Guide to the Arthur Compton Jr./ Trailsend Club Collection


Title:
Arthur Compton Jr./ Trailsend Club Collection
Repository:
Wright State University Libraries Special Collections and Archives
Phone: 937-775-2092
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/
Creator:
Compton Jr. , Arthur B.
Dates:
1958-1964
Quantity:
1.25 linear feet (4 Hollinger boxes)
Abstract:
The records concern the founding and first years of the Trailsend Club of Dayton. Mr. Compton kept very good records of the early organization of the Club, meeting minutes, member bulletins, finances, and much more. Of particular interest are the records concerning the purchase and transformation of former Ohio Governor James Cox's mansion known as Trailsend into an exclusive social club.
Identification:
MS-330
Language:
The records are in English

Biography of Arthur B. Compton, Jr.

Arthur B. Compton, president of Lincoln Storage Co., was largely responsible for the founding of The Trailsend Club in 1958. The process of creating an exclusive social club in Dayton for businessmen and their families began in July, 1958. The Organizing Committee of the Club bought former Governor James Cox's mansion (along with 5-acres of land), renovated it, and held its grand opening on November 29, 1958.

The vision of the Club's founders was to combine "the most desirable features of a private country club together with those of an Athletic Club (such as those in Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland and other major cities." In the first years of the Club's existence numerous social events were held, a new outdoor pool was built, as well as a dining room, cocktail bar, and athletic facilities. Membership was by invitation only. Each prospective member had to pass a credit check and be approved by the existing membership.

The Trailsend Club closed its doors and ceased operating in 1982 due to rising costs and declining membership. The property was bought by Oakwood contractor Donald Phlipot in 1983. Tom Danis of Danis Industries, in partnership with Phlipot and seven other businesses, began the renovation of the mansion in 1987 and completing it in 1988. The mansion is currently used by nine Dayton area firms as a combination business meeting club and executive guest house.

Scope and Content

The collection documents the early organization of the Club through meeting minutes, member bulletins, finances, scrapbooks and photographs, as well as maps and blueprints. Of particular interest are the records concerning the purchase that led to the transformation of former Ohio Governor James Cox's mansion, known as Trailsend, into an exclusive social club.

Series I: Administrative

This series contains information related to the operations of the Trailsend Club. The areas covered in the series are the board of trustees, rules and bylaws, meeting minutes (trustee and membership meetings), employee matters, and correspondence. The series is strongest in its complete collection of meeting minutes and the rules and bylaws covering the first five years of the Club. The information concerning the board of trustees and employee matters consists of mostly correspondence regarding Club administration and procedures. The correspondence file has only a few letters of a personal nature to and from Arthur Compton.

Series II: Financial

This series contains materials regarding the Club's financial statements, insurance, and bonds. The strongest aspect of this series is its nearly complete collections of financial statements mainly covering the years 1958 through 1960. The Bonds file also has some interesting materials concerning the Club's use of bonds to finance itself.

Series III: Committees

This series contains materials on the following Club committees: organization, athletic, house, entertainment, membership, publicity, and finance. The most interesting aspect of this series concerns the organization and membership committee papers. These two files contain a wealth of information regarding the Club's origins and matters dealing with its membership. The entertainment committee papers also give a lot of insight into the activities and events held at the Club. The series contains reports and meeting minutes of some of the committees. The weakest aspect of this series is with the athletic committee papers, which are few.

Series IV: Membership

This series contains information regarding membership bulletins, rosters, and reciprocity. The series has a nearly complete collection of rosters and bulletins for the Club's first several years of existence. The reciprocity papers are also interesting. They detail the Club's efforts to develop mutually beneficial relationships with clubs in other cities so that traveling members from one city's club may take advantage of member benefits in another city's club and vice versa.

Series V: Scrapbook and Photographs

This series contains mostly newspaper clippings about former Governor Cox's mansion and Trailsend Club people and events. There are also a number of undated photographs of the mansion's exterior and interior.

Series VI: Maps and Blueprints

This series contains plat maps of the Trailsend Club's property as well as blueprints for converting the garage into a pool house.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is made up of 6 series:
Series I:Administrative
Series II: Financial
Series III: Committees
Series IV: Membership
Series V: Scrapbook and Photographs
Series VI: Maps and Blueprints

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Restrictions on Access

There are no restrictions on accessing materials in this collection.

Related Material: Related Material

MS-2 James M. Cox Papers


Subject Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Businessmen -- Ohio -- Dayton.
Societies and clubs -- Ohio -- Dayton.
Trailsend Club, 1958-1964.

Preferred Citation

[Box #, Folder #], MS-330, Arthur Compton, Jr. / Trailsend Club Collection, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated to the WSU Archives by Arthur Compton's granddaughter Sue Deister on July 18, 2002.

Other Finding Aid

The finding aid is available on the Special Collections & Archives, Wright State University Libraries web site at
https://wright.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/99.


Collection Inventory



Series I: Administrative Records, 1958-1963

Box 1 / Folder 1
Board of Trustees, Sept 1958-July 1962




Box 1 / Folder 2
Rules, Regulations, and Bylaws, 1959-March 1963




Box 1 / Folder 3
Meeting Minutes, Sept 1958-April 1962




Box 1 / Folder 4
Employee Matters, Nov 1958-March 1963




Box 1 / Folder 5
Correspondence, Feb 1962-July 1964





Series II: Financial Records, 1958-1963

Box 1 / Folder 6
Financial Statements, Nov 1958-Sept 1959




Box 1 / Folder 7
Financial Statements, Oct 1959-May 1963




Box 1 / Folder 8
Insurance, Dec 1958-July 1959




Box 1 / Folder 9
Bonds, April 1959-Sept 1963





Series III: Committees, 1958-1964

Box 2 / Folder 1
Organization, July 1958-Oct 1958




Box 2 / Folder 2
Athletic, June 1959-Nov 1960




Box 2 / Folder 3
House, Sept 1958-Feb 1962




Box 2 / Folder 4
House, Nov 1958- May 1961




Box 2 / Folder 5
Entertainment, March 1959-August 1964




Box 2 / Folder 6
Membership, July 1958-April 1960




Box 2 / Folder 7
Membership, May 1960-July 1964




Box 2 / Folder 8
Publicity, May 1959-August 1963




Box 3 / Folder 1
Finance, August 1958-Sept 1960





Series IV: Membership, 1958-1964

Box 3 / Folder 2
Bulletins, Oct 1958-May 1962




Box 3 / Folder 3
Bulletins, May 1962-August 1964




Box 4 / Folder 1
Rosters, Dec 1958-April 1960




Box 4 / Folder 2
Reciprocity, July 1958-May 1960





Series V: Scrapbook and Photographs, 1958-1964

Box 4 / Folder 3
Scrapbook, July 1958-April 1964




Box 4 / Folder 4
Photographs, undated





Series VI: Maps and Blueprints, 1958-1959

Map-case 31 / Folder 4
Photographic copies of original 1916 blueprints for the Gov. Cox Mansion, undated




Map-case 31 / Folder 5
Plat maps of Governor's Hill / Trailsend properties, 1958




Map-case 31 / Folder 6
Blueprints for converting the garage into a pool house, 1959