Historic Wildwood Golf Course to celebrate 100th anniversary
Wildwood Golf Course employee Kim Carman, left, and superintendent Joel Bruner expect to see the return of several past members and players — maybe a few originals, during the course’s forthcoming Centennial Celebration.
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com
CHARLES CITY — It’s the deal of a lifetime … that is if your lifetime exceeds triple-digits.
“I put something out in our newsletter that if any of Wildwood’s first members come to our celebration they’ll get a free year membership,” Wildwood Municipal Golf Course superintendent Joel Bruner said.
“I haven’t gotten a response, yet.”
But that still doesn’t mean they won’t show up for Wildwood’s Centennial Celebration on June 17 to commemorate its 100th anniversary.
“We’ve had people come by who’ve golfed here 50 or so years ago just to see the changes,” Wildwood employee Kim Carman said. “So I imagine we’ll get more of those (on June 17).”
The “Celebration” will commence with a four-person best-shot tournament shotgun starting at 9 a.m. There will also be a bags tournament at 6 p.m. and a celebration party from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. featuring hors d’oeuvres, dessert and 100-cent beers.
In addition to pin prizes, door prizes and a silent auction, there will be a prize for best dressed in early 20th Century attire.
To say there’s a lot of history at Wildwood is akin to mentioning there’s a lot of corn grown in Iowa. The fact that Wildwood was used to house German POW’s during World War II has been well documented. But while perusing the National Register of Historic Places’ thick bound “Wildwood Park Historic District” tome, even Bruner discovered a thing or two.
“It says here that Harley Deems (president of the Sherman Nursery in Charles City) applied to the Algona administration center for prisoner of war assistance because the war effort had drained the local labor market,” Bruner read from pages 44 and 45 in the book. “Prisoners did silo construction, nursery work, river control, laundry operations, logging … brick and tile labor, canning and miscellaneous industry.
“They apparently kept a low profile because it says here that many Charles City residents didn’t know of their presence. Never knew that … I guess you learn something new everyday.”
Golfers participating in the best-shot tournament will learn of the new challenges of Wildwood’s new No. 5 and No. 6 holes.
“Those two new holes will be open for play for the first time during the tournament,” said Bruner, who is also working on a new No. 4 hole that he hopes will be ready by the fall.
The reason for the renovation was to open up more space between several adjacent fairways.
The No. 6 hole, a 180-yard Par 3, is the only completely new hole on the course. It has usurped the northern edge of the park formerly occupied by a playground and parking area.
After catching wind of Wildwood’s No. 6 hole plans, several residents responded.
“There are a lot of parks in this city, but some people who grew up here have held youthful nostalgia for this place,” Bruner said of the secluded section of the park.
Several copies of “Wildwood Park Historic District” will be available for curious local historians during the celebration. The book documents when E.M. and Gertrude Sherman deeded 74.5 acres of land to Charles City in 1912 for $9,449.00 under the condition — in consideration of the low asking price — that it would be used as a public park; and the park board’s $700 payment to the Wildwood Golf Association in 1916 for construction of the golf course.
It also details original clubhouse plans as well as additions and renovations throughout the years up until 1998.
“Maybe when they reprint this someday, my name will be in here about this year’s course changes,” Bruner said.
Maybe, but chances are 100-cent beers will be outdated by then.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION EVENTS
* 4-Person Best Shot 18-hole Tournament — shotgun start 9 a.m. Entry fee is $200 per team with a $800 guaranteed first-place prize. Entry fee includes light breakfast, lunch, snacks and Ohrt’s barbecue for supper. There will be pin prizes. Play will include Wildwood’s newly renovated holes 4, 5 and 6. Registration and entry fee due by June 10.
* Bags Tournament — registration at 5:30 p.m. in front of clubhouse; start at 6 p.m.
* CC Party — from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. featuring hors d’oeuvres and dessert, door prizes, silent auction items, prize for best dressed in early 20th Century attire, and 100-cent beers
Proceeds raised with go toward putting the finishing touches on the course’s renovations.
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