MAY 14, 2009 ISSUE
Eseeola Lodge Opens for 117th Season
Eseeola Lodge and the Linville Golf Club is opening this Friday, May 15, for its 117th season. Photo submitted
Opening for the season is always an exciting happening at the Eseeola Lodge, but it isn’t exactly new. When the famed resort opens this Friday, May 15, it will be for the 117th time.
The lodge was built in picturesque Linville Valley, in the shadow of Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge range, in 1892 and has survived and prospered despite a variety of devastating incidents, including storms, fires, floods and financial problems.
“The resort has a unique history,” said President and General Manager John Blackburn, who has run the facility for 25 years. “It reads like an award-winning movie plot that is full of intrigue and mystique, with a crisis thrown in periodically.”
Eseeola—an Indian name meaning “river of cliffs”—was the brainchild of Hugh MacRae of Wilmington who longed for a summer home and playground in the cool, majestic mountains. Other inns in the area had been successful, so MacRae and a handful of friends started what is now one of North Carolina’s most renowned resorts and summer home communities.
During its colorful history, the resort had fires that destroyed the original building in 1936 and the clubhouse in 1952; a ravaging flood in 1940 that put all railroad lines leading to the lodge permanently out of use; and various storms and floods that did extensive damage to the golf course and surrounding area, the last in September 2004.
There have even been some early financial problems along the way that—at the time—seemed insurmountable. But strong leadership by club members and home owners rescued the property.
But the resort persevered through the many crises, absorbing much strength and character along the way.
The first facility was built on a 130-acre tract in Avery County at an elevation of 3,712 feet. It had 90 rooms and cost $22,000 to build. Early guests arrived by horse and buggy and by train and stayed for several weeks at a time or for the entire summer.
In 1895, several golf holes were built long the Linville River, making the course North Carolina’s oldest and most historic. By the turn of the century, there were 14 holes, and by 1910 the Linville Golf Club had a full-time professional and was hosting tournaments. Caddies were paid 15 cents for nine holes and 25 cents for 18 holes.
Thirty additional rooms—called the Chestnut Lodge, a stately structure with a Chestnut bark exterior—were added in 1929. When fire razed the original building, the Chestnut Lodge became the main accommodations facility and remains so today. It has 19 rooms and five suites. There is also a two-bedroom cottage for guest use.
The current inn has been renovated and remodeled on several occasions. Over the years, it has won numerous award and honors for excellent accommodations, food and service.
In the “roaring twenties,” with golf booming around the state, the club hired legendary Scotsman Donald Ross—who was living in Pinehurst—to design and construct a new golf course. Using mules and drag pans, a spectacular 18-hole layout was carved from the beautiful mountain terrain.
The 6,300-yard course was opened for play in 1926 and has been the site of numerous prestigious tournaments. It consistently ranks among the state’s best courses and has achieved national acclaim for its greatness.
Such notable golf professionals as Clayton Heafner and Johnny Bulla worked for the resort, and many of the game’s best players—including native heroes Billy Joe Patton and Harvie Ward—were frequent visitors.
Though Linville Golf Club is private, it is open to guests at the Eseeola Lodge. Today the course plays to a par of 72 and measures 6,946 yards from the back tees. The tough par fourth-hole is rated as one of the nation’s hardest and most challenging. Tom Dale is the long-time golf professional.
In addition to golf, the inn—which is on the National Historic Register—features swimming, tennis, croquet and hiking. Horseback riding is nearby.
The inn is open each year from mid-May through October. A house specialty is the sumptuous Thursday night season buffet—a culinary delight—that attracts guests from more than a hundred miles.
For more information on Eseeola Lodge and the Linville Golf Club, click to www.eseeola.com or call 1-800-742-6717.
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