Based on history by Commodore John G. Robinson* and later additions by Mrs. Robert M. Henshillwood
The history of the Vermilion Yacht Club and how it came to be founded is intimately tied to the development of the low-lying area between Linwood Park and the Vermilion River, known as the Vermilion Lagoons. In the early part of this century this area was a swamp owned by the Linwood Park Association and Mr. Patrick Smith neither of whom were interested in the land’s development. However, in 1928, Mr. Lou Wells, the owner of the LA Wells Construction Company, saw the possibilities of developing the property into a residential community with houses, waterways, a fine beach with a beach pavilion, and a yacht club with docks for boat owners. Mr Wells purchased the land in 1928 with the idea that he could keep his dredge busy in the winter months, by dredging the channels for the new lagoons. After considerable planning and arrangements for financing such a project, the dredging was begun and before 1929 was passed, the beach pavilion was built, and the bulkhead around the end of Anchor Way was constructed. The present entrance along the foot of Linwood Park was not developed until about 1931, so the Lagoons were entered from the Lake Road (Liberty Avenue) and Park Drive with a bridge connecting Park and Portage Drives at the point where Willow Lane begins. The bridge was removed in 1931.
With the dredging of the lagoons completed and three houses built on the land, Mr. WeIls felt it was time to promote the sale of the lots on the islands developed. In 1929, Mr. Wells approached Mr. John Robinison who, at that time, was Editor of the magazine Power Boating and in the January 1930 issue of the magazine there appeared the first announcement of the Vermilion Lagoons. This was followed by the first advertisement of the Wells Realty Co. in the February 1930 issue.
Early in the winter (it was a bitterly cold night) Mr. Robinson went to Vermilion with Mr Wells, Mr. Hank Thomas and Mr. Donald Comstock to address a public meeting on the opportunities for investment in the Vermilion Lagoons and Mr. Wells’ offer to donate land for a yacht club if the citizens of Vermilion would build a clubhouse. Despite their best sales talk and the blandishment of free refreshments there were no takers!
The Wells Realty Co. did a Small amount of advertising in Power Boating in 1930, but nothing much was done about establishing a Yacht Club until the fall of 1932. At that time the Cleveland Yacht Club was in financial straights because of the excessive rent demanded by the Max Seiber Realty Co., which had taken over the title to the Yacht Club Island after the bankruptcy of the original Cleveland Yacht Club in 1923. Mr. Wells approached a number of Cleveland Yachting Club members with the suggestion that they move the headquarters of the Club to Vermilion and if they would build a clubhouse and docks he would donate the necessary property. The idea was to have a sort of country branch of the Cleveland Yachting Club and abandon the Rocky River Island site until such time that better terms could be secured by the yacht club from the Max Seiber Realty Co. At the annual meeting of the Cleveland Yachting Club that fall, the proposition was placed before the membership and was defeated by the close vote of l6 to 15. which gives some ideas of just how small the Cleveland Yachting Club was at that time.
Contact Info
Address:
5440 Anchorage Way, Vermilion, OH 44089, United States
Phone: +1 440-967-3255
Website: www.vyc.us