Marie Cataldo discovered her father’s collection of members’ books, meeting logs, pictures and old menus of 125-year-old Essex County CC in West Orange, N.J.
The unofficial historian of Essex County Country Club passed away nine years ago and left his collection of the club’s members’ books, meeting logs, old menus, scorecards, pictures and place mats in cardboard boxes in his basement. His daughter, Marie, recently discovered the historical artifacts of the West Orange, N.J. club, the (New Jersey) Star Ledger reports.
The club marked its 125th anniversary on May 25 and began sifting through everything Cataldo, who held many positions at the club during his life, had held onto over the years. The collection is now kept in a storage unit near Marie’s townhouse.
The club found a long list of famous guests, like William Howard Taft, Babe Ruth, Bob Hope and Cecil B. DeMille. The club even welcomed social member Thomas Edison.
“Her dad was a pack rat of the highest order,” said Andrew Mutch, a curator and historian who spent three days going through the old boxes. “His one calling in life was to document Essex County history. That was pretty clear to me. He kept everything. And his longevity made that collection enormous.”
Some of the favorite pieces of the new display among members are old grill menus from the 1940s, featuring 40-cent drinks and $1.25 sandwiches.
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