Goodman-FrontAngle-Best**
Constructed in 1926, the clubhouse was designed to resemble an English cottage.
Dear Vance,
Who was Abe Goodman and why is this his clubhouse? Was he indeed a good man?
— L.B.T., Memphis.
Special Collections, University of Memphis Libraries
Abe Goodman, c. 1888
A framed photograph of Abe Goodman from 1888 is displayed inside the front door.
Dear L.B.T.,
This is Goodman’s clubhouse because he paid for it, and by any standards he was certainly a good man, a benefactor who, by word and deed, made significant contributions to our city.
I never met the gentleman, so most of what I’m about to tell you is gleaned from newspaper clippings archived in the Memphis and Shelby County Room of the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. But I think they present an accurate portrayal of a fellow who was involved in more civic endeavors than just the public golf course at Overton Park. In fact, upon his death in 1943, at the age of 79, The Commercial Appeal described him in this way: “Mr. Goodman was a man of many facets. Bankers knew him as an astute financier, real estate men relied heavily upon his judgment, and business leaders sought his opinions.”
Wait, there’s more: “To the children of Oakville Sanatorium, where he was the chairman of the board, he was a white-haired Santa Claus who brought them gifts and happiness. Scottish Rite Masons knew him as the treasurer of their organization.” And here’s the part that concerns your question, L.B.T.: “Golfers at the Overton Park links knew him as the man who donated and furnished their $25,000 clubhouse, and who had done much for the city’s parks and playgrounds during his terms on the Memphis Park Commission.”
The golf course, supposedly the first municipal (or public) course in the South, opened in 1906. The handsome clubhouse was constructed in 1926. The Tudor-style building featured a vaulted-ceiling dance hall, massive brick fireplace, snack bar, golf shop, and kitchen facilities on the ground floor. Downstairs, players could find showers and changing rooms. Upstairs was a cozy apartment for the resident golf pro. A Memphis Park Commission plaque mounted above the fireplace reads: “This building is presented by Abe Goodman to the City of Memphis, with the sincere hope that its use may bring added pleasure and happiness to those of its citizens who enjoy healthful outdoor life.”
This dedication plaque is mounted above the fireplace.
Now, right about here I know you’re thinking, “But what sets Abe Goodman apart from the Lauderdales, who have done just as much — if not more — for our city? Who was this fellow, anyway?”
Parts of his background are a bit vague, if you ask me. Newspapers mention “a few years spent in Mississippi in early manhood” but also claim that he was born here in 1864, “at his parents’ home at the corner of Main and Washington.” His father, Joseph, came to America from Germany and began working at a jewelry store in Hernando, Mississippi. I assume Abe began working at that store, but in 1891 he teamed up with a brother, Ben, and moved to Memphis, where they opened a nice jewelry store on Main Street, a popular establishment which drew customers for decades.
But Abe apparently wasn’t content standing behind a counter, selling rings and watches. Just look at this list of his other business accomplishments: After selling the jewelry store to other family members, he started his own real estate firm, founded the Commercial Trust & Savings Bank, organized the Clover Farm Dairy, opened the Memphis Motor Car Company (one of this city’s first automobile dealerships), and organized the Memphis Hotel Company, which constructed the original Peabody, Gayoso, and Chisca Hotels.
He was also chairman of the board of the American Finishing Company (a cotton processing firm) and the Memphis Cold Storage Warehouse. Oh, and in his spare time, Abe served on the boards of the various groups that constructed the Mid-South Fairgrounds, Shelby County Jail, and Ridgeway Country Club. Whew!
If you’ve been paying attention, you will recall that I mentioned his involvement with the Oakville Sanitorium. Out of all these endeavors, that was apparently his favorite. The Commercial Appeal observed, “One of his best feats was reacting to the little plays the children staged for him as if these plays had been Noel Coward productions. Friends have said that Mr. Goodman’s presence and love for the children were as good as any doctor’s care they might have received.”
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A park visitor ponders the wooden sign at the entrance to the clubhouse.
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Most visitors probably never notice the sundial above the main entrance.
Somehow he and his wife, Bobye, found time to journey around the world several times, making yearly jaunts to Mt. Everest, Hong Kong, the Andes, Fiji, and — if you can believe the newspaper accounts — “the spot where the Garden of Eden was located.” Reporters followed their expeditions, and one newspaper described the Goodmans as “probably Memphis’ greatest travelers.” Abe once claimed that because he was so widely known anywhere and everywhere he went, “he was never in a country where he was unable to cash a personal check.”
Special Collections, University of Memphis Libraries
Abe Goodman, late 1930's
An old newspaper photo shows Abe Goodman in the late 1930's.
You might think that such a successful businessman would live in a rather grand home, and you’d be right. The Goodman estate, a columned mansion at the southwest corner of Poplar and East Parkway, has long been considered one of our city’s finest private residences. After extensive renovations a few years ago, it is now the residence of Dr. Cary Fowler, chairman of the board of Rhodes College, and the brains behind the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, featured in the July 2017 issue of this magazine.
So, L.B.T., even though you and I probably think the handsome Overton Park clubhouse is a special place, it’s only one of many contributions that Abe Goodman — who was indeed a good man — made to this city.
Got a question for Vance?
Email: askvance@memphismagazine.com
Mail: Vance Lauderdale, Memphis magazine, 65 Union Avenue, Suite 200, Memphis, TN 38103
