Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey buried a time capsule yesterday to celebrate its past and look forward to its future. According to organizers at the century-old resort, plans are to unearth the vessel 100 years from now. Heritage Time Capsules provided state of the art materials needed to preserve and protect contents compiled throughout the years.
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Here are some interesting facts about the Seaview as noted on the resort website:
1914
The exclusive Seaview Country Club was founded by Clarence H. Geist, a Philadelphia business man, utilities magnate, and golfer. Geist reportedly spent 1.5 million dollars to build the exclusive club on land that was once a bayside farm.
1915
The 18-hole Bay Course was partially designed by Hugh Wilson in 1914. The following year, Donald Ross completed the 6,300 yard course.
1922
President Warren G. Harding, dedicated golfer and friend of Seaview founder Geist, played a round of golf on the Bay Course. Harding made frequent excursions to Seaview and was known to be fond of wagers. It was said that Harding placed a bet on every swing.
1927
The Pines Course, designed by the architectural firm of Toomey and Flynn, was initially a nine-hole course sculpted in the scenic pinelands on the west side of our Atlantic City resort. The course was completed in 1929.
1940
Jimmy Demaret, Ben Hogan, Bing Crosby, and Gene Sarazen all graced the green at Seaview in a tournament together. Crosby said that golf was his great passion, yet all but Bing appeared in the star-studded line-up at Seaview for the 1942 PGA Championship
1942
Seaview Country Club hosted the PGA Championship where Sam Snead captured his first major. On the final day of the match, Snead holed a spectacular 60 foot chip on the 37th hole for birdie to secure a 2-1 victory over Jim Turnesa. PGA Newsweek Magazine sports writers state "The National PGA Tour of 1942 will go down in history as the hottest ever."
1946
Grace Kelly, later known as Princess Grace of Monaco, celebrated her 16th birthday at Seaview in the Oval Room.
1950s-1960s
As America returned to normalcy following the war years, Seaview remained an exclusive country club and golf retreat, catering to business executives. Stemming from American post war prosperity, Seaview entered a period of expansion. From 1955-1957, the Pines Course was expanded; a conference wing was added in 1956, and then enlarged in 1964 reflecting Seaviews growth as an executive conference center. By 1961, construction on the Executive wing was complete with 6 suites and 21 executive bedrooms.
1953
Avid golfer President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited the Seaview and again in 1967. His legendary passion for golf prompted two press junkets to Seaview and helped raise the games popularity among the American public. During his term in office, the number of American golfers doubled.
1986
Seaview was the proud host of the Atlantic City LPGA Classic, which would later become the ShopRite LPGA Classic, that drew legendary players like Betsy King, Juli Inkster, and Nancy Lopez.
1989
Regarded as one of the greatest rock bands of all time, The Rolling Stones stayed at Seaview for 10 days during December of '89. The Stones were in the midst of their Steel Wheels Tour and lead singer Mick Jagger was said to have met music legend Eric Clapton for lunch in the Grill Room one day. Folk-artist Bob Dylan was also a guest at the Seaview during this time, staying under the pseudonym "Justin Case".
1998
The Bay Course is restored close to its original design by architect Bob Cupp Jr.
2010
Seaview was purchased by The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, which updated and made improvements to the property to continue its tradition of elegant accommodations for vacations, golf outings, weddings and corporate events, while playing an integral role in their expanding Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies program.
No doubt organizers had a lot of articles and momentos to choose from in filling their time capsule!
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