A Story of Golf, Going Home, and Sharing Life's Lessons.
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"He gave me a peculiar smile, as if he knew something I didn't. 'You know, Hogan always said this place saved his life and playing career. He called it the Pinehurst cure. But I guess you know that better than anyone.'"(Page 12)
After selling his portion of the American Soda Fountain Company in 1895, James W. Tufts made plans to build a beautiful health resort in the southeastern United States. Drawn to North Carolina by the curative powers of the Sandhills, Tufts purchased 5,500 acres for just over a dollar an acre.
Tufts commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted, the famed landscape architect who designed New York City's Central Park, to design a village with winding streets and beautiful open spaces. Olmsted didn’t like straight lines, so he created a walking village centered around Pinehurst’s first building, The Holly Inn. He designed the village in a way that he hoped would encourage people to slow down and enjoy the “pine ozone” – the pine-scented air that at the time was thought to cure all ailments. That summer, 450 men began construction on "Pinehurst," a name Tufts chose from a list of possible names for Martha's Vineyard.
In the early days of Pinehurst, most people came to the health resort from the Northeast to be cured of respiratory ailments resulting from the industrial revolution underway in the Northern states. While we now know that “pine ozone” doesn’t really exist, the health of many visitors still improved simply by visiting the area – a phenomenon known to this day as “the Pinehurst cure.”
The Village and area surrounding Pinehurst is rich in history and culture. There are many beautiful turn-of-the century homes, some of which are showcased during the Spring Home and Garden Tour. The quaint Village of Pinehurst also offers a variety of shopping options, from boutique clothing stores to housewares, gift shops to ice cream parlors.