The Meadow Tennis Club, of Orr’s Island, is celebrating 100 years of offering tennis to the community.
The court was constructed by the Rev. Charles Henry Arndt as an addition to the summer house he built in 1910. Although there is no record, it is thought that the surface was originally grass and was converted to clay in the 1920s.
Initially the court was for the private use of the Arndt family, but around 1925, it was decided to turn it into a club. Since it was next to a meadow, it was only natural to call it the Meadow Tennis Club.
The purpose of the club was two-fold. It enabled tennis aficionados the use of a court and their membership dues helped pay for maintenance.
The club had a formal structure from the beginning, with a president, vice president and secretary-treasurer, as well as greens, membership and fundraising committees.
Meetings of the members were held two or three times each summer beginning on July 19, 1934.
Two categories of players were established: seniors and juniors (16 and under), with separate times to play and different dues. In 1934, dues for the entire summer were $2 for seniors and $1.50 for juniors.
The Meadow Club has offered tennis devotees a sense of community and friendship, as well as the opportunity to play the game they love for 100 years.
A celebration party is scheduled for Aug. 8 at 4 p.m. at the court, 1660 Harpswell Islands Road. All members and those interested in becoming members are welcome to attend.
To inquire about membership, call Judy Arndt at 207-833-7710 or text her at 207-841-9201.
