When Ray T. Adams bought this estate for just $25,000 in 1940, he dreamed of opening a hunt club and selling parcels of land for real estate. He changed the name to the Whatehead Club and invited potential investors, politicians (including Dwight Eisenhower), and public figures (including boxing champion Jack Dempsey) to enjoy hunting on the property.

He built a landing strip on a man-made finger of land beginning in the sound (approximately where the red channel marker is today) and extending across the front lawn. Guests who traveled by airplane arrived at the front door of the house.

The pond that you see was dug in the late 1980s.

[Text with lower left photo:] Ray T. Adams, 1941.

[Text with middle photo:] Excavating the landing strip. Photograph courtesy of Gin Leinneweber

[Text with upper right photo:] Airplane on landing strip. Photograph courtesy of Gin Leinneweber

Marker can be reached from the intersection of Ocean Trail (North Carolina Route 12) and Club Road.

Courtesy hmdb.org

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