History of Forest Hills Stadium
On April 22, 1892, 13 initial members organized The West Side Tennis Club with the modest goal of renting ground on Central Park West and 88th Street, and built two “dirt” courts. The courts opened on June 11, 1892, and Club membership required a $10 initiation cost, a $10 annual fee, and the ability to play a good game of tennis. By the end of the first season the Club expanded to 43 members and five courts. The “clubhouse” consisted of a shed with two dressing rooms and cold showers.
After ten years, the Central Park West property became too commercially valuable for tennis, so the Club moved to 117th Street and Amsterdam Avenuenear Columbia University, which had room for eight courts. Through the largesse of the land’s owner, Mrs. John Drexel of the prominent banking family, the Club paid a mere $20 per court annually. Through their great savings, the Club converted an old building into a clubhouse with hot showers. By then, the membership had grown to 110 members.
