Oakland Hills clubhouse destroyed by fire

The cause of the fire that resulted in the complete loss of
the structure may never be known. (Photo: Daniel Mears /Detroit News via AP (fire)

It was a hard thing to witness, so much history being burned to the ground. But that’s all anyone really could do, as the fire that engulfed the Oakland Hills CC clubhouse in mid-February burned out of control.

The clubhouse, located in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Township, Mich., was built over the course of two years, from 1921 to 1922. Completed in August 1922, it included 24 rooms for overnight accommodations. Club member C. Howard Crane was the architect. He also was the architect of Detroit’s Orchestra Hall, the Fox Theater and the Capitol Theatre, now known as the Detroit Opera House. The cost of the clubhouse was $650,000 — $300,000 over budget.

The cause of the fire may never be known, Bloomfield Township Fire Chief John LeRoy told the Detroit Free Press. The initial call to 911 came from a cook who smelled smoke in the kitchen. The clubhouse sprinkler system could not extinguish the fire. “We’ll probably never know what truly happened, the damage is so far advanced,” LeRoy said.

No one was hurt. The golf courses, the golf maintenance facility and the pro shop were untouched by the fire, according to WXYZ Channel 7 News. The club announced shortly after the fire that they plan on rebuilding a replica of the clubhouse.

Oakland Hills has hosted 17 major championships. The club will host the 2031 U.S. Women’s Open. Phil Cuffare is the director of agronomy at Oakland Hills.