rolled every morning, and sprinkled with water carried in barrels on
horse-drawn wagons. Some greens were even oiled. The moisture evaporated
quickly, leaving a firm surface like a billiard table, and also drained quickly
in the event of rain. After play, caddies standing nearby would take a large
square of carpet scrap attached to a rope, and smooth the green by dragging the
carpet around the surface.
James Walker Tufts died in
1902. His son, Leonard, had been active in the soda fountain business and had
remained in Massachusetts. He soon discovered that inheriting Pinehurst would
keep him busy, so in 1904, he moved to North Carolina with his wife, Gertrude.
Leonard was very interested in the agriculture business of Pinehurst. Pinehurst
was a self-sufficient village, with its own market gardens, greenhouse, power
plant, dairy and piggery. At the time, the Vanderbilt’s in Asheville owned the
only purebred Berkshire hogs in North Carolina. Leonard purchased a foundation
heard from them and began breeding his own Berkshires in 1903. They were quick
growing, required minimal feed, and bore large litters. He also selected
Ayrshire Cattle for the dairy. Leonard believed that a poor specimen ate as
much as a good specimen, and only the strongest, healthiest and best producers
were bred. In June of 1935 at NC State, Leonard was awarded for conspicuous
service to agriculture in North Carolina for scientific breeding and improvement
of livestock. In addition he was honored for “use of native shrubbery to make
Pinehurst a beauty spot of the state” and for his early interest in improving
the state’s highways.
In 1945, Leonard Tufts died.
His son, Richard Sise Tufts had become president of Pinehurst, Inc. in 1935,
after being vice-president for fourteen years. Richard was responsible for
making Pinehurst the golf Mecca that it has become today. He became very active
in the United States Golf Association and served as its president from 1956 to
1958. He was instrumental in starting the junior championships and the public
links championships. His book, The Principles Behind the Rules of Golf
is considered to be a classic and is written in a clear and straightforward
manner. He also wrote what is now called “The Amateur’s Creed,” an eloquent
description of the ways of amateurism. Richard continued to foster growth in
Pinehurst, but always remained true to the original atmosphere and quality of
the village.
In 1970, Pinehurst, Inc was
sold to the Diamondhead Corporation for $9 million. Diamondhead immediately
began erecting condominiums along the golf courses. In 1984, Club Corporation
of America purchased the resort properties and is the current owner and
operator. Club Corp has been responsible for returning the resort facilities to
their premium quality and has brought two United States Opens to the famed #2
course.
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