Farmington Country Club

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Farmington Country Club is a country club in Charlottesville, Virginia, adjacent to the University of Virginia. The octagonal east wing of the clubhouse, constructed in 1802 as an addition to the pre-1780 structure, was designed by Thomas Jefferson.^[1]

Farmington Country Club is a private club located in Charlottesville, Virginia at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Known for its commitment to warm, southern hospitality, the Club offers golf, tennis, fitness and aquatic opportunities to its members, as well as fine and casual dining. Farmington enjoys a large number of members who are resident to Charlottesville and the surrounding area, but also offers Nonresident memberships to those outside of a 60 mile radius. These Nonresident members are often alumni (or their parents of friends), of the University of Virginia. Membership is by invitation only.

1 Farmington History
2 The Clubhouse
3 The Course
4 Chain of Title to Farmington
5 Controversy
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Farmington History

[edit] The Clubhouse

What is now the Clubhouse was originally a spacious plantation house with an elongated wing that contained several guest rooms for the Divers’ extended family. Separate quarters existed for servants, who provided the luxurious living of another age. The farm buildings consisted of rows of box stalls for horses (since converted to locker rooms), large barns, and numerous other buildings. The main house, or Clubhouse, is a large, impressive brick structure. Through the portico, one enters the Jefferson Room. In 1976, the Jefferson Room was restored under the direction of Dr. Frederick D. Nichols, Professor of Jeffersonian Architecture at the University of Virginia. Since the Club opened in 1929, two additional guest galleries have been added, both in keeping with the original design. One is an extension of the first gallery. The second faces the First Tee of the 18-hole golf course and is adjacent to the Farmington Grill.

[edit] The Course

Farmington features 27 holes of golf: the original 18-hole course and a newer 9-hole course. The eighteen-hole golf course, laid out by Fred Findlay, extends on three sides of the Clubhouse. It starts off to the south of the Clubhouse, drives through the woods to the east, then sweeps off to the north and around home again. In 1965 an additional nine holes, known as the “East” Nine, were added in an area that was once the steeplechase course.

[edit] Chain of Title to Farmington

July 25, 1745, Michael Holland conveyed this land to Charles Lewis of Goochland.
April 7, 1758, Charles Lewis conveyed to Francis Jerdone of Louisa.
April 11, 1785, Francis Jerdone conveyed to George Divers.
June 1, 1830, George Divers devised this land, by will, to his nephew, Isaac White.
November 23, 1840, Isaac White conveyed to John Coles Carter, 815 acres more or less.
September 30, 1852, John C. Carter conveyed to General Bernard Peyton.
July 3, 1854, General Bernard Peyton devised this land, by will, to his widow, Mrs. Julia A. Peyton.
January 1, 1860, Mrs. Julia A. Peyton conveyed to Mrs. Mary Ann Harper her deed calling for 881 acres more or less.
May 7, 1877, Mrs. Harper devised this land, by will, to her daughter, Miss Lucille Wood, and her son, Warner Wood. Miss Lucille Wood died intestate, leaving her brother, Warner Wood, as sole heir at law.
September 2, 1902, Warner Wood left Farmington to his widow, Mrs. Maggie L. Wood by will.
September 15, 1927, Mrs. Maggie L. Wood and J. W. Fishburne, surviving Executor of deceased Warner Wood, conveyed to Farmington, Incorporated.
April 12, 1979, Farmington, Incorporated sold Farmington Country Club to the membership.

[edit] Controversy

Farmington is a private club which gained notoriety in the late 1960s and early 1970s for its whites-only, racist membership policy. University of Virginia President Edgar F. Shannon, Jr. resigned from the club in the late 1960s over its refusal to admit blacks, and in response the University banned the use of University funds for entertaining in segregated facilities.^[2] In 1976, University of Virginia President Frank Hereford's membership resulted in controversy at the University and one faculty resignation.^[3] The incident became the catalyst for social change at the University including the establishment of an Office of Minority Affairs.^[4]