On this day in local history: The new clubhouse and grounds of the Somerset Hills Country Club in Bernardsville are expected to open on Saturday when nine holes “will be in readiness for the players,” The News said on Thursday, July 12, 1917.

The 275-acre site, purchased from the Frederick P. Olcott estate in early 1916 for $60,000, featured the residence of the late Mr. Olcott near the entrance, and a new club house of stone and concrete a few hundred yards south.

“Adjacent to the club house are the tennis courts and south of the building, a natural ravine formed by Round Top to the east and Mt. Harmony to the west, has been dammed to confine a lake of goodly portions on which canoes will glide to and fro,” the story said.
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On this day in local history on July 11, 1929, construction of the Lyons VA facility began; Congress appropriated $2 million for the completion of the hospital's initial period of construction. The general contract for the first buildings within the campus was awarded to Murch Brothers of St. Louis, Missouri for $1,204,000. Contractors employed to finish construction work included companies from Ogden, Utah; Beloit, Wisconsin; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Approximately 250 men initially worked on the project,Read the entire story with photos:www.mrlocalhistory.org/lyonsva/ #mrlocalhistory #dayinhistory