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This text message is used to keep the image from rotating in ocr process. Be sure to crop the top .25" off after the ocr process. 1492 SHEPARD LANE OAKRIDGE COUNTRY CLUB FARMINGTON, DAVIS COUNTY UTAH STATE HISTORY 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 3 9222 50000 6403 COVER PAGE Must Accompany All Project Reports Submitted to the Utah SHPO Case No. Ib- II/ « Report Title: Oakridge Country Club, Historical Resource Analysis State Project No.: Organization Project No.: U15UJ059S P U15l Report Date: 30 October 2015 County(les): Davis Report Author(s): Ron Sladek, Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. (for USU Archeological SelVlces) Principal Investigator: Ron Sladek Field Supervlsor(s): Records search date(s): 10 August 2015 Preservation Pro Used? '0' .... Acres Surveyed: Intensive (~15 m Intervals): Recon/lntultlve (>15 m Intervals): ~ USGS 7.5' Series Kaysville, 1955 & Farmington, 1952 Map Reference(s): ci D z 1:) CIJ 0.. en SITES REPORTED COUNT @ves SMITHSONIAN SITE NUMBERS Revisits (no site form updates) Updates (updated site forms attached) New recordings (site forms attached) 1 42DV187 Total Count of Archaeological Sites In APE Historic Structures (structure forms attached) Total National Register Eligible Sites 1 CHECKLIST OF REqUIRED ITEMS FOR SUBMITTAL TO SHPO 1.lZIcOpy of the final report 2. ~Copy of USGS 7.5' Series baaemap with Investigated area clearly Identified 3. ~completed site forms o IMACS Encoding Form o Site Sketch Map o Photographs adhering to UDSH standards o Copy of USGS 7.5' Series basemap with site location and Smithsonian alte number clearly labeled 4. OCD of digital report and site documents, including 8hapeflles (optional) 5.lZIcomPleted "Cover Page" accompanying final report and form For UDSH office use only C()Osidered 'eligi~le to NRHP by UT ~d .H~ HISTORIC SITE FORM ~,:? UTAH OFFICE OF PRESERVATION 1 IDENTIFICATION Name of Property: Oakrl~ge Country Club (42DV187) Address: 1492 Shepard Lane Twnshp: '3 North Range; 1 West Section: 11 &14 City, County: Farmington, Davis County Latl~ong(degr dec.): Current Owner Name: Oa.krldge Country Club USGS Map Name & Date: CUrrent Owner Address: 1492 Shepard Lane Kaysville, 1955 Farmln~on, Farmington, UT '840~5 1952, Tax Number: Legal Description (include acreage): The general legal descrl'p tlon Is 96.69 acres In the S£l/.", Section 11 and ~ NEY. of Section 14, Township 3 North,;,Range 1 West of the Salt Lake Merl,dian. 2 STATUS/uSE Property Category _building(s) , structure .1a.slte , _9bject Evaluation .!.. eligible/CC!ntribUt~119 _ ineligiblelnon-contrlbqting _ out-of-period lJ§!J. , , Country Club/Golf Course . . Origin~1 Use: ~ Current U~e: 'Country Club/GC)1f COUi'~e 3 DOCUMENTATION Research Sources (check a/l sources consulted, whe(her useful or not) _.~I?sa:act ott~/e " city~COUl1.ty histories ~'tax cerd & phOto Aperson~llnterviews _ building,permlt .& USHS RistoI)' ResearclJ Center ,...:... sewer permit _ usHS Preservation Files' ' ' USHS Architects 'File " , Sanborn Maps Photos: Dates , ~' L digital: 4 OCtob8i 2015 , _prints: ' .!. historic: 1955-198, Drawings aod Plans measured floor pians ' site sketch map , , .:..:. HistoriC Arrierican B.ldg: SurVey _ original pI({Ins available at: A other: Utah State. Unlv. Ubrary _other; .i.: x' obituarylrfdex , A city d;;eGtorlesigazetteers A ~nsusr6cords " ' :i , : LDS FamHy'HIsto,ry-Ubrary _loealllbrarY; _ university lib; ary(ies). _ biographical el]cyclop~dias.x. other: Utah State Unlv. Ubrary A ne~pa~rs _ :Qt/Jer: Bibliographical References (boo!<s, .articles, interviews, eto.) ~Attachment t)lumber Onei ' and "Attachment Number Two," Miriutes,of the Meeting of the Board of Directors, OakrldgeCoi.antry Club, 26 November 1957. William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Merrlll;.Cazier'Llbrary, SpeCial CoII~tions ~n" Arch'lve$, Working t=:iles. Bo.x 11. "B~'" Legacy'" ~nd "Wiln~m F. Bel! ~.wllliambensoclety.wordpress.com Courses/' WIlliam , Bell on 27 October 2015. Society, Ac;<:ess8ci Online at '''The- Bells: California's First Famliy of Qolf Course'Deslgn," City of San Diego, California, Accessed Online at .. wwW~sandlego.gov on 27.0ctober 2Q15. ,,' "Biographical Note," WIlliam H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Merrlll;.Cazler Library, Special Collections and Archives . ,. -• Clubhouse Plan and Rendering, Theodore R. Pope, architect William H. Neff architectural Papers, Utah State UniverSity, Merrill;.Cazler Library, Special Collections an~ Archives,Worklng Files, Box 11. "Construction Begins on New Golf Course," Deseret News, 26 August 1955. "Course Listing," Utah Golf Association, Accessed Online at www.uga.org on 7 October 2015. Crippes, Nate and Sheri Murray Ellis. Salt Lake Country Club & Golf Course, National Register Nomination, 16 April 2015. Davis County: Land of Peace, Beauty and a Quality Life. Davis School District, 1994. "Davis County Looks to New Activity at Oakridge Country Club," Salt Lake Tribune, 26 August 1956, p. 2W. Farmington, Utah 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Map. Washington, DC: United States Geological SUrvey, 1952. "Farmington's Oak Ridge Country Club Shapes Up as Golfer's Golf Course," Deseret News, circa March 1956 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). Fehrnel, H. M. Oakridge Golf Course Development. Aerial Drawing, 1962. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11. "First Cutting Given Oak Ridge Course," Deseret News, circa 1 August 1956 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). "Neff Designs Highlight Golf In Northern Utah." Habel, Steve. www.news.cybergolf.comon270ctober 2015. Cybergolf, Accessed Online at "Historic Farmington," City of Farmington, Historic Preservation Commission, Accessed Online at www.farmington.utah.gov on 2 October 2015. Irrigation System Plan, Oakridge Country Club. Prepared by William P. Bell & Son, ASGCA, and William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, December 1955. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 56. Kaysville, Utah 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Map. Washington, DC: United States Geological Survey,1955. Knowlton, George Quincy. A Brief History of Farmington, Utah. Kaysville, UT: Inland Printing, 1965. Leonard, Glen M. A History of Davis County. Salt Lake City, UT: Utah State Historical Society, Davis County Commlssion,1999. "Leota Arline Jenson Eliason,': Deseret News, 23 October 1990 [obituary]. Mears, Rick. Golf Professional, Oakridge Country Club. Interview Conducted on 4 October 2015 by Ron Sladek of Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. "Mears Signs as Pro for Farmington Club," Deseret News, 29 February 1956. "New Farmington Course Will Click; The Right Men Are Behind It," Deseret News, circa early 1955 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). "New Golf Club Names Officers; Play Expected by Mid-Summer," Deseret News, 6 January 1956, p. 2B. "New Method Applied to Planting Greens," Deseret News, 26 October 1955. "New 18-Hole Golf Course Gets Under Way Near Lagoon In Davis County," Deseret News, circa early July 1955 (clipping with site plan from the William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). Notice of Action by the Board of Directors, Oakridge Country Club,1 July 1958. William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives, Working Flies, Box 11. "Oak Ridge Begins Work on Modern Club House," Salt Lake Tribune, 8 May 1956, p.22. "Oakridge Country Club," Accessed Online at www.rocklesgolf.comon 24 September 2015. "Oakridge Country Club Holds Formal Opening," Deseret News, 28 September 1956, p.12A. "Oakridge Country Club: Promise of a Miracle," Salt Lake Tribune, 8 April 1956, p. 60. Oakridge Country Club, 1492 Shepard Lane, Farmington, Utah. Davis County Assessor Records, Accessed Online at www.daviscountyutah.gov on 2 October 2015. "Oak Ridge Golf, Country Club Holds First Official Function," Deseret News, circa July 1956 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). "Oakridge Up to Schedule," Deseret News, 2 November 1955. "Owners Reveal Plan for Golf Course In Lagoon Section," Salt Lake Tribune, 23 July 1955. Plan for 18-Hole Golf Course, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah. Prepared by William F. Bell, Golf Course Architect and William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, circa early 1955. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. "Preserve America Community: Farmington, Utah." www.preserveamerica.gov on 2 October 2015. Preserve America, Accessed Online at Proposed Landscape Plan, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah. Prepared by WIlliam H. Neff, Landscape Architect, April 1957. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. Proposed landscaping Plan, No. 17 Hole, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah. Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, no date. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. Proposed Site & Land Development Plan, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah. Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, October 1955. WIlliam H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. Proposed Subdivision Developments for Oakridge Improvement Co. Properties, Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, September 1957. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. Rayburn, Jim. "The Course of Golf In Utah." Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 19 June 1994, Accessed Online at www.deseretnews.com. "S~esman's Dream is Golfers Paradise," Deseret News, 29 September 1956. Salt Lake City Directories & Suburban Directories, Listings for Sidney and Leota Eliason (1928-1960) and for William H. Neff (1928-1981). "Sid Eliason Heads Several Companies," USU Staff News, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 16 April 1962. Simpson, Harold W. "Bonneville Golf Course." Unpublished manuscript located in the archives of the Utah State Historical Society (MSS A 4264). Sorensen, Mike. "Utah's Greens-Sleeves: The Majority of Wasatch Front Golf Courses Have Either Been Designed, Engineered or Remodeled by a Pair of Guys Named Bill Neff." Deseret News, 19 August 1998, Accessed Online at www.deseretnews.com. State of Utah, Select County Marriages (1887-1937), Records for Marriage of Sidney Howard Eliason and Leota Arline Jenson, 3 September 1925. "Tale of Oakridge Club: Long, Tricky, Scenic," Salt Lake Tribune, 12 July 1959, p. B7. The Oakridger(Monthly Newsletter, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah) "January 1956: And They Called it Oakridge," November-December 1983. "Respectful Salute to William H. Neff," August 1961. "Club Members Invited to Contribute to Tree Fund," March 1962. "Oakridge Progress, Reports Pres. Bill," June-July 1967. "New Look for Oakridge," May.June 1972. US Census Records for Sidney Howard Eliason, 1910 (Curlew Precinct, Box Elder County, UT), 1920 (Brigham City, Box Elder County, UT), and 1930 & 1940 (Salt Lake City, UT). US Census Records for William Henrichsen Neff, 1910 (Big Cottonwood District, Salt Lake County, UT), 1920 (Holladay, Salt Lake County, UT), 1930 (Holladay, UT) and 1940 (Holladay, UT). US Decennial Census Records, US Census Bureau, Davis County, Utah, 1850-2010. US Social Security Death Index (1935-2014). Sidney Eliason, Born 11 March 1902, Died 31 May 1964. "William H. Neff." Utah Golf Association, Hall of Fame Inductee, 2002. Accessed Online on 7 October 2015 at www.uga.org. William Henrichsen Neff, Certificate of Birth, State of Utah, 22 September 1905. Researcher/Organization: Ron Sladek, Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Date: 30 October 2015 4 ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION Building StylefType: Not Applicable (historic designed landscape) Foundation Material: NIA Wall Material(s): NIA Additions: II none _ minor _ major (describe) Number of associated outbuildings No. Stories: N/A 0 Alterations: _ none and/or structures L minor _ major (describe) 0 Briefly describe the principal building, additions or alterations and their dates, and associated outbuildings and structures. Use continuation sheets as necessary. The Oakridge County Club is located about halfway between Farmington and Kaysville In Davis County, Utah. Situated along the Wasatch Front, It rests on the narrow plain bordered by the mountains just over one mile to the east and Great Salt Lake about two miles to the west. Passing through this tight area from north to south are several transportation corridors, including Interstate 15, US Highway 89, State Highway 106, and the historic routes of the Union Pacific Railroad, Utah Central Railroad, and Utah Division of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. Some of these converge just north of the site at North Farmington Junction. Several natural drainages exit the mountains and run southwest to terminate in Great Salt Lake. Closest to the country club is Haight Creek, which passes it to the northwest and west. A smaller watercourse known as Shepard Creek runs through the golf course from north to south, connecting with the ponds located there. Also bisecting the course Is Shepard Lane, a paved east-west local thoroughfare that provides access to the area's neighborhoods. The Oakridge Country Club is bordered in all directions by single-family homes that have been developed over the past fifty years. With an address of 1492 Shepard Lane, the Oakridge Country Club is situated at an elevation of approximately 4,260'-4,280' above sea level and may also be described as located in the SEV. of Section 11 and the NEV. of Section 14, Township 3 North-Range 1 West of the Salt Lake Meridian. It essentially sits within the angled V that Is formed by the intersection to the southeast of Interstate 15 and US Highway 89. Topography on the 96.69acre site is rolling, with a general down-gradient slope toward the south. The highest point within the country club appears to be where the clubhouse sits northeast of the Intersection of Shepard Lane and North 1500 West. This provides visitors with a panoramic view of the Wasatch Range that dominates the entire skyline to the east. The expansive clubhouse on the site today, including Its large swimming pool, is not the first to be located there. This modern building is only a decade old and replaced the original clubhouse that was constructed In the mid-195Os on the same spot. Except for the clubhouse and a maintenance facility next to the number 15 tee (south of Shepard Lane), the rest of the property is occupied by the eighteen-hole golf course. These grounds includes characteristics that are typical of ,""ost golf courses, among them tees, fairways, greens, bunkers, paved cart trails, water features, a driving range, a putting green, and a chipping green. Carefully groomed grass carpets the site, with numerous mature trees lining the fairways. While many of these trees are conifers, the course also holds oaks, weeping willows, ash, elm, gambrel oak, and a few fruit trees. The historic designed landscape that makes the Oakridge Country Club a unique place is evident throughout the site. Its most fundamental characteristic, which served as the basis for the entire deSign, Is the natural lay of the land. The landscape architects who designed this course essentially shaped It from the existing rolling terrain. Although the original clubhouse is no longer present, It was clearly sited atop the course's high point to take advantage of the panoramic views to the northeast, east and southeast. A number of the fairways, especially on holes 1,4,6,10 and 18, were aligned with views in mind, as were the placement of the driving range and putting green. Because of its natural slopes, most of the course's higher areas offer mountain views. Other character-defining features of the golf course that have survived to the present time Include the arrangement and layout of Its carefully planned tees, fairways and greens; the placement of bunkers and water features in specifically chosen locations (half a dozen small ponds are present); the expanse of grass and long rows of trees lining the mostly straight fairways; and the purposeful lack of rough that might interrupt play. The greens themselves are all relatively round with slight pitches. Except for the ponds, all of the hazards (in this case trees and bunkers) are situated to the sides of the fairways and greens. Most of the bunkers are located aside the greens and are oval or kidney-shaped. Alterations: During the several decades after the golf course was developed In the mld-195Os, few substantial changes took place other than allowing the landscape to mature. Starting In the 1980s, a small number of alterations were made that adapted the course to changing times. The first of these Involved tiering the originally flat tees to include levels for ladies and juniors play. A very small number of bunkers were added to some of the fairways. Finally, the paved cart paths were developed as players Increasingly adopted the use of carts rather than employing caddies and walking the courses (carts were Introduced when the course was developed). Other than these Items and replacement of the clubhouse in 2005, the Oakridge Country Club has remained largely intact from Its period of development and first decade of use prior to fifty years ago. 5 HISTORY Architect!Bui/der: William F. Bell, golf course architect William H. Neff, golf course architect Date of Construction: = Historic Themes: Mark themes related to this property with HS" or "C" (S significant, (see instructions for details) _ Agriculture _Industry Economics _Education Invention Architecture _ Engineering _ Archeology .§.. Landscape Architecture .§.. Entertainment! Art Recreation Law Commerce _ Ethnic Heritage Communications Literature _ Maritime History _ Community Planning _ Exploration/ _Military Settlement & Development _ Performing Arts HealthlMedicine Conservation 1956 C =contributing). Politics! Government _Religion Science _ Social History _ Transportation Other Write a chronological history of the property, focusing primarily on the original or principal owners & significant events. Explain and justify any significant themes marked above. Use continuation sheets as necessary As Davis County experienced an economic boom and tremendous population growth during the decade following World War II, Interest in golf also increased. Conditions for the development of a golf course near Farmington coalesced during the mid-1950s, when a move was made to develop a private club In the area. Spearheading this effort, which led to development of the Oakridge Country Club, were prominent Salt Lake City businessman Sidney H. Eliason and landscape architect William H. Neff. Sidney Howard Eliason was born in 1902 (possibly in Idaho) and spent his early years on his family's cattle ranch near Snowville in northern Utah's Curlew Valley north of the Great Salt Lake. His father August died in 1904, leaving his wife Emma to raise their six children. By 1910 she was still residing there with just two children left in the house, the young Sidney and his older sister Mattie. Ten years later, the three were living in a rented house in Brigham City. How Emma made a living to support her family is unknown, although it may have been through the efforts of her children. Sidney thrived in Brigham City, where he attended high school and became class president as well as a star athlete. I Following high school, Sidney attended the LOS Business College in Salt Lake City and took correspondence courses In law and engineering. In 1925, he married Leota Jenson In Brigham City and the couple moved to Portland, Oregon and then Los Angeles, California. After a couple of years they returned to Utah and settled in Salt Lake City, where Sidney took a sales job with the United States Gypsum Company. Although the position required travel throughout the western states, his career thrived and by the late 1930s he had risen to company manager. Sidney continued in this position into the early 1940s before launching several businesses of his own.2 By the early 1950s, Sidney's career was thriving and he had become president of the Western Gypsum Company and chairman of the Pioneer Wholesale Supply Company. OVer the following decade his Involvement with numerous other businesses enterprise multiplied. These included leadership positions with the following commercial and industrial entities in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming: • • • • • • • • • Chairman, Western States Refining Company President, Williams & Peterson Construction Company President, Beeline Refining Company Executive Vice-President, Frontier Refining Company President, Big Horn Gypsum Company President, Utah-Atlas Corporation Board of Directors, Tracy-Colllns Bank & Trust Company Board of Directors, Surety Life Insurance Company Board of Directors, Commercial Security Bank (Ogden) Recognized for his business success, Sidney was recruited to serve as president of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and spent nine years on the board of directors of the Utah Manufacturers Association. In 1961, he accepted an appointment to the board of trustees of Utah State University in Logan, where he served on the athletics and building commlttees.3 As Sidney's career brought financial success and stability to his family during the late 1940s and 1950s, they joined several area country clubs. Before long, he was Installed as president of the Salt Lake Country Club and Leota became active In the Women's Golf Association. His interest in golf led Sidney to the development of the Oakridge Country Club in Farmington during the mid-1950s, although he did so with an active partner in the enterprise.4 William Henrichsen Neff was born in 1905 in Salt Lake City and spent most of his life In the Holladay area, where his family had settled during the late 1800s (nearby Neff Canyon was named for them). His father, who appears to have owned a butcher shop called Holladay Market, died of Influenza during the 1918 epldemic,leavlng his wife to raise their six children. As a teenager, William worked at a local plant nursery and probably helped his 1 Sidney Eliason, US Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Bom 11 March 1902, Died 31 May 1964; US Census Records for Sidney Howard Eliason, 1910 (Curlew Precinct, Box Elder County, UT) and 1920 (Brigham City, Box Elder County, UT) (Sidney appeared in these records as Howard S. EAason); Obituary of Leota Arline Jenson Efiason, Deseret News, 23 October 1990. 2 ·Sid Eliason Heads Several Companies,· USU St8ff News, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 16 April 1962; State of Utah, Select County Marriages (1887-1937), Records for Marriage of Sidney Howard Eliason and Leota Arline Jenson, 3 September 1925; Salt Lake City Directories, Listings for Sidney and Leota Efiason, 1928-1942; US Census Records for Sidney Howard Eliason, 1930 and 1940 (Salt Lake City, UT). 3 Salt Lake City Directories, Listings for Sidney and Leota Eliason, 1953-1960; Obituary of Leota Arline Jenson Eiason, Deseret News, 23 October 1990; ·Sid Eliason Heads Several Companies; USU St8ff News, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 16 April 1962. 4 Obituary of Leota Arline Jenson Eliason, Deseret News, 23 October 1990. mother run the store.5 In 1925, William established the Mount Olympus Nursery in Holladay, which he owned and operated for the next seventy years. He attended the University of Utah around that same time, majoring in art and botany because there was no program In landscape architecture. William then took correspondence courses from the American Landscape School In Des Moines,lowa and received his degree in 1929.6 The following year, William launched a landscape architecture practice, just as the nation was headed Into the Depression. Despite the widespread economic malaise, he secured a series of residential contracts that together with his nursery kept him afloat. William was also engaged to work on the development of Fairmont Park in Salt Lake City, along with other projects supported by federal funding. In the 1940s, he completed landscaping projects for the coal mining towns of Dragerton and Sunnydale, both located in Carbon County, Utah. It was during that period that William developed and patented a turf-planting machine that he used for years afterwards on various landscaping projects. 7 In 1952, the Salt Lake Country Club engaged William to complete a substantial overhaul of its golf course. This brought him together with prominent Pasadena, California golf course architect William P. Bell, who by that time had developed a lengthy career designing numerous courses along the west coast, most of them in Californla.8 Neff probably worked as construction superintendent on the project, and the collaboration secured his reputation in Utah as an expert In landscape architecture and golf course design. After Bell died in 1953, Neff spent the next decade collaborating with his son, William F. Bell, on as many as eight golf course projects in Utah. Bell Jr. graduated from the University of Southern California and then joined his father's design firm following World War II. With his father as mentor and partner, Bell Jr. collaborated on the design of numerous courses and quickly rose to a position of prominence in the field. Today he is credited with the design of as many as one hundred of the finest golf courses spread across the western United States.9 In addition to golf courses, William Neff was engaged to complete residential, commercial and government landscaping projects, including some for the National Park Service. In the mid-1960s, the Salt Lake City directories began listing him as a landscape and golf course architect. In 1967, he was joined in his firm by landscape architect William Howard Neff, who was not related but shared a similar name that led to confusion in the literature about these two men. Their collaboration lasted until 1981, when the younger Neff started his own design firm. During their years together, they completed projects on a number of golf courses In Utah, Idaho, Arizona and other states. 10 As his career matured, William Henrichsen Neff became an avid golfer and was involved in various civic affairs. In Salt Lake City, he served as president of the Holladay Lions Club and was a member of the Sugarhouse Rotary Club. His professional qualifications led him to the presidency of the Utah-Idaho Nurseryman's Association. William was a long-time member of the Red Butte Garden & Arboretum. He became one of the early members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, founded In 1946, and was Involved In writing its bylaws. I I William's long career ended with his death in 2001, and the following year he was inducted Into the Utah Golf Association Hall of Fame. 12 5 William Henrichsen Neff, Certifica18 of Birth , Sta18 of Utah, 22 September 1905; William Cyrus Neff, Dei!th Certificate, Sta18 of Utah, 13 December 1918; US Census Records for William Henrichsen Neff, 1910 (Big Cottonwood District, Salt Lake County, UT) and 1920 (Holladay, Salt Lake County, UT). 6 "Biographical No18," William H. Neff Architectural Papers (1929-2001), Utah Sta18 University, Merrill-Gazier Library, Special Colections and Archives. (The Mount Olympus Nursery was named for the prominent Wasatch Range mountain that domn a1Bd the skyline above Neff's longtime home and nursery in HoUaday, Utah.) 7 Ibid.; Salt Lake City Directory, William H. Neff, 1928 (he was listed that year as a gardener); US Census Record for W iRiam H. Neff, 1930 (Holladay, UT); "New Method Applied to Planting Greens,· Deseret News, 26 October 1955. 8 Ibid.; Although he entered the field of golf course design in the 1910s and 1920s, Wiltiam P. Bell became prominent as an independent golf course architect starting in the early 1930s. Over the next twenty years, he was one of the most prolific designers in the western United States and was responsible for what are today some of the region's finest historic golf courses. 9 "Bell Legacy' and "WiDiam F. Bell Courses," WiUiam Bell Society, Accessed Online atwww.wHliambellsociety.wordpress.com on 27 October 2015. (Some sources report that the father and son 18am designed as many as 400 golf courses throughout the wes1Bm United Sta18s, including California, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Hawai .) 10 "Biographical Note," Wilfiam H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Merrill-Gazier Library, Special Collections and Archives; Salt Lake City Suburban Directories, 1965-1981 . 11 Neff's involvement may have occurred through the urging and support ofWiUiam P. Bell, who was one of the ASGCA's founders. 12 "Biographical No18," William H. Neff Architectural Papers (1929-2001), Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives; "William H. Neff,' Utah Golf Association, 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee, Accessed Online on 7 October 2015 at www.uga.org. During the long course of his career as a golf course designer, landscape architect, nurseryman and construction superintendent, William worked on many courses in Utah (he was also involved In a smaller number In Colorado, Wyoming and Montana). On some projects he served as the landscape architect and on others he was in charge of construction. And while some projects Involved designing a course from scratch, at other sites Neff was engaged to redesign or expand existing courses. Among the many Utah golf course projects attributed to William Henrichsen Neff are the following sites, listed in chronological order of their development: 13 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Salt Lake Country Club, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Sr., 1952 remodel) Oakridge Country Club, Farmington (Neff & Bell Jr., 1956) Bonneville Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Jr., 1956 expansion) Alpine Country Club, Highland (Neff & Bell Jr., 1958) DugwaylFrank Skul Golf Course, Dugway (Neff, 1958 military course) Hidden Valley Country Club, Sandy (Neff & Bell Jr., 1958 & 1979 expansion) Rose Park Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Jr., 1960 expansion) Riverside Country Club, Provo (Neff & Bell Jr., 1960) Mountain Dell Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Jr., 1962) Park City Golf Course, Park City (Neff, 1962 original nine holes) Wasatch Mountain State Park Golf Course, Midway (Neff, 1962 & 1966/1972) Cottonwood Country Club, Holladay (Neff,1963 & 1973 remodel) Davis Park Golf Course, Fruit Heights/Kaysville (Neff,1964 & 1968) Westland Hills Golf Course, South Jordan (Neff, 1967) Cascade Fairways Golf Course, Orem (Neff, 1967) Glenmoore Golf Course, South Jordan (Neff,1968) Mountain View Golf Course, West Jordan (Neff, 1969) Bloomington Country Club, St. George (Neff, 1969) Sweetwater Golf Course, Bear Lake (Neff, 1971) Stansbury Park Golf Course, Tooele (Neff, 1972) Willow Creek Country Club, Sandy (Neff, 1973 remodel) MajestiC Oaks Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff, 1973) Glendale Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Jr., 1973) Fore Lakes Golf Course, Taylorsville (Neff, 1974) Bountiful Ridge Golf Course, Bountiful (Neff, 1975) St. George Golf Club, St. George (Neff, 1976) What is clear from this list Is that William Henrichsen Neff had a substantial impact upon the development of golf courses, and the expansion of golf as a recreational sport, in Utah during the post-World War II decades. Recognizing the important role that he played, in 2002 the Utah Golf Association posthumously inducted him into its Hall of Fame. The organization's webpage on Neff states that he was "the foremost golf course architect in Utah during the first boom of golf course construction •.. from 1950 through 1980."14 In 1954, Sidney Eliason and William Neff began discussing the need for an 18-hole golf course in the rapidly developing countryside between Ogden and Salt Lake City. What brought them together was their love of golf and membership in the Salt Lake Country Club. The two formed a development partnership and purchased land that Eliason had been keeping an eye on for years In the countryside northwest of Farmington a short distance from Lagoon. In addition to the private club they sought to build there, the two businessmen planned to sell premiere residential lots in subdivisions along the edges of the golf course. IS 13 "Biographical Note; William H. Neff Architectural Papers; ·Course Listing,' Utah Golf Association, Accessed Onfine atwww.uga.org on 7 October 2015. (There seems to be no definitive list of projects completed by William Henrichsen Neff. In addition, there issome confusion in the records between him and his junior partner and colleague, William Howard Neff. The list presented here is derived from several sources, with dates and notations that are as refiable as possible. Those courses developed after the 1970s seem to be primarily attributable to William Howard Neff and are not included .) 14 "William H. Neff,· Utah Golf Association, 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee, Accessed Online on 7 October 2015 at www.uga.org. 15 "New Farmington Course Will Click; The Right Men Are Behind It,' Deseret News, circa early 1955 (this clipping was found n Box 11 in the William H. Neff Papers at Utah State University); ·Salesman's Dream is Golfers Paradise," Deseret News, 29 September 1956. Eager to raise awareness and attract Interest in the project, both from paying members and to sell lots, Eliason and Neff engaged noted California golf course designer William F. Bell to layout the course. This was a natural choice because Neff had recently worked with Bell's father on the remodel of the Salt Lake Country Club. Their successful collaboration on that project allowed Neff, already an experienced landscape architect and nursery owner but relatively new to golf course design, to work with the younger Bell on another project in which he was personally invested. In a 1955 article, the Deseret News reported that the rolling terrain selected was perfect for the creation of a golf course. 16 While membership in the club gained steam, construction began in the fields north of Shepard Lane during the summer of 1955. Ground was broken that August when an excavator began digging one of the planned ponds. Among those present on the site that day were William F. Bell, William Neff, Sidney Eliason, and engineer Vern Wllliams.17 According to the development plan, the nine holes there would be seeded and ready for play In the spring of 1956. The remaining holes south of Shepard Lane would be constructed over the following year. Also planned were a clubhouse and swimming pool on the northeast corner of Shepard Lane and the county road that became North 1500 West. Three ponds would provide scenic Interest and hazards for the northern nine holes. Early design plans by the architects, along with simplified plans that appeared in the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune in July 1955, show that the essential layout for the course remains in place today.lS Neff used his seeding machine at the Bonneville Golf Course in Salt Lake City In the fall of 1955, and it was clear that the same technique would be employed at Oakridge. The benefit of the machine was that it cut down on cost and the amount of time needed to plant and establish the greens. In fact, the cost savings were so impressive at Bonneville that a decision was made to eliminate rough there and plant the entire course in seeded, trimmed grass. This may explain why the course at Oakridge Country Club also never had any rough and was fully planted with grass. 19 By November 1955, the Oakridge course had been contoured, two of the ponds were complete, and the construction crew was preparing to lay pipes for the irrigation system. Seeding was pushed back to the following spring, and Neff and Eliason stated that they still expected to play golf there during the summer of 1956.20 According to an early statement of estimated costs for the club's development, the partners calculated that the total amount necessary to get the facility up and running would come to just under $300,000. This number eventually exceeded $400,000 and may have gone even higher. This Included construction of the golf course, development of the ponds, Installation of the sprinkler system, construction of the clubhouse and swimming pool, the installation of landscaping (including roads, walkways, parking lot, patio, grading and plants), and the purchase of golf equipment.21 In early January 1956, the original members of Oakridge Country Club held an organizational meeting to discuss business. They elected Brick Wood to serve as the first president. An avid golfer and former professional baseball player, by the mid-1950s he had also become a successful Kaysville automobile dealer. Arrangements were made for the club to lease the grounds from Neff and Eliason for twenty-five years. At the same meeting, the members reviewed and approved plans for the clubhouse. The board of directors also voted to limit the number of members, and the Initiation fee was set at $500.22 The following month, the club hired Its first golf professional. A native of Salt Lake City, Russ Mears served in Italy during World War" and then returned home to work as a greenskeeper. In 1949 he became the assistant golf pro at the Ogden Country Club, after which he served as pro for one year In Casper, Wyoming. By the time he was recruited to Oakridge, Mears had been the golf pro in Caldwell, Idaho for four years. He moved back to Utah to assist with the development and operation of Oakridge Country Club. Following his retirement decades 16 Ibid.; "New 18-Hole Golf Course Gets UnderWay Near Lagoon in Davis County," Deseret News, circa early July 1955. 17 ·Construction Begins on New Golf Course," Deseret News, 26 August 1955. 18 ·Owners Reveal Plan for Golf Course in Lagoon Section," Salt Lake Tribune, 23 July 1955; Plan for 18-H01e Golf Course, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah, Prepared by William F. Ben, Golf Course Architect and William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, circa early 1955, William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10; Proposed Site & Land Development Plan, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah, Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, October 1955, William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. 19 "New Method Applied to Planting Greens: Deseret News, 26 October 1955. 20 "Oakridge Up to Schedule,· Deseret News, 2 November 1955. 21 Estimated Costs, Oakridge County Club (no date), William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Working Files, Box 11; "Salesman's Dream is Golfers Paradise," Deseret News, 29 September 1956. 22 "New Golf Club Names Officers; Play Expected by Mid-Summer,· Deseret News, 6 January 1956, p. 2B. later, his son Rick stepped into the position and remains there today.23 Under Neff's expert supervision, the golf course construction was moving along by the spring of 1956. Shaping of the greens and fairways was In Its final phase and the grounds were being prepared for planting. The sand traps were formed and the extensive sprinkler system was almost finished. Pumps were installed to draw irrigation water from wells on the property. Additional water rights also appear to have been secured from Weber Creek. Six thousand pounds of grass seed were on hand, ready to be planted using Neff's machine. Construction of the clubhouse was launched in early May.24 Neff and Eliason engaged prominent Salt Lake City architect Theodore R. Pope to design the clubhouse. Pope presented them with plans for a long, low building In a style that became known as Mid-Century Modern. A terrace on the eastern side would hold the swimming pool. The construction contract was awarded to the Salt Lake City firm of Williams and Peterson Construction, whose president just happened to be Sidney Eliason. The building Included a dining room,locker rooms, a bar, entertainment rooms, and a golf shop. Largefloor-toceiling windows along the eastern elevation provided panoramic views of the golf course and Wasatch Range to the east.25 One of the pioneering features of the Oakridge Country Club was that it made accommodations from the very beginning for a new piece of equipment that was starting to appear on golf courses: the golf cart, commonly known at the time as a "caddie cart." Prior to the mld-1950s, players walked the courses and either carried their clubs themselves or hired caddies to do so. However, in the postwar era mechanized carts began to appear on the market that allowed players to ride instead of walk. Forward-looking golf courses began to provide carts for rent, with the cost typically low enough that they were no more expensive than hiring a caddie. At Oakridge, golf carts were provided and space for storage was incorporated into the design of the clubhouse.26 By mid-summer 1956, the final touches were being put on the course and clubhouse. The membership drive had approached its halfway mark and a barbeque picnic was held to welcome the members and give them their first look at the club. Play had not started because the grass needed to mature a bit more so It would not be damaged. Around the first of August, the greens received their initial trimming and limited play began on nine holes later that month.27 The formal opening of Oakridge Country Club took place in the second half of September and was marked by a three-day event that included not only golf, but also dinners, entertainment and dancing in the new clubhouse for members and their guests. The course was used through the fall until snow and cold weather arrived, forcing it to be closed for the winter. However, during the winter months the clubhouse continued to host dinners, social functions and holiday events.28 When the course was completed and opened for play, it was covered with grass but barren of trees and other greenery. In the spring and summer of 1957, Neff oversaw the installation of numerous trees and shrubs across the site. A lengthy list of these plants was presented in his landscape plan presented to the board that April. More trees were added in the 1960s through fundraising drives. While further analysis would be necessary to determine which of these plantings are still present, Neff's overall landscape plan remains intact today and the many mature trees there date back to the course's early period of development.29 Neff's expertise In maintaining the site was respected by the club's early managers and board of directors, and he not only remained a member but was retained for years as a technical advisor. The August 1961 edition of 23 -Mears Signs as Pro for Farmington Club,' Deseret News, 29 February 1956. 24 ·Oakridge Country Club: Promise ofa Miracle,' Seft Leke Tribune, 8 April 1956, p. 60 ; ' Oak Ridge Begins Work on Modem Club House," Seft Leke Tribune, 8 May 1956, p. 22. 25 ·New 18-Hole Golf Course Gets Under Way Near Lagoon in Davis County," Deseret News, circa early July 1955; ·Oak Ridge Begins Work on Modem Club House,' Seft Leke Tribune, 8 May 1956, p. 22. 26 "Oakridge Country Club: Promise of a Miracle," Seft Leke Tribune, 8 April 1956, p. 60; Clubhouse Plan, Theodore R. Pope, Architect, William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Working Files, Box 11 . 27 ·Oak Ridge Golf, Country Club Holds First Official Function," Deseret News, circa July 1956; "First Cutting Given Oak Ridge Course,' Deseret News, circa 1 August 1956 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11 ). 28 "Oakridge Country Club Holds Formal Opening," Deseret News, 28 September 1956, p. 12A. 29 Proposed Landscape Plan , Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah, Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, Apnl 1957, William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10; Proposed Landscaping Plan, No. 17 Hole, Oakridge CountryClIb, Farmington, Utah, Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, no date, William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. the club's monthly newsletter, The Oakridger, featured a front-page tribute to William H. Neff, stating that "Oakridge was not another golf course - It was his masterpiece, built with his hands and sweat for the enjoyment of people for years to come." 30 Looking back at his long career years later when he had reached his early nineties, Neff recalled that the Oakridge Country Club was one of two courses he designed that gave him the greatest sense of satisfaction and prlde.31 Throughout the almost sixty years that have passed since Oakridge Country Club opened, it has attracted several generations of members who enjoyed the facility year-round and still enjoy it today. Neff and Eliason's vision for the course succeeded. The layout and design prepared and constructed by Neff and Bell has endured. And the landscaping conceived and Installed by Neff has matured and brought tremendous beauty to the site, providing a lush environment In which to play golf, dine in the clubhouse and swim in the pool. By the early 1980s, the club had hosted four Utah Opens and twenty-seven Invltatlonals, and it Is stili hailed today as an excellent course for players of any ability. The only substantial change there occurred In 2005, when Theodore Pope's original clubhouse was demolished and replaced. 30 "Respectful Salute to William H. Neff," The Oakridger, August 1961 . 31 Mike Sorensen, ·Utah's Greens-Sleeves," Deseret News, 19 August 1998, Accessed Online at www.deseretnews.com. Farmington. Davis County, Utah OAKRIDGE COUNTRY CLUB HISTORICAL RESOURCE ANALYSIS prepared for Trileaf Environmental & Property Consultants 10845 Olive Boulevard, Suite 260 St. Louis, MO 63141 completed by Ron Sladek Tatanka Historical Associates, Inc. P.O. Box 1909 Fort Collins, CO 80522 [e-mail] 970.221.1095 30 October 2015 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. P.O. Box 1909 Fort Collins, Colorado 80522 [e-mail] 970.221.1095 30 October 2015 Trileaf Environmental & Property Consultants 10845 Olive Boulevard, Suite 260 St. Louis, MO 63141 Project: Oakridge Country Club (Trileaf Site Number 619499) Section 106 Historical Resource Analysis To Whom It May Concern: Tatanka Historical Associates has completed its work on the Oakridge Country Club in Farmington, Davis County, Utah. This project builds upon the Class III Cultural Resource Inventory produced by USU Archeological Services in August 2015. Tatanka's scope of work was directed by industry best practices and by Utah State Historic Preservation Office guidelines for site documentation. The purpose of this effort was to complete all of the necessary intensive-level fieldwork, research, and written documentation to support Trileaf and Verizon Wireless in their compliance with Federal Communications Commission rules and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. To achieve this goal, numerous hours were spent at the site and in archives in Logan and Salt Lake City. Additional research has been completed online. The field documentation and archival research support the Section 106 analysis, which is found in this report and its accompanying work products. Sincerely, 12- D. Sty Ron Sladek President Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Background ........................................................................................................1 Environmental Setting ....................................................................................................2 Figure 1 Site Location Maps ...................................................................................................3 Field Documentation .......................................................................................................4 Figures 2 & 3 Views of the Oakridge Golf Course .......................................................................5 Archival Research ...........................................................................................................8 Historic Context ...............................................................................................................9 Conclusions ....................................................................................................................24 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................26 Appendix A: Views of the Verizon Site .....................................................................31 Appendix B: Historic Images of the Clubhouse ......................................................33 Appendix C: Neff Landscape Plan for No. 17 Hole ...............................................34 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 1 PROJECT BACKGROUND This project originated in the summer of 2015, when USU Archeological Services Inc. (USUAS) of Logan, Utah was engaged by Trileaf Environmental & Property Consultants (Trileaf) of St. Louis, Missouri for the completion of a historical documentation and analysis effort. The need for the project arose from Trileafs management of environmental compliance for the Verizon Wireless SAL Oakridge CC SC Communication Facility ("Verizon Facility") to be constructed on the grounds of the Oakridge Golf Course in Farmington, Utah. In August 2015, USUAS submitted its report to Trileaf with a finding of no historic properties within the Direct Area of Potential Effect (APE) and no adverse effect within the Visual APE of one-half mile from the proposed tower site. The documentation was forwarded to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the permitting agency, to ensure compliance with its tower and antenna siting rules (47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1301-1.1319). In accordance with its standard operating procedures, the FCC shared this material with the Utah State Historic Preservation Office (UTSHPO) with a request for comment. The state agency responded that the Oakridge Country Club was constructed more than fifty years ago and should be evaluated further in terms of whether the proposed Verizon Facility might result in an adverse effect. To achieve this new goal, USUAS contacted Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. (Tatanka), its associate based in Fort Collins, Colorado. The firm specializes in the documentation and analysis of historic sites of all types, at locations Tatanka president and principal throughout the western United States. consultant Ron Sladek was asked to complete the more intensive work at the Oakridge Country Club since it required evaluation as a historic designed landscape. Notification to proceed was provided on 11 September 2015, and work has continued through the present time. Documentation and reporting for this project were designed to comply with the current UTSHPO standard operating procedures for intensive level survey. The historic resource under study was also evaluated in light of the integrity guidelines and significance criteria established by the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). More about these guiding factors is found in the Conclusions section below. The project site is clearly defined by its legal boundaries and is visually evident in the form of the oountry club and its associated golf course. No effort was made to re-evaluate other historic properties within one-half mile of the proposed Verizon Facility, a topic that was adequately addressed by USUAS in its recent report. With this in mind, the scope of work for the Oakridge Country Club project was defined by the following tasks: Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 2 I. Completion of Fieldwork - Fieldwork was completed at the site to document existing historic and non-historic features, including buildings, structures, and the designed landscape. These were photographed and field notes were taken to record the various details found there. II. Archival Research - Archival research was completed to collect all of the necessary information about the Oakridge Country Club, including its designed and built characteristics, and any substantial changes that have taken place there. Additional information was collected to develop contextual history, specifically on the subjects of post-WWII development in the site area and the growth of golf as a recreational activity. While some records were found online, others were located in the State Archives in Salt Lake City and at Utah State University in Logan. III. Preparation & Submission of Deliverables - Written documentation was completed to present the results of the fieldwork and research. In addition to this report, a site form that complies with UTSHPO standards was prepared for the property. Additional materials required by UTSHPO include photographs, a site diagram, and a site map. Work on the project commenced in mid-September with the completion of preliminary online research about the site along with preparation for the field trip. Ron Sladek traveled to Utah in early October to begin the field documentation and research, all of which took place in Farmington, Logan and Salt Lake City. Since that time, he has been engaged in additional online research and writing to prepare the deliverables for the project. This report, the site form, and the accompanying black and white photographs are the result of this process. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING The Oakridge County Club is located about halfway between Farmington and Kaysville in Davis County, Utah. The area originally developed as a quiet agricultural district during the mid-1800s, with the county seat situated in Farmington, and remained so well into the twentieth century. Since the 1940s, more intensive development and population growth suburbanized much of the countryside outside of the towns as it evolved into a bedroom community for nearby Ogden to the north and Salt Lake City to the south. (see Figure 1, Site Location Maps) Situated along the Wasatch Front, the Oakridge Country Club rests on the narrow plain that is bordered by the mountains just over one mile to the east and Great Salt Lake about two miles to the west. Passing through this tight area from north to south are several transportation corridors, including Interstate 15, US Highway 89, State Highway 106, and the historic lines of the Union Pacific Railroad, Utah Central Railroad, and Utah Division of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. Several of these routes converge just north of the site at North Farmington Junction. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 3 Figure 1 Site Location Maps .../-.- .l'~/ ~Oij 11 { { ·:•• · I Oakrld9" ~ Country Club -+ USGS Kaysville, Utah 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle 1955 ,, \ 5 -- \ •• ___ __" •• 'I..~~.", ,• I -'l _. ;.._lo:~~ USGS Farmington, Utah 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle 1952 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 4 Several natural drainages exit the mountains and run southwest to terminate in Great Salt Lake. Closest to the site under study is Haight Creek, which passes the country club to the northwest and west. A smaller watercourse known as Shepard Creek runs through the golf course from north to south, connecting with the ponds located there. Also bisecting the course is Shepard Lane, a paved east-west local thoroughfare that provides access to the area's neighborhoods. The Oakridge Country Club is bordered in all directions by single-family homes that have been developed over the past fifty years . . FIELD DOCUMENTATION Fieldwork was completed at the Oakridge Country Club. on 4 October 2015, a day with clear weather when the landscaped grounds and other site characteristics were completely visible. Ron Sladek of Tatanka Historical Associates visited the historic property to document its features and evaluate its integrity in light of the seven aspects of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association, as defined by the National Register of Historic Places. Photographs and field notes were collected, and an interview was completed with longtime golf pro Rick Mears. (see Figures 2 & 3, Views of the Oakridge Goff Course) With an address of 1492 Shepard Lane, the Oakridge Country Club is situated at an elevation of approximately 4,260'-4,280' above sea level and may also be described as located in the SE% of Section 11 and the NE% of Section 14, Township 3 North-Range 1 West of the Salt Lake Meridian. It essentially sits within the angled V that is formed by the intersection to the southeast of Interstate 15 and US Highway 89. Topography on the 96.69-acre site is rolling, with a general down-gradient slope toward the south. The highest point within the country club appears to be where the clubhouse sits northeast of the intersection of Shepard Lane and North 1500 West. This provides visitors with a panoramic view of the Wasatch Range that dominates the entire skyline to the east. The expansive dubhouse on the site today, including its large swimming pool, is not the first to be located there. This modem building is only a decade old and replaced the original clubhouse that was constructed in the mid-1950s on the same spot. Except for the clubhouse and a maintenance facility next to the number 15 tee (south of Shepard Lane), the rest of the property is occupied by the eighteenhole golf course. These grounds include characteristics that are typical of most golf courses, among them tees, fairways, greens, bunkers, paved cart trails, water features (see cover photo), a driving range, a putting green, and a chipping green. Carefully groomed grass carpets the site, with numerous mature trees lining the fairways. While many of these trees are conifers, the course also holds oaks, weeping willows, ash, elm, gambrel oak, and a few fruit trees. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 5 Figure 2 Views of the Oakridge Country Club East Side of the Clubhouse View to the Northwest Number 1 Tee and Fai rway View to the Northeast Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 6 Figure 3 Views of the Oakridge Country Club Number 18 Green and Fairway View to the East-Southeast Typical Green and Bunker Arrangement· Number 9 Hole View to the Southeast Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 7 The historic designed landscape that makes the Oakridge Country Club a unique place is evident throughout the site. Its most fundamental characteristic, which served as the basis for the entire design, is the natural lay of the land. The landscape architects who designed this course essentially shaped it from the existing rolling terrain. Although the original clubhouse is no longer present, it was clearly sited atop the course's high point to take advantage of the panoramic views to the northeast, east and southeast. A number of the fairways, especially on holes 1, 4, 6, 10 and 18, were aligned with views in mind, as were the placement of the driving range and putting green. Because of its natural slopes, most of the course's higher areas offer mountain views. Other character-defining features of the golf course that have survived to the present time include the arrangement and layout of its carefully planned tees, fairways and greens; the placement of bunkers and water features in specifically chosen locations (half a dozen small ponds are present); the expanse of grass and long rows of trees lining the mostly straight fairways; and the purposeful lack of rough that might interrupt play. The greens themselves are all relatively round with slight pitches. Except for the ponds, all of the hazards (in this case trees and bunkers) are situated to the sides of the fairways and greens. Most of the bunkers are located aside the greens and are oval or kidney-shaped. During the several decades after the golf course was developed in the mid1950s, few substantial changes took place other than allowing the landscape to mature. Starting in the 1980s, a small number of alterations were made that adapted the course to changing times. The first of these involved tiering the originally flat tees to include levels for ladies and juniors play. A very small number of bunkers were added to some of the fairways. Finally, the paved cart paths were developed as players increasingly adopted the use of carts rather than employing caddies and walking the courses (carts were introduced in the 1960s).1 Other than these items and replacement of the clubhouse in 2005, the Oakridge Country Club has remained largely intact from its period of development and first decade of use prior to fifty years ago. Approximately 700' northeast of the clubhouse is a small grounds maintenance area surrounded by trees and shrubs. This is the planned location of a new Verizon Wireless facility that will include a 30'-tall monopole, atop which will be a single antenna. Adjacent to the tower, the company wants to construct a small equipment cabinet and an electrical transformer. While the surrounding landscaping and low berming will hide the lowest part of these features from view, much of the monopole will be visible from all directions. The question of whether this structure will result in an adverse effect to the historic Oakridge Country Club triggered the need for additional review and is the subject of this study. (see Appendix A for views of the potentia/Impact area.) These changes were detailed during a 4 October 2015 interview at the site with golf pro Rick Mears, who has been working there since his childhood. His father, Russ Mears, was the original golf pro when the club opened in the mid-1950s. 1 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 8 ARCHIVAL RESEARCH Once the fieldwork at the Oakridge Country Club was completed, the project required archival research to expand understanding of the site and its context. Typically, any project of this kind involves an initial search of SHPO records to determine whether the site under study has already been documented. By the time Tatanka was brought into the project in September, USUAS had already completed a file search in the UTSHPO records for its August 2015 Class III Cultural Resource Inventory. That search yielded no record of previous documentation at the Oakridge Country Club. Archival research was launched for the project, with the bulk of this taking place on 5-6 October 2015 in Logan and Salt Lake City. The first location visited was the Special Collections and Archives division of the Merrill-Cazier Library at Utah State University in Logan. This archive holds the professional papers of landscape architect William H. Neff, who was integral to the design and development of Oakridge Country Club in the 1950s. The collection, which consists of 25 boxes and 121 plan tubes, covers Neffs entire career and provided a good deal of helpful information about the club's early years. Found -among the materials were design plans, working papers and newspaper clippings for Oakridge Country Club dating from the 1950s. Also of great utility were numerous editions of the club's monthly newsletter, The Oakridger, with almost every issue available from 1961 into the 1980s. In addition to providing articles about the club and its early development, the newsletter was published with many photographs. The second source of information visited was the Utah State Archives in Salt Lake City, which serves as the primary location of historic records in the state. This extensive repository and library provided much valuable information for this project. Included among the records there were published works on the history of Farmington and Davis County, city directories, and biographical information on Sidney H. Eliason, Neffs partner in the club's development. Over the past few weeks, additional research has been completed online to add to the materials collected in area archives. This has included the location of biographical records about the lives of Neff, Eliason and golf course architect William P. Bell. More information was also found about the historic context, including area history and the history of golf course development in Utah during the post-WWII decades. While much has been found about the club and its history, this project was not meant to be exhaustive and additional records are likely to be available. The results of the research are presented in the following narrative and were used to evaluate the site's integrity and significance. This information also came into play when determining whether the planned Verizon Wireless communication facility will result in an adverse effect to the historic Oakridge Country Club. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 9 HISTORIC CONTEXT The history and significance of Oakridge Country Club is tied to the rapid growth and development that occurred along the Wasatch Front north of Salt Lake City during World War II and the decade that followed. Through this period, Utah's population skyrocketed, the automobile reshaped the landscape, and suburban development proceeded at a rapid pace. These factors and others shepherded the state, and in this case Davis County, into the modern era and laid the groundwork for the mid-1950s development of Oakridge Country Club. The Pioneer and Settlement Era (circa 1848.1899): The first human inhabitants of the area that became Davis County were the generations of Native Americans who traveled along the shores of the Great Salt Lake and hunted among the nearby plains and mountains. Between the 1820s and 1840s, occasional fur trappers and explorers began to arrive there as Euro-American civilization pushed northward and westward across the frontier. Not long after the Mormons arrived and founded Salt Lake City, pioneers began to move north along the Wasatch Front. Recognizing that the fertile plain between the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Lake was ideal for agriculture, they established subsistence farms and began raising cattle there in the late 1840s. Davis County was established in 1850 with the creation of the Utah Territory, and at the time was sparsely occupied by around 1,134 residents. Because much of the county was made up of steep mountainsides and the lake, its habitable area was limited to the narrow strip between these two landforms (around Farmington and Kaysville it is only three miles wide). At least five primary creeks drained from the mountains, providing irrigation water that supported the development of farms. Among the pioneers were Hector and Julia Haight, for whom Haight Creek was named (this runs close to Oakridge Country Club ).2 During the 1850s and 1860s, small towns emerged from the clusters of family and friends that had settled to farm along area creeks. These market centers took on names such as Bountiful, Centerville, Kaysville and Layton. Farmington became the county seat in 1852 and was incorporated forty years later. 3 The Latter-day Saints church, headquartered in Salt Lake City, aided organization of the area by encouraging and supporting both civil and ecclesiastical development. By 1870, the small county's population had risen to 4,459.4 Although Davis County was thriving, the area between Farmington and Kaysville remained predominantly rural well into the following century. And while the towns grew and became socially and economically diverse, the number of people residing in the area continued to be relatively low. Glen M. Leonard, A History of Davis County, Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, Davis County Commission, 1999, p. 18-21 . 3 "Historic Farmington," City of Farmington, Historic Preservation CommiSSion, Located Online on 2 October 2015 at www.farmington.utah.gov. 4 Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 21-35. 2 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 10 Early Leisure and Recreation: Between the 1850s and 1880s, leisure time for rural and small town residents in Davis County was primarily occupied by community activities such as dances, parties, lectures, musical and theater performances, and both secular and religious holiday celebrations. Gatherings usually took place in private homes or community halls. Outdoor recreational opportunities increased throughout this period to include bicycling, picnics, winter sledding, skating and sleighing, wildflower excursions, soaking in area hot springs, and swimming and boating at resorts that were established along the eastern and southern shores of the Great Salt Lake. s Starting around the mid-1880s and extending into the early decades of the next century, leisure activities became more commercialized due to a prospering economy that provided a little extra money and more time to relax. During this same period, rural youth started to become interested in urban lifestyles and values, technology made advances in entertainment, and improved roads and trolley lines began to provide easier access to recreational activities. The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw the advent and popularization of moving pictures, restaurant dining, vaudeville theaters, and entertainment resorts. 6 In 1896, Salt Lake City businessman Simon Bamberger gave regional residents a new opportunity for recreation when he opened the Lagoon Resort near Farmington. Eager to attract riders along the struggling interurban electric trolley line he had established four years earlier between Salt Lake City and Ogden, Bamberger developed the landscaped resort to include a softball field, bicycle racetrack, horse racetrack, concert and dance pavilion, freshwater swimming pool, gardens with walking paths, a restaurant, an eight-acre boating pond, and picniC grounds. Before long, the facility added rides and other attractions that turned it into a modem amusement park. 7 Sports also gained ground during this period of increasing leisure, and they attracted both participants and spectators. Baseball became popular in the 1880s, with fields developed and teams assembled in each community, often sponsored by local businesses. Bicycle riding and racing emerged from the nationwide obsession with newfangled contraptions. Another activity that appeared at the time was basketball, which started out as a fun game to play on the farm or city street, but quickly morphed into a competitive team sport. Bowling alleys and roller-skating rinks were also built in towns large and smal1.8 These various activities reflected the growth of discretionary funds and leisure Knowlton, George Quincy. A Brief History of Farmington, Utah. Kaysville, UT: Inland Printing, 1965, p. 15. 6 Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 293. 7 Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 283 & 299-300; 'Preserve America Community: Farmington, Utah," Preserve America, Accessed Online at www.preserveamerica .gov on 2 October 2015. 8 Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 294-295. 5 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 11 time enjoyed by Utah citizens during the era, along with a developing interest in living a vigorous lifestyle that extended beyond the necessities of work. Davis County in the Twentieth Century: During the first four decades of the twentieth century, Davis County's towns grew while the surrounding Its residents countryside remained rooted in the agricultural economy. participated in World War I, a time when area farms flourished. Agriculture slumped nationwide following the war, which proved a challenge to both farms and local businesses. During the 1920s, the roads in Davis County's small towns were paved and new schools were built. Although the Depression of the 1930s brought unemployment, dislocation and suffering on a nationwide basis, the state and federal government stepped in with numerous projects that put people back to work and improved the infrastructure and economy. These included the construction of public buildings, highways, bridges, and muniCipal water supply and treatment systems. Also completed were flood control and conservation projects along the Wasatch Front.9 By 1940, only around 16,000 persons lived in all of Davis County, although this was about to change dramatically as World War II spurred the development of military installations. 10 In 1936, Congress passed the nation's largest peacetime defense appropriation due to concerns about rising militarism in Europe and Asia. As the United States supported its allies and prepared for direct involvement in the looming conflict overseas, Davis County began to see the results of this massive increase in federal spending. Hill Field was established in the northern area of the county and by 1943 had become the largest employer in the state of Utah. During World War II, this facility served as a primary Army Air Force maintenance and supply base, employing as many as 22,000 military and civilian personnel. 11 In addition to Hill Field itself, the county held the Ogden Arsenal at Sunset, the Ogden Air Materiel Command (located at Hill Field), and the US Naval Supply Depot at Clearfield, all of which were expanded during the war. These facilities operated as supply depots that shipped military necessities throughout the world. The Air Materiel Command was responsible for the repair of aircraft and related equipment that were returned to active service. In 1948, Hill Field was renamed Hill Air Force Base and it has continued to serve the US Air Force in its mission through both peacetime and a number of foreign wars. World War II and the growth of military installations changed Davis County forever as they caused its population to rapidly increase. Wartime spending also led to prosperity through the creation of thousands of both military and civilian jobs that finally pulled the county out of the Depression. 12 Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 312-329. US Decennial Census Records, US Census Bureau, Davis County, Utah, 1850-1940. 11 Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 333. 12 Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 332-338. 9 10 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 12 America's booming economy combined with its renewed love affair with the automobile to spur additional change in Davis County during the post-WWII years. Although at somewhat reduced levels of activity and employment, the military installations continued to operate and provided thousands of good-paying jobs. The presence of federal employees and returning veterans eager to start families began to turn the county's small towns and rural areas into bedroom communities for nearby Ogden and Salt Lake City. New neighborhoods, schools, public facilities and commercial developments appeared almost overnight. Suburban subdivisions and shopping centers replaced cropfields and pastures. Modern roads and highways, including US Highway 89 and Interstate 15, were constructed during the 1950s and 1960s to accommodate traffic and aid area development. Substantial growth continued throughout the remaining decades of the twentieth century as development radically changed the agricultural countryside. Between 1940 and 1950, Davis County's population grew from 15,784 to 30,867. Over the next ten years, it doubled again to 64,750 citizens. This rapid increase during the 1950s made Davis County one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. Over the following decades, its population continued to grow by more than forty thousand every ten years. This was caused by an influx of new residents combined with a high birth rate. By 2010, Davis County had more than 306,000 citizens, making it the third most populous county in Utah despite the fact that much of its surface area is occupied by water and mountainous terrain. 13 During this same period, many of the area's towns were transformed from small rural communities surrounded by farms and agricultural fields into municipalities surrounded by suburban development. In 1920, Farmington had a population of 1,170 and nearby Kaysville held just 809 residents. Kaysville passed the 2,500 mark in the early 1950s and Farmington in 1970. What these numbers don't reflect are the many development projects that added population to the unincorporated areas of the county just outside of town limits. Growth in the southern area of the county was pushed along due to its proximity to Salt Lake City, and Farmington and Kaxsville and the surrounding areas became bedroom . communities for commuters.1 In the immediate postwar era, Davis County residents were settling in to the new reality of modern America, a prosperous economic powerhouse that had emerged victorious from the world war as the globe's leading democracy and engine of technology and manufacturing. It seemed that the crucible of Depression and war had caused everything to change, and Utah's citizens forged ahead with optimism and a desire to both work hard and play hard. US Decennial Census Records, US Census Bureau, Davis County, Utah, 1950-2010; "Historic Farmington,· City of Farmington, Historic Preservation Commission, Located Online on 2 October 2015 at www.farmington.utah.gov; Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 358-359. 14 Leonard, A History of Davis County, p. 360-361. 13 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 13 The Sport of Golf in Utah: While Davis County residents basked in the benefits of postwar peace, stability and economic growth, the growing community was eager to take advantage of new opportunities in entertainment and recreation. Among the many leisure activities that became more widely available was the sport of golf. Golf had been around in the United States for generations prior to the twentieth century. However, it wasn't until 1906 that the first modern course was constructed in Utah. What emerged that year was the privately owned 9-hole Salt Lake Country Club (this was deeded to Salt Lake Ci~ in 1924 and converted into the municipally-owned Forest Dale Golf Course). 5 A small number of additional private clubs were developed over the following years. These included the Ogden Country Club (1914), The Country Club in Salt Lake City (1921), the Copper Club in Magna (1926), and the Logan Country Club (1931). All of the private clubs were developed by groups of prominent citizens who pooled their resources to raise the necessary funds. Membership was limited to those fortunate enough to have financial means and social standing. 16 However, the sport of golf also attracted those who weren't wealthy. Responding to growing interest in the sport and the need for recreational facilities that would be open to the public, the two largest municipalities in Utah jumped into the development of courses. In 1922, Salt Lake City developed the Nibley Park Golf Course, the first of its kind in the state. After purchasing the Salt Lake Country Club two years later, in 1929 the city proceeded to develop the first nine holes of the Bonneville Golf Course. The City of Opden responded with a public course of its own, the 1930 EI Monte Golf Course. 1 The Depression reached its worst years in the early 1930s, forcing golf course development to a complete halt. However, the existing courses continued to be played as Utahns turned to recreational activities as an escape from the harsh realities of the Depression, even for just a few hours at a time. The development of new courses would have to wait many years as the country struggled to survive its economic difficulties and then headed off to war. During the years immediately following World War II, as the nation worked to get back onto a peacetime economic footing, the only course to be developed in the state was the Oquirrh Hills Golf Course in Tooele (1948). The following two decades saw an increase in golf course construction across Utah as the economy boomed and the sport attracted new players. Interest rose in the development of both public courses and private clubs. In the 1950s, the Nate Crippes and Sheri Murray Ellis. Salt lake Country Club & Golf Course. National Register Nomination. 16 April 2015 . 16 Jim Rayburn. "The Course of Golf in Utah; Deseret News. 19 June 1994; ·Course listing," Utah Golf Association. Accessed Online at www.uga.org on 7 October 2015. 17 Ibid. 15 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 14 following courses were constructed during the first post-war phase of intensive development: • • • • • • • • Meadow Brook Golf Course, Salt Lake City, UT (1951, municipal) Carbon Country Club, Helper, UT (1954, public) Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, UT (1956, private) Ben Lomond Golf Course, Ogden, UT (1956, municipal) Willow Creek Country Club, Sandy, UT (1957, private) Alpine Country Club, Highland, UT (1958, private) Hidden Valley Country Club, Sandy, UT (1958, private) Rose Park Golf Course, Salt Lake City, UT (1959, municipal) During the 1960s and 1970s, the development of golf courses in Utah shifted heavily in favor of public facilities. At least thirty-four public courses were constructed, along with just three private ones. 18 This suggests that golf had become not only popularized, but also democratized, as it was made accessible to the average citizen and not just those who were well-heeled and members of the right economic and social class. The number of private clubs has remained relatively low through the present time, although a few additional facilities were developed between the 1980s and 201 Os. Golf Course Developers and Landscape Architects: As Davis County experienced an economic boom and tremendous population growth during the decade following World War II, interest in golf also increased. Conditions for the development of a golf course near Farmington coalesced during the mid-1950s, when a move was made to develop a private club in the area. Spearheading this effort, which led to development of the Oakridge Country Club, were prominent Salt Lake City businessman Sidney H. Eliason and landscape architect William H. Neff. . Sidney Howard Eliason was bom in 1902 (possibly in Idaho) and spent his early years on his family's cattle ranch near Snowville in northern Utah's Curlew Valley north of the Great Salt Lake. His father August died in 1904, leaving his wife Emma to raise their six children. By 1910 she was still residing there with just two children left in the house, the young Sidney and his older sister Mattie. Ten years later, the three were living in a rented house in Brigham City. How Emma made a living to support her family is unknown, although it may have been through the efforts of her children. Sidney thrived in Brigham City, where he attended high school and became class president as well as a star athlete. 19 18 Ibid. (Dates of construction on a small number of the courses listed by the Utah Golf Association were not provided and proved difficult to find, so these numbers may be Slightly incomplete.) . 19 Sidney Eliason, US Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Born 11 March 1902, Died 31 May 1964; US Census Records for Sidney Howard Eliason, 1910 (Curlew Precinct, Box Elder County, UT) and 1920 (Brigham City, Box Elder County, UT) (Sidney appeared in these records as Howard S. Eliason); Obituary of Leota Arline Jenson Eliason, Deseret News, 23 October 1990. Tatanka Historical ASSOCiates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 15 Following high school, Sidney attended the LDS Business College in Salt Lake City and took correspondence courses in law and engineering. In 1925, he married Leota Jenson in Brigham City and the couple moved to Portland, Oregon and then Los Angeles, California. After a couple of years they returned to Utah and settled in Salt Lake City, where Sidney took a sales job with the United States Gypsum Company. Although the position required travel throughout the western states, his career thrived and by the late 1930s he had risen to company manager. Sidney continued in this position into the early 1940s before launching several businesses of his own.20 By the early 1950s, Sidney's career was thriving and he had become president of the Western Gypsum Company and chairman of the Pioneer Wholesale Supply Company. Over the following decade his involvement with numerous other businesses enterprise multiplied. These included leadership positions with the following commercial and industrial entities in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming: • • • • • • • • • Chairman, Western States Refining Company President, Williams & Peterson Construction Company President, Beeline Refining Company Executive Vice-President, Frontier Refining Company President, Big Hom Gypsum Company President, Utah-Atlas Corporation Board of Directors, Tracy-Collins Bank & Trust Company Board of Directors, Surety Life Insurance Company Board of Directors, Commercial Security Bank (Ogden) Recognized for his business success, Sidney was recruited to serve as president of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and spent nine years on the board of directors of the Utah Manufacturers Association. In 1961, he accepted an appointment to the board of trustees of Utah State University in Logan, where he served on the athletics and building committees. 21 As Sidney's career brought financial success and stability to his family during the late 1940s and 1950s, they joined several area country clubs. Before long, he was installed as president of the Salt Lake Country Club and Leota became active in the Women's Golf Association. His interest in golf led Sidney to the development of the Oakridge Country Club in Farmington during the mid-1950s, although he did so with an active partner in the enterprise.22 "Sid Eliason Heads Several Companies:' USU Siaff News, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 16 April 1962; State of Utah, Select County Marriages (1887-1937), Records for Marriage of Sidney Howard Eliason and Leota Arline Jenson, 3 September 1925; Salt Lake City Directories, Listings for Sidney and Leota Eliason, 1928-1942; US Census Records for Sidney Howard Eliason, 1930 and 1940 (Salt Lake City, UT). 21 Salt Lake City Directories, Listings for Sidney and Leota Eliason, 1953-1960; Obituary of Leota Arline Jenson Eliason, Deseret News, 23 October 1990; "Sid Eliason Heads Several Companies," USU Staff News, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 16 April 1962. 22 Obituary of Leota Arline Jenson Eliason, Deseret News, 23 October 1990. ?O Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 16 Deseret News, 29 September 1956 William Henrichsen Neff was born in 1905 in Salt Lake City and spent most of his life in the Holladay area, where his family had settled during the late 1800s (nearby Neff Canyon was named for them). His father, who appears to have owned a butcher shop called Holladay Market, died of influenza during the 1918 epidemic, leaving his wife to raise their six children. As a teenager, William worked at a local plant nursery and probably helped his mother run the store.23 In 1925, William established the Mount Olympus Nursery in Holladay, which he owned and operated for the next seventy years. He attended the University of Utah around that same time, majoring in art and botany because there was no program in landscape architecture. William then took correspondence courses from the American Landscape School in Des Moines, Iowa and received his degree in 1929.24 William Henrichsen Neff, Certificate of Birth, State of Utah, 22 September 1905; William Cyrus Neff, Death Certificate, State of Utah, 13 December 1918; US Census Records for William Henrichsen Neff, 1910 (Big Cottonwood District, Salt Lake County, UT) and 1920 (Holladay, Salt Lake County, UT). 24 "Biographical Note," William H. Neff Architectural Papers (1929-2001), Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives. (The Mount Olympus Nursery was named for the prominent Wasatch Range mountain that dominated the skyline above Neffs longtime home and nursery in Holladay, Utah.) 23 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 17 The following year, William launched a landscape architecture practice, just as the nation was headed into the Depression. Despite the widespread economic malaise, he secured a series of residential contracts that together with his nursery kept him afloat. William was also engaged to work on the development of Fairmont Park in Salt Lake City, along with other projects supported by federal funding. In the 1940s, he completed landscaping projects for the coal mining towns of Dragerton and Sunnydale, both located in Carbon County, Utah. It was during that period that William developed and patented a turf-planting machine that he used for years afterwards on various landscaping projects.25 In 1952, the Salt Lake Country Club engaged William to complete a substantial overhaul of its golf course. This brought him together with prominent Pasadena, California golf course architect William P. Bell, who by that time had developed a lengthy career designing numerous courses along the west coast, most of them in California. 26 Neff probably worked as construction superintendent on the project, and the collaboration secured his reputation in Utah as an expert in landscape architecture and golf course design. After Bell died in 1953, Neff spent the next decade collaborating with his son, William F. Bell, on as many as eight golf course projects in Utah. Bell Jr. graduated from the University of Southern California and then joined his father's design firm following World War II. With his father as mentor and partner, Bell Jr. collaborated on the design of numerous courses and quickly rose to a position of prominence in the field. Today he is credited with the design of as many as one hundred of the finest golf courses spread across the western United States.27 In addition to golf courses, William Neff was engaged to complete residential, commercial and government landscaping projects, including some for the National Park Service. In the mid-1960s, the Salt Lake City directories began listing him as a landscape and golf course architect. In 1967, he was joined in his firm by landscape architect William Howard Neff, who was not related but shared a similar name that led to confusion in the literature about these two men. Their collaboration lasted until 1981, when the younger Neff started his own design firm. During their years together, they completed projects on a number of golf courses in Utah, Idaho, Arizona and other states.28 Ibid.; Salt Lake City Directory, William H. Neff, 1928 (he was listed that year as a gardener); US Census Record for William H. Neff, 1930 (Holladay, UT); "New Method Applied to Planting Greens," Deseret News, 26 October 1955. 26 Ibid.; Although he entered the field of golf course design in the 1910s and 1920s, William P. Bell became pro .....i...tt ... l .:sS .:sf! inuttptmdttul goU course architect starting in the early 1930s. Over the next twenty years, he was one of the most prolific designers in the western United States and was responsible for what are today some of the region's finest historic golf courses. 27 "Bell Legacy" and "William F. Bell Courses," William Bell Society, Accessed Online at www.williambellsociety.wordpress.com on 27 October 2015. (Some sources report that the father and son team designed as many as 400 golf courses throughout the western United States, including California, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Hawaii.) 28 "Biographical Note," William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives; Salt Lake City Suburban Directories, 1965-1981. 25 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 18 As his career matured, William Henrichsen Neff became an avid golfer and was involved in various civic affairs. In Salt Lake City, he served as president of the Holladay Lions Club and was a member of the Sugarhouse Rotary Club. His professional qualifications led him to the presidency of the Utah-Idaho Nurseryman's Association. William was a long-time member of the Red Butte Garden & Arboretum. He became one of the early members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, founded in 1946, and was involved in writing its bylaws. 29 William's long career ended with his death in 2001, and the following year he was inducted into the Utah Golf Association Hall of Fame. 30 During the long course of his career as a golf course designer, landscape architect, nurseryman and construction superintendent, William worked on many courses in Utah (he was also involved in a smaller number in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana). On some projects he served as the landscape architect and on others he was in charge of construction. And while some projects involved designing a course from scratch, at other sites Neff was engaged to redesign or expand existing courses. Among the many Utah golf course projects attributed to William Henrichsen Neff are the following sites, listed in chronological order of their development:31 • • • • • • • • • • • Salt Lake Country Club, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Sr., 1952 remodel) Oakridge Country Club, Farmington (Neff & Bell Jr., 1956) Bonneville Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Jr., 1956 expansion) Alpine Country Club, Highland (Neff & Bell Jr., 1958) Dugway/Frank Skul Golf Course, Dugway (Neff, 1958 military course) Hidden Valley Country Club, Sandy (Neff & Bell Jr., 1958 & 1979 expansion) Rose Park Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Jr., 1960 expansion) Riverside Country Club, Provo (Neff & Bell Jr., 1960) Mountain Dell Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Jr., 1962) Park City Golf Course, Park City (Neff, 1962 original nine holes) Wasatch Mountain State Park Golf Course, Midway (Neff, 1962 & 1966/1972) Neff's involvement may have occurred through the urging and support of William P. Bell, who was one of the ASGCA's founders. 30 "Biographical Note," William H. Neff Architectural Papers (1929-2001), Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives; "William H. Neff," Utah Golf Association, 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee, Accessed Online on 7 October 2015 at www.uga.org. 31 "Biographical Note," William H. Neff Architectural Papers; "Course Listing," Utah Golf Association, Accessed Online at www.uga.org on 7 October 2015. (There seems to be no definitive list of projects completed by William Henrichsen Neff. In addition, there is some confusion in the records between him and his junior partner and colleague, William Howard Neff. The list presented here is derived from several sources, with dates and notations that are as reliable as possible. Those courses developed after the 1970s seem to be primarily attributable to William Howard Neff and are not included.) 29 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 19 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Cottonwood Country Club, Holladay (Neff, 1963 & 1973 remodel) Davis Park Golf Course, Fruit Heights/Kaysville (Neff, 1964 & 1968) Westland Hills Golf Course, South Jordan (Neff, 1967) Cascade Fairways Golf Course, Orem (Neff, 1967) Glenmoore Golf Course, South Jordan (Neff, 1968) Mountain View Golf Course, West Jordan (Neff, 1969) Bloomington Country Club, St. George (Neff, 1969) Sweetwater Golf Course, Bear Lake (Neff, 1971) Stansbury Park Golf Course, Tooele (Neff, 1972) Willow Creek Country Club, Sandy (Neff, 1973 remodel) Majestic Oaks Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff, 1973) Glendale Golf Course, Salt Lake City (Neff & Bell Jr., 1973) Fore Lakes Golf Course, Taylorsville (Neff, 1974) Bountiful Ridge Golf Course, Bountiful (Neff, 1975) St. George Golf Club, St. George (Neff, 1976) What is clear from this list is that William Henrichsen Neff had a substantial impact upon the development of golf courses, and the expansion of golf as a recreational sport, in Utah during the post-World War II decades. Recognizing the important role that he played, in 2002 the Utah Golf Association posthumously inducted him into its Hall of Fame. The organization's webpage on Neff states that he was "the foremost golf course architect in Utah during the first boom of golf course construction .. .from 1950 through 1980.,,32 Development of the Oakridge Country Club: In 1954, Sidney Eliason and William Neff began discussing the need for an 18-hole golf course in the rapidly developing countryside between Ogden and Salt Lake City. What brought them together was their love of golf and membership in the Salt Lake Country Club. The two formed a development partnership and purchased land that Eliason had been keeping an eye on for years in the countryside northwest of Farmington a short distance from Lagoon. In addition to the private club they sought to build there, the two businessmen planned to sell premiere residential lots in subdivisions along the edges of the golf course.33 Eager to raise awareness and attract interest in the project, both from paying members and to sell lots, Eliason and Neff engaged noted California golf course designer William F. Bell to layout the course. This was a natural choice because Neff had recently worked with Bell's father on the remodel of the Salt Lake Country Club. Their successful collaboration on that project allowed Neff, already an experienced IRndscape architect and nursery owner but relatively new to golf course design, to work with the younger Bell on another project in which 32 "William H. Neff," Utah Golf Association, 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee, Accessed Online on 7 October 2015 at www.uga.org. 33 "New Farmington Course Will Click; The Right Men Are Behind It." Deseret News, circa early 1955 (this clipping was found in Box 11 in the William H. Neff Papers at Utah State University); "Salesman's Dream is Golfers Paradise," Deseret News, 29 September 1956. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 20 he was personally invested. In a 1955 article, the Deseret News re~orted that the rolling terrain selected was perfect for the creation of a golf course. While membership in the club gained steam, construction began in the fields north of Shepard Lane during the summer of 1955. Ground was broken that August when an excavator began digging one of the planned ponds. Among those present on the site that day were William F. Bell, William Neff, Sidney Eliason, and engineer Vern Williams.35 According to the development plan, the nine holes there would be seeded and ready for play in the spring of 1956. The remaining holes south of Shepard Lane would be constructed over the following year. Also planned were a clubhouse and swimming pool on the northeast corner of Shepard Lane and the county road that became North 1500 West. Three ponds would provide scenic interest and hazards for the northern nine holes. Early design plans by the architects, along with simplified plans that appeared in the Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune in July 1955, show that the essential layout for the course remains in place today.36 Deseret News, circa early July 1955 34 Ibid.; "New 18-Hole Golf Course Gets Under Way Near Lagoon in Davis County." Deseret News. circa early July 1955. 35 "Construction Begins on New Golf Course." Deseret News. 26 August 1955. 36 ·Owners Reveal Plan for Golf Course in Lagoon Section." Salt Lake Tribune. 23 July 1955; Plan for 18-Hole Golf Course. Oakridge Country Club. Farmington. Utah. Prepared by William F. Bell. Golf Course Architect and William H. Neff. Landscape Architect. circa early 1955. William H. Neff Papers. Utah State UniverSity. Plan Tube 10; Proposed Site & Land Development Plan. Oakridge Country Club. Farmington. Utah. Prepared by William H. Neff. Landscape Architect. October 1955. William H. Neff Papers. Utah State University. Plan Tube 10. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 21 Neff used his seeding machine at the Bonneville Golf Course in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1955, and it was clear that the same technique would be employed at Oakridge. The benefit of the machine was that it cut down on cost and the amount of time needed to plant and establish the greens. In fact, the cost savings were so impressive at Bonneville that a decision was made to eliminate rough there and plant the entire course in seeded, trimmed grass. This may explain why the course at Oakridge Country Club also never had any rough and was fully planted with grass.37 By November 1955, the Oakridge course had been contoured, two of the ponds were complete, and the construction crew was preparing to lay pipes for the irrigation system. Seeding was pushed back to the following spring, and Neff and Eliason stated that they still expected to play golf there during the summer of 1956.38 According to an early statement of estimated costs for the club's development, the partners calculated that the total amount necessary to get the facility up and running would come to just under $300,000. This number eventually exceeded $400,000 and may have gone even higher. This included construction of the golf course, development of the ponds, installation of the sprinkler system, construction of the clubhouse and swimming pool, the installation of landscaping (including roads, walkways, parking lot, patio, grading and plants), and the purchase of golf equipment. 39 In early January 1956, the original members of Oakridge Country Club held an organizational meeting to discuss business. They elected Brick Wood to serve as the first president. An avid golfer and former professional baseball player, by the mid-1950s he had also become a successful Kaysville automobile dealer. Arrangements were made for the club to lease the grounds from Neff and Eliason for twenty-five years. At the same meeting, the members reviewed and approved plans for the clubhouse. The board of directors also voted to limit the number of members, and the initiation fee was set at $500.40 The following month, the club hired its first golf professional. A native of Salt Lake City, Russ Mears served in Italy during World War II and then retumed home to work as a greenskeeper. In 1949 he became the assistant golf pro at the Ogden Country Club, after which he served as pro for one year in Casper, Wyoming. By the time he was recruited to Oakridge, Mears had been the golf pro in Caldwell, Idaho for four years. He moved back to Utah to assist with the development and operation of Oakridge Country Club. Following his retirement decades later, his son Rick stepped into the position and remains there today.41 "New Method Applied to Planting Greens," Oese,et News, 26 October 1955. "Oakridge Up to Schedule," Oese,et News, 2 November 1955. 39 Estimated Costs, Oakridge County Club (no date), William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Working Files, Box 11; "Salesman's Dream is Golfers Paradise," Oese,et News, 29 September 1956. 40 "New Golf Club Names Officers; Play Expected by Mid-Summer," Oese,et News, 6 January 1956, p. 2B. 41 "Mears Signs as Pro for Farmington Club," Oese,et News, 29 February 1956. 37 38 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Ufe 22 Under Neffs expert supervision, the golf course construction was moving along by the spring of 1956. Shaping of the greens and fairways was in its final phase and the grounds were being prepared for planting. The sand traps were formed and the extensive sprinkler system was almost finished. Pumps were installed to draw irrigation water from wells on the property. Additional water rights also appear to have been secured from Weber Creek. Six thousand pounds of grass seed were on hand, ready to be planted using Neffs machine. Construction of the clubhouse was launched in early May.42 Neff and Eliason engaged prominent Salt Lake City architect Theodore R. Pope to design the clubhouse. Pope presented them with plans for a long, low building in a style that became known as Mid-Century Modern. A terrace on the eastern side would hold the swimming pool. The construction contract was awarded to the Salt Lake City firm of Williams and Peterson Construction, whose president just happened to be Sidney Eliason. The building included a dining room, locker rooms, a bar, entertainment rooms, and a golf shop. Large floor-to-ceiling windows along the eastern elevation provided panoramic views of the golf course and Wasatch Range to the east.43 (see Appendix B for images) One of the pioneering features of the Oakridge Country Club was that it made accommodations from the very beginning for a new piece of equipment that was starting to appear on golf courses: the golf cart, commonly known at the time as a "caddie cart." Prior to the mid-1950s, players walked the courses and either carried their clubs themselves or hired caddies to do so. However, in the postwar era mechanized carts began to appear on the market that allowed players to ride instead of walk. Forward-looking golf courses began to provide carts for rent, with the cost typically low enough that they were no more expensive than hiring a caddie. At Oakridge, golf carts were provided and space for storage was incorporated into the design of the clubhouse. 44 By mid-summer 1956, the final touches were being put on the course and clubhouse. The membership drive had approached its halfway mark and a barbeque picnic was held to welcome the members and give them their first look at the club. Play had not started because the grass needed to mature a bit more so it would not be damaged. Around the first of August, the greens received their initial trimming and limited play began on nine holes later that month.45 "Oakridge Country Club: Promise of a Miracle," Salt Lake Tribune, 8 April 1956, p. 60; "Oak Ridge Begins Work on Modern Club House," Sa" Lake Tribune, 8 May 1956, p. 22. 43 "New 18-Hole Golf Course Gets Under Way Near Lagoon in Davis County," Deseret News, circa early July 1955; "Oak Ridge Begins Work on Modern Club House," Sa" Lake Tribune, 8 May 1956, p. 22. 44 "Oakridge Country Club: Promise of a Miracle,· Salt Lake Tribune, 8 April 1956, p. 60; Clubhouse Plan, Theodore R. Pope, Architect, William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Working Files, Box 11. 45 "Oak Ridge Golf, Country Club Holds First Official Function,· Deseret News, circa July 1956; "First Cutting Given Oak Ridge Course," Deseret News, circa 1 August 1956 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). 42 Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 23 The formal opening of Oakridge Country Club took place in the second half of September and was marked by a three-day event that included not only golf, but also dinners, entertainment and dancing in the new clubhouse for members and their guests. The course was used through the fall until snow and cold weather arrived, forcing it to be closed for the winter. However, during the winter months the clubhouse continued to host dinners, social functions and holiday events.46 When the course was completed and opened for play, it was covered with grass but barren of trees and other greenery. In the spring and summer of 1957, Neff oversaw the installation of numerous trees and shrubs across the site. A lengthy list of these plants was presented in his landscape plan presented to the board that April. More trees were added in the 1960s through fundraising drives. While further analysis would be necessary to determine which of these plantings are still present, Neff's overall landscape plan remains intact today and the many mature trees there date back to the course's early period of development.47 (see Appendix C for an example of Neff's landscape planning) Neff's expertise in maintaining the site was respected by the club's early managers and board of directors, and he not only remained a member but was retained for years as a technical advisor. The August 1961 edition of the club's monthly newsletter, The Oakridger, featured a front-page tribute to William H. Neff, stating that "Oakridge was not another golf course - it was his masterpiece, built with his hands and sweat for the enjoyment of people for years to come."48 Looking back at his long career years later when he had reached his early nineties, Neff recalled that the Oakridge Country Club was one of two courses he designed that gave him the greatest sense of satisfaction and pride.49 Throughout the almost sixty years that have passed since Oakridge Country Club opened, it has attracted several generations of members who enjoyed the facility year-round and still enjoy it tod1ilY. Neff and Eliason's vision for the course succeeded. The layout and design prepared and constructed by Neff and Bell has endured. And the landscaping conceived and installed by Neff has matured and brought tremendous beauty to the site, providing a lush environment in which to play golf, dine in the clubhouse and swim in the pool. By the early 1980s, the club had hosted four Utah Opens and twenty-seven Invitationals, and it is still hailed today as an excellent course for players of any ability. The only substantial change there occurred in 2005, when Theodore Pope's original clubhouse was demolished and replaced. 46 "Oakiidge Country Club Holds FO(fnal O~llill!:J: D~s~rei News, 28 September -1956, p. 12A. 47 Proposed Landscape Plan, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah, Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, April 1957, William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10; Proposed Landscaping Plan, No. 17 Hole, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah, Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, no date, William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. 48 "Respectful Salute to William H. Neff," The Oakridger, August 1961 . 49 Mike Sorensen, "Utah's Greens-Sleeves,· Deseret News, 19 August 1998, Accessed Online at www.deseretnews.com . Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 24 CONCLUSIONS During the course of this project, the 1956 Oakridge Country Club in Farmington, Utah was documented through field notes and archival research, specifically to bring to light its history and character as a designed landscape. In addition to looking at the site itself, research was completed to provide the broader context for the development of Davis County and golf course construction in Utah during the post-WWII era. All of this information has been presented in the preceding pages of this report, and provides the basis of understanding necessary for the following analysis and conclusions. The next task that remains to be done is to discuss the site's integrity and eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register calls for the evaluation of properties in light of seven aspects of intactness and ability to convey historic character and importance. These are location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. Despite the loss of the original clubhouse, which is unfortunate, all of these characteristics seem to be predominantly intact at Oakridge Country Club, especially as they relate to its fundamental character as a designed landscape. The maturation of landscaping was planned for from the beginning and only strengthens the site's intact design. Finally, the 1980s installation of golf cart paths represent a visually minor change and did little to diminish the site's overall integrity. As with all historic properties, the Oakridge Country Club's significance must be evaluated using the following National Register criteria: • A Associated with events that have made a Significant contribution to the broad pattems of our history; • 8 Associated with the lives of significant persons in our past; • C Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; • D Yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory. The property only needs to meet one of these criterion to be eligible, yet in this case it seems to meet two. First, it is likely to be considered eligible under Criterion A on the state level in the area of Recreation for its association with the popularization and development of golf courses in Utah during the post-WWII era. This property was the first private country club built in the state following the war, which underscores its importance in Utah history. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 25 Second, the Oakridge Country Club seems likely to be eligible under Criterion C on the state level in the area of Landscape Architecture for two reasons. First of all, it embodies the distinctive characteristics of golf course design from the period, including utilizing the natural lay of the land (which in this case was rolling), the installation of relatively straight or slightly dog-legged fairways, the construction of small sand traps near the greens, the placement of ponds as both hazards and scenic attractions, and the lining of fairways with long rows of trees. In addition, the golf course is important for its association with prominent professional post-war landscape architects William F. Bell of California and William H. Neff of Utah. This course is an excellent, intact representation of the quality of their work dating from the mid-1950s. The final question to be addressed is that of the proposed Verizon Wireless communication facility that will be placed on the site. Its location has been reviewed in the field and considered during the course of this project. While the proposed monopole may have a negative visual impact from the perspective of the panoramic view that is currently enjoyed from the clubhouse, it is concluded here that it will have no adverse effect upon the site's National Register eligibility. The monopole will certainly be visible from various points on the golf course. However, its impact will be mitigated by the existing trees and by the sheer open expanse of the site and its setting. It will simply become a noncontributing part of the property in terms of its character-defining features. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 26 BIBLIOGRAPHY "Attachment Number One" and "Attachment Number Two," Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Directors, Oakridge Country Club, 26 November 1957. William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, MerrillCazier Library, Special Collections and Archives, Working Files, Box 11. "Bell Legacy" and "William F. Bell Courses," William Bell Society, Accessed Online at www.williambellsociety.wordpress.com on 27 October 2015. "The Bells: California's First Family of Golf Course Design," City of San Diego, California, Accessed Online at www.sandiego.gov on 27 October 2015. "Biographical Note," William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives. Clubhouse Plan and Rendering, Theodore R. Pope, Architect. William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives, Working Files, Box 11. "Construction Begins on New Golf Course," Deseret News, 26 August 1955. "Course Listing," Utah Golf Association, Accessed Online at www.uga.org on 7 October 2015. Crippes, Nate and Sheri Murray Ellis. Salt Lake Country Club & Golf Course, National Register Nomination, 16 April 2015. Davis County: Land of Peace, Beauty and a Quality Life. Davis School District, 1994. "Davis County Looks to New Activity at Oakridge Country Club," Salt Lake Tribune, 26 August 1956, p. 2W. Farmington, Utah 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Map. Washington, DC: United States Geological Survey, 1952. "Farmington's Oak Ridge Country Club Shapes Up as Golfer's Golf Course," Deseret News, circa March 1956 .(clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). Fehmel, H. M. Oakridge Golf Course Development. Aerial Drawing, 1962. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11. "First Cutting Given Oak Ridge Course," Deseret News, circa 1 August 1956 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 27 Habel, Steve. "Neff Designs Highlight Golf in Northem Utah." Cybergo/f, Accessed Online at www.news.cybergolf.com on 27 October 2015. "Historic Farmington," City of Farmington, Historic Preservation Commission, Accessed Online at www.farmington.utah.gov on 2 October 2015. Irrigation System Plan, Oakridge Country Club. Prepared by William P. Bell & Son, ASGCA, and William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, December 1955. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 56. Kaysville, Utah 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Map. States Geological Survey, 1955. Washington, DC: United Knowlton, George Quincy. A Brief History of Farmington, Utah. Kaysville, UT: Inland Printing, 1965. Leonard, Glen M. A History of Davis County. Salt Lake City, UT: Utah State Historical Society, Davis County Commission, 1999. "Leota Arline Jenson Eliason," Deseret News, 23 October 1990 [obituary]. Mears, Rick. Golf Professional, Oakridge Country ClUb. Interview Conducted on 4 October 2015 by Ron Sladek of Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. "Mears Signs as Pro for Farmington Club," Deseret News, 29 February 1956. "New Farmington Course Will Click; The Right Men Are Behind It," Deseret News, circa early 1955 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). "New Golf Club Names Officers; Play Expected by Mid-Summer," Deseret News, 6 January 1956, p. 2B. "New Method Applied to Planting Greens," Deseret News, 26 October 1955. "New 18-Hole Golf Course Gets Under Way Near Lagoon in Davis County, n Deseret News, circa early July 1955 (clipping with site plan from the William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11). Notice of Action by the Board of Directors, Oakridge Country Club, 1 July 1958. William H. Neff Architectural Papers, Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives, Working Files, Box 11 . "Oak Ridge Begins Work on Modern Club House," Salt Lake Tribune, 8 May 1956, p. 22. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 28 "Oakridge Country Club," Accessed Online at www.rockiesgolf.com on 24 September 2015. "Oakridge Country Club Holds·Formal Opening," Deseret News, 28 September 1956, p. 12A. "Oakridge Country Club: Promise of a Miracle," Salt Lake Tribune, 8 April 1956, p.6D. Oakridge Country Club, 1492 Shepard Lane, Farmington, Utah. Davis County Assessor Records, Accessed Online at www.daviscountyutah.gov on 2 October 2015. "Oak Ridge Golf, Country Club Holds First Official Function," Deseret News, circa July 1956 (clipping from William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Box 11 ). "Oakridge Up to Schedule," Deseret News, 2 November 1955. "Owners Reveal Plan for Golf Course in Lagoon Section," Salt Lake Tribune, 23 July 1955. Plan for 18-Hole Golf Prepared by William Landscape Architect, University, Plan Tube Course, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah. F. Bell, Golf Course Architect and William H. Neff, circa early 1955. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State 10. "Preserve America Community: Farmington, Utah." Preserve America, Accessed Online at www.preserveamerica.gov on 2 October 2015. Proposed Landscape Plan, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah. Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, April 1957. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. Proposed Landscaping Plan, No. 17 Hole, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah. Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, no date. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. Proposed Site & Land Development Plan, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah. Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, October 1955. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. Proposed Subdivision Developments for Oakridge Improvement Co. Properties, Prepared by William H. Neff, Landscape Architect, September 1957. William H. Neff Papers, Utah State University, Plan Tube 10. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing HiStory to Life 29 Rayburn, Jim. "The Course of Golf in Utah." Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 19 June 1994, Accessed Online at www.deseretnews.com. "Salesman's Dream is Golfers Paradise," Deseret News, 29 September 1956. Salt Lake City Directories & Suburban Directories, Listings for Sidney and Leota Eliason (1928-1960) and for William H. Neff (1928-1981). "Sid Eliason Heads Several Companies," USU Staff News, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 16 April 1962. Simpson, Harold W. "Bonneville Golf Course." Unpublished manuscript located in the archives of the Utah State Historical Society (MSS A 4264). Sorensen, Mike. "Utah's Greens-Sleeves: The Majority of Wasatch Front Golf Courses Have Either Been Designed, Engineered or Remodeled by a Pair of Guys Named Bill Neff." Deseret News, 19 August 1998, Accessed Online at www.deseretnews.com. State of Utah, Select County Marriages (1887-1937), Records for Marriage of Sidney Howard Eliason and Leota Arline Jenson, 3 September 1925. "Tale of Oakridge Club: Long, Tricky, Scenic," Salt Lake Tribune, 12 July 1959, p. B7. The Oakridger (Monthly Newsletter, Oakridge Country Club, Farmington, Utah) "January 1956: And They Called it Oakridge," November-December 1983. "Respectful Salute to William H. Neff," August 1961. "Club Members Invited to Contribute to Tree Fund," March 1962. "Oakridge Progress, Reports Pres. Bill," June-July 1967. "New Look for Oakridge," May-June 1972. US Census Records for Sidney Howard Eliason, 1910 (Curlew Precinct, Box Elder County, UT), 1920 (Brigham City, Box Elder County, UT), and 1930 & 1940 (Salt Lake City, UT). US Census Records for William Henrichsen Neff, 1910 (Big Cottonwood District, Salt Lake County, UT), 1920 (Holladay, Salt Lake County, UT), 1930 (Holladay, UT) and 1940 (Holladay, UT). US Decennial Census Records, US Census Bureau, Davis County, Utah, 18502010. US Social Security Death Index (1935-2014). Sidney Eliason, Bom 11 March 1902, Died 31 May 1964. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life 30 "William H. Neff." Utah Golf Association, Hall of Fame Inductee, 2002. Accessed Online on 7 October 2015 at www.uga.org. William Henrichsen Neff, Certificate of Birth, State of Utah, 22 September 1905. Tatanka Historical Associates Inc. Bringing History to Life