Belmont 150th - Tennis Anyone?

Tennis Anyone?

The Belmont Tennis Club has been in existence since 1884. It is thought to be the second oldest in the country. According to records, the first courts were "located on Concord Avenue below the present site of the Unitarian Church and opposite the coal company." If the courts were still in that location today, they would be near the First Armenian Church.

The written history of the club begins at a meeting held at Winthrop Brown's home on Common Street on April 10, 1889. The main order of business was a search for a new location for the club. When the club was incorporated on April 18, 1889 it immediately accepted an offer of land on Thomas Street, part of George F. Blake's property, for an annual rental of $20.

The main reason for the move was, "the present grass courts have been found to be a failure and we are not permitted to build ash courts at the present site, and the new location is higher, and dryer and lighter." With a balance of four cents in the treasury, the Belmont Tennis Club moved to Thomas Street and has been there ever since.

In 1889 Mr. McGinnis was given the job of building ash courts at a cost of $200, "depending on the ash crop during the winter." Early in 1890 plans were prepared by Eleazer B. Homer (also designer of the former Tudor style Leonard Street block) for a "very pretty and practical building costing about $150". The 19' x 24' clubhouse and three courts were finished just in time for opening day, July 4, 1890.

In 1892, Mr. Blake sold his estate to George Kilburn. The Tennis Club immediately elected Mr. Kilburn an honorary member and use of the grounds was extended to him.

Until 1893 the Club was for gentlemen only. That year they voted to set aside every second Wednesday as ladies day at which time members were requested to invite their lady friends to use the courts both afternoons and evenings. The records show this innovation was "a blooming success". Both sexes under the age of eighteen were admitted as Junior Members.

Another successful move was to discontinue the practice of supplying free tennis balls in 1894. This austerity contributed to the clearing of Club debt by 1896. Debt free, the nearly forty members of the Club felt "ready to purchase the land we occupy when the opportunity may come."

The Belmont Tennis Club may be the only such organization to have music dedicated to it. Copyrighted in 1896, the lively B. (Belmont) T. (Tennis) C. (Club) Two Step was written by Sara H. Reed (Mrs. Andrew) who lived on Somerset Street in the house known as Red Top. Masquerades, dramatics and dances were sponsored by the Tennis Club, usually at the Town Hall, for the purposes of socialization and generating income

In January of 1898 there was a motion to purchase the land where the post office now stands on Concord Avenue. The motion was defeated. Later that same year the Tennis Club purchased the site they had been renting since 1889.

By 1903 the club members needed more space and looked into purchasing land on Leonard Street. They found it too expensive. They voted to stay on Thomas Street and expand the grounds by renting 8,254 square feet between their lot and Kilburn Road for $37.50 a year. The small clubhouse was moved to the newly leased lot and the location of the courts was adjusted. The clubhouse was enlarged in 1906.

The need for more space was felt again in 1923 and members looked into a new site on Goden Street. Again, too, they decided to remain on Thomas Street. They purchased the lot they had been renting for five cents a foot and an additional 16,982 square foot lot between Kilburn Road and Waverley Street for one dollar per foot. Two new courts were laid out on that lot. All the expansion occasioned a membership drive.

The Belmont Tennis Club suffered with others during the Great Depression. A small piece of the Waverley Street lot was sold in 1928, the two new courts were eventually abandoned and the land sold in 1939. The house at 65 Kilburn Road stands on the lot sold in 1928. Houses at 250 and 254 Waverley Street were built on the land where the courts had been.

The Belmont Tennis Club celebrated its centennial in 1984. Red clay courts have replaced grass and ash courts and the club is still "alive and well" with a membership of one hundred and a long waiting list of residents who would like to be members.

Information excerpted in part from Footsteps through Belmont by Richard B. Betts.



Tennis Anyone? The Belmont Tennis Club has been in existence since 1884. It is thought to be the second oldest in the country. According to records, the first courts were "located on Concord Avenue below the present site of the Unitarian Church and opposite the coal company." If the courts were still in that location today, they would be near the First Armenian Church. The written history of the club begins at a meeting held at Winthrop Brown's home on Common Street on April 10, 1889. The main order of business was a search for a new location for the club. When the club was incorporated on April 18, 1889 it immediately accepted an offer of land on Thomas Street, part of George F. Blake's property, for an annual rental of $20. The main reason for the move was, "the present grass courts have been found to be a failure and we are not permitted to build ash courts at the present site, and the new location is higher, and dryer and lighter." With a balance of four cents in the treasury, the Belmont Tennis Club moved to Thomas Street and has been there ever since. In 1889 Mr. McGinnis was given the job of building ash courts at a cost of $200, "depending on the ash crop during the winter." Early in 1890 plans were prepared by Eleazer B. Homer (also designer of the former Tudor style Leonard Street block) for a "very pretty and practical building costing about $150". The 19' x 24' clubhouse and three courts were finished just in time for opening day, July 4, 1890. In 1892, Mr. Blake sold his estate to George Kilburn. The Tennis Club immediately elected Mr. Kilburn an honorary member and use of the grounds was extended to him. Until 1893 the Club was for gentlemen only. That year they voted to set aside every second Wednesday as ladies day at which time members were requested to invite their lady friends to use the courts both afternoons and evenings. The records show this innovation was "a blooming success". Both sexes under the age of eighteen were admitted as Junior Members. Another successful move was to discontinue the practice of supplying free tennis balls in 1894. This austerity contributed to the clearing of Club debt by 1896. Debt free, the nearly forty members of the Club felt "ready to purchase the land we occupy when the opportunity may come." The Belmont Tennis Club may be the only such organization to have music dedicated to it. Copyrighted in 1896, the lively B. (Belmont) T. (Tennis) C. (Club) Two Step was written by Sara H. Reed (Mrs. Andrew) who lived on Somerset Street in the house known as Red Top. Masquerades, dramatics and dances were sponsored by the Tennis Club, usually at the Town Hall, for the purposes of socialization and generating income In January of 1898 there was a motion to purchase the land where the post office now stands on Concord Avenue. The motion was defeated. Later that same year the Tennis Club purchased the site they had been renting since 1889. By 1903 the club members needed more space and looked into purchasing land on Leonard Street. They found it too expensive. They voted to stay on Thomas Street and expand the grounds by renting 8,254 square feet between their lot and Kilburn Road for $37.50 a year. The small clubhouse was moved to the newly leased lot and the location of the courts was adjusted. The clubhouse was enlarged in 1906. The need for more space was felt again in 1923 and members looked into a new site on Goden Street. Again, too, they decided to remain on Thomas Street. They purchased the lot they had been renting for five cents a foot and an additional 16,982 square foot lot between Kilburn Road and Waverley Street for one dollar per foot. Two new courts were laid out on that lot. All the expansion occasioned a membership drive. The Belmont Tennis Club suffered with others during the Great Depression. A small piece of the Waverley Street lot was sold in 1928, the two new courts were eventually abandoned and the land sold in 1939. The house at 65 Kilburn Road stands on the lot sold in 1928. Houses at 250 and 254 Waverley Street were built on the land where the courts had been. The Belmont Tennis Club celebrated its centennial in 1984. Red clay courts have replaced grass and ash courts and the club is still "alive and well" with a membership of one hundred and a long waiting list of residents who would like to be members. Information excerpted in part from Footsteps through Belmont by Richard B. Betts. Town of Belmont \| Belmont Historical Society