Summer is a wonderful season, and for many black residents of Detroit, it used to be a time to spend their vacations in Idlewild or Black Eden, a community in Yates Township. From 1912 to 1964, Idlewild served as one of the limited destinations available for black vacationers due to segregation. It gained recognition as one of the most popular resorts in the Midwest among blacks who enjoyed activities like camping, swimming, boating, fishing, horseback riding, and dancing.
This edition of “Doctor Detroit Says” does not focus on Idlewild but rather on another renowned black resort situated just across the river in Canada known as the Surf Club. Not many are familiar with this remarkable resort. In April 1949, Eddie Cummings, a black entrepreneur, and his six-year-old son Cory set out from Detroit to inspect a 100-foot lakeshore lot in Canada. While on their journey, they got stuck on an unpaved road, and a local farmer helped them out of the mud. During their conversation, Cummings discovered that a 150-acre farm facing Lake St. Clair was up for sale for $90,000. The property included a two-story house, a coach house, and almost a mile of beachfront. This parcel of land was approximately 31 miles away from Detroit.
Cummings saw the potential in this opportunity and envisioned the land's future. Recognizing the discrimination that prevented blacks from accessing resorts, he understood the necessity for welcoming resorts for black visitors. With $5,000 of his own money and in collaboration with his business partner, they rallied 19 other individuals to establish Belle-Claire Shores Limited and its non-profit arm, The Surf Club. Among the initial 19 members was Joe Louis, who used the club as his training camp upon returning from retirement in 1950.
The club's inaugural president was Dr. Walter Harmon, and its commodore was Burrell “Junior” Pace. As the club expanded, they constructed a golf driving range, a dining room, and a 20-unit motel, eventually flourishing with 465 members. The club welcomed notable guests in the 1950s such as Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Sugar Ray Robinson, and T-Bone Walker. During its peak, Cummings proudly declared that the club was the finest and most exceptional club for blacks across North America.
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