St. Croix Yacht Club

THE MOVE TO THE EAST END

After World War II, land on the East End was put up for auction for between $4-$6 an acre. It was considered almost worthless land for it was too dry to grow sugar, cotton was no longer a viable crop, and it was marginal for raising cattle. However, the auctioned acreage was picked up by some local families as well as by visitors. Among the buyers were names familiar to us today: the Skovs, the Hendricks, and the Roebucks.

Bob Lodge and his financial backers, the East End Development Co., bought the land in the Teague Bay Valley from Joe Luttrell with a vision of establishing a community development for the valley. Lodge started construction on a community center that was to serve as the clubhouse for a residential group of houses that he intended to build.

The building was partially finished with the stone walls and stone fireplace in place and the roof framed in. Hard times fell upon Lodge, his backers pulled out, and the partially constructed building lay fallow. Warren Young, who was involved in all the legal transactions, recognized the potential of the site as a permanent location for the yacht club. The Club bought two one-acre lots on the water on 10/15/59 for $35,000.

This purchase and subsequent completion of the building was approved and ratified at a special meeting of the membership in 1959 and a mortgage was arranged for with the Chase Manhattan Bank guaranteed by loans from two of the members.

In 1965, an additional plot was bought from Fairleigh Dickinson consisting of two and one half acres along the road and a corridor along the eastern perimeter at the price of $15,000.

To get out to Teague Bay from the Buccaneer there was only a narrow dirt road curving along the sea. Club members were helpful in finally securing government agreement to pave the road from the Buccaneer all the way out east changing the route slightly to be more practical.

The clubhouse was finished by July 1961, and a house warming party was held on August I, 1961. The landscaping was designed and planted by Dick Hookanson, a landscape architect, and many of the original plantings are still in place.

Next: DEVELOPMENT OF A RACING FLEET >>



	THE MOVE TO THE EAST END After World War II, land on the East End was put up for auction for between $4-$6 an acre. It was considered almost worthless land for it was too dry to grow sugar, cotton was no longer a viable crop, and it was marginal for raising cattle. However, the auctioned acreage was picked up by some local families as well as by visitors. Among the buyers were names familiar to us today: the Skovs, the Hendricks, and the Roebucks. Bob Lodge and his financial backers, the East End Development Co., bought the land in the Teague Bay Valley from Joe Luttrell with a vision of establishing a community development for the valley. Lodge started construction on a community center that was to serve as the clubhouse for a residential group of houses that he intended to build. The building was partially finished with the stone walls and stone fireplace in place and the roof framed in. Hard times fell upon Lodge, his backers pulled out, and the partially constructed building lay fallow. Warren Young, who was involved in all the legal transactions, recognized the potential of the site as a permanent location for the yacht club. The Club bought two one-acre lots on the water on 10/15/59 for $35,000. This purchase and subsequent completion of the building was approved and ratified at a special meeting of the membership in 1959 and a mortgage was arranged for with the Chase Manhattan Bank guaranteed by loans from two of the members. In 1965, an additional plot was bought from Fairleigh Dickinson consisting of two and one half acres along the road and a corridor along the eastern perimeter at the price of $15,000. To get out to Teague Bay from the Buccaneer there was only a narrow dirt road curving along the sea. Club members were helpful in finally securing government agreement to pave the road from the Buccaneer all the way out east changing the route slightly to be more practical. The clubhouse was finished by July 1961, and a house warming party was held on August I, 1961. The landscaping was designed and planted by Dick Hookanson, a landscape architect, and many of the original plantings are still in place. Next: DEVELOPMENT OF A RACING FLEET >> Back to Top home \| about us \| calendar \| entertainment \| links contact us \| racing \| membership \| news \| junior sailing
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