You play
in the BWC Golf Tournament in McMinnville at Michelbook Country Club, located
on Michelbook Lane.
You have
an association with Linfield College in McMinnville. The college’s Admissions
Office is located in the historic Michelbook House on campus in McMinnville.
You know
Michelbook. But, what do you know about its namesakes?
(CAUTION:
This is more than you want to know. It is not required reading. This
information will not be on quiz or final exam.)
MICHELBOOK
COUNTRY CLUB WEBSITE
In the
early 1960's, Kelton Peery, Chuck Colvin and Willard Cushing “felt that it was
time for (McMinnville) to have a private golf course. Then began their search
for property …” They “soon were able to persuade Captain Francis Michelbook
that this was a proper use for his land, a dairy farm and was later used for
raising turkeys. Captain Michelbook did have some conditions in order to
proceed and one was that it would perpetually bear the family name ‘Michelbook’
and with the swipe of a pen was the beginning of Michelbook Country Club.”
SKYGOLF
WEBSITE
“This
private course was named after Captain Francis Michelbook, whose dairy and
turkey farm was redeveloped into a nine hole course. That layout opened in 1964
with nine holes designed by Sharon Stone, an employee of Western Turf Company.
The second nine debuted on July 27, 1984.”
CITY OF
McMINNVILLE WEBSITE
--City of
McMinnville Historic Resources Survey says the Michelbook House (two-story
Colonial style built about 1930), in which Francis Michelbook and his wife,
Christine Michelbook lived, has “Historic Significance.”
McMINNVILLE
N-R/NEWS-REGISTER
--Francis
L. Michelbook, whose family farm eventually became the site of Michelbook
County Club, once served as commander of McMinnville’s Company A, part of
Oregon National Guard’s Third Infantry. During a Veterans Day 2016 exhibit at
the Yamhill Valley Heritage Center in McMinnville a 1914 photo of Francis
Michelbook posing with his saber were displayed. Also on display was his
National Guard backpack. Info from a story in the Nov. 15, 2016, N-R edition by
Starla Pointer.
--In a
Elaine Rohse "Rohse Colored Glasses” columns : “We start with three late
businessmen, Kelton Peery, Chuck Colvin and Willard Cushing, who decided it was
time for McMinnville (population, 7,000) to have a private golf course. They
spearheaded a mighty effort, backed by community support. On Feb. 2, 1962, they
optioned to buy 114 acres in northwest McMinnville owned by Christie and
Francis Michelbook, who long had a dairy farm there and later raised turkeys.
Approximately $150,000 was realized from sale of stock. Michelbook’s dairy barn
was to serve as a clubhouse. (When it later burned, a new clubhouse was built.)
And on the momentous day of May 9, 1964, golfers took to the course for the
first time. Nowadays, on long summer evenings, family groups, working couples and
singles visit those 18 fairways for relaxation, camaraderie, perhaps a birdie
or two — and hopefully to memorialize the efforts of those three.”
--Info at
the McMinnville N-R website says in early 1990 the Michelbook House was for
sale, “but the buyer must move it.” Later in 1990 Linfield decided to buy the
house, move it to campus and use it as home of Linfield Admissions. In March
1991 the house was moved, and placed on a new foundation on campus on Linfield
Avenue. After the move, the house had a “commercial remodel.”
OTHER
ONLINE SOURCES, SOME IDENTIFIED
--Francis
Lester Michelbook was born Jan. 24, 1886, and died March 29, 1965. He served as
a captain in the Oregon National Guard and for Yamhill County as State
Representative in the 28th (Jan. 11-20, 1915) Oregon legislative assembly. He
was a graduate of Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University.)
Obituary:
March 30, 1965 Oregon Statesman, Salem, with additional info added by poster on
March 27, 2018:
Francis Michelbook
Francis
Michelbook, 79, an early legislator from Yamhill County, died Monday at his
home, 1200 Michelbook Lane, McMinnville. He was born in Salem, Marion County,
Oregon. Michelbook served in the Legislature in 1913. For many years he
operated Michelbook Farm, which now is Michelbook Country Club. He sold the
farm in 1963 for development of the golf course.
Michelbook,
a graduate of Oregon State University in 1909, served as an Army captain in
World War I. He also saw action in the Mexican Border clash. He helped to
organize Co. A of the Oregon National Guard here.
Surviving
are the widow, Christie, McMinnville; brothers Herbert of Portland and Roy of
Berkeley, Calif.; sisters Mrs. George Fick, Portland, and Mrs. Emma Martin,
Woodland, Wash.
Mass will
be 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. James Catholic Church in McMinnville with interment
at Evergreen Memorial Park. Rosary will be 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Macy & Son
chapel.
:::::::::::::::::
--Christine Cleve Michelbook was born on April 27, 1886, and died on July 31,
1989. Information at the McMinnville N-R website provides a photo cutline dated
May 16, 1975: “Christine ‘Christie’ Michelbook in her home on the staircase,
& playing the piano. Also, copy of painting of her husband in military
uniform.”
Obituary:
McMinnville N-R/News-Register Aug. 2, 1989, with additional info added by
poster on March 27, 2018:
CHRISTINE
C. MICHEBOOK, 1986-1989
Services
for former longtime McMinnville resident Christine C. “Kit” Michelbook of
Portland will be held at 32 p.m. Friday in the Chapel of Macy & Son Funeral
Directors, McMinnville.
Officiating
will be the Rev. Randy Steele of the United Presbyterian Church.
Entombment
will be in Evergreen Memorial Park mausoleum, McMinnville.
Mrs.
Michelbook died July 31, 1989, in Crestview Convalescent Center, Portland. She
was 103 years old.
She was
born April 27, 1886, in Bismarck, N.D., daughter of Helga Berven Cleve. The
family moved to Oregon, when she and her two sisters were orphaned. She was
taken in and raised by a local doctor and his family.
Mrs.
Michelbook was graduated from Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State
University.)She taught in a one-room schoolhouse for a time.
She and
Francis L. “Cap” Michelbook were married Sept. 12, 1918, in Portland. Mr.
Michelbook preceded his wife in death in 1965.
The
Michelbooks moved to McMinnville, where they settled on a family farm purchased
from the original settlers in the area. The Michelbook property was sold to
local developers in 1963, but Mrs. Michelbook retained life rights to the
family home.
The farm
now is the location of Michelbook Estate and Country Club.
Mrs.
Michelbook lived in Carousel Care Center in McMinnville for a short time. In
1983, she moved to Crestview Convalescent Center, Portland, to be closer to one
of her trustees, former McMinnville resident Betty Jean McCoorry Yockey.
Friends
and Mrs. Michelbook enjoyed discussing various topics, ranging from politics to
sports. She liked to sew.
She loved
children, friends said. She often gave neighborhood youngsters advice about
having good qualities and high moral standards.
Survivors
include a nephew, Irvin Rosvold of Edwardsville, Ill.
She also
was preceded in death by two sisters, Emma Cleve and Anna Rosvold.
Photos of Michelbook House and Michelbook
Country Club and Michelbook Lane signs by Wildcatville 3/27/2018
