Checkpoint #9
The GroundsKeeper's House
4055 N. Stowell Ave.

Fred Haselow was the first full time groundskeeper for the Milwaukee Country Club and stayed on staff for almost 40 years. His house, built in 1900, originally had outdoor plumbing (hand pump), an outhouse and a small barn for a cow. Fred had a big job. Maintaining a 9 hole golf course in the early 1900's was no small task. Fred relied on 2 major technologies to keep the fairways clipped. The first was a horse drawn lawn mower.
And the second was a flock of 200 sheep who wandered the course at will.
As you can imagine, playing golf in the presence of 200+ sheep could potentially lead to dire consequences as it apparently did in 1902.  This poem, published in Francis Keene's book - Lyrics of the Links, was written about James K. Ilsley. James was Chairman of the Golf Committee at the Milwaukee Country Club and founder of the Milwaukee Bankers Association. It tells the tail of one such fatal event.
It's Ilsley's Pose,
As each one knows
That makes his game so finished.

With studied art
He plays his part,
His ardor undiminished.

His graceful swing
Marks everything,
From drivin' down to puttin'.
​
But he won his fame
At a different game
As a dead sure shot at mutton.
It is unknown if lamb was served at the club house that evening.

Let’s move on to Tee Box 4! 3961 N. Stowell Ave.