Hop Brook Tennis Club, www.hopbrooktennis.com

Our History

1945

Hop Brook Tennis Club enjoys a history rich in tradition. Established in 1945, the original club was named the Hop Brook Tennis and Dunking Club. The original location was at the brownstone home of a Mrs. Hendrick whose property abutted the Hop Brook in the center of Simsbury (at the corner of Hop Meadow Street and West Street). Because the town had very few tennis courts, Mrs. Hendrick graciously allowed a number of young tennis enthusiasts in town to use her court in exchange for their maintaining it. She also allowed them to use her pool…Hence the “Dunking” in the name.

1955

In 1955 a hurricane hit town, and the deluge ruined Mrs. Hendrick’s court. In 1956 one of the Tennis and Dunking Club members, Laurie Cathles, donated five acres of land up on Westledge Road as a permanent location for the club. The association decided to build two clay courts themselves. They raised funds from the membership and built the courts at a cost of $4,632. That year, the club also incorporated and renamed itself The Hop Brook Tennis Club. What is now the current clubhouse was then the gift of a barn that was moved to the location in 1959 for $371.

1970

In the 1970’s, paddle tennis was introduced to the club. The club learned that they could acquire a wooden court from the Connecticut General Insurance Company if they moved it themselves. Once again, the membership organized into work parties to dismantle and reconstruct their new paddle court.

1990

In the 1990’s, the original wooden paddle court was demolished and replaced with two modern lighted all-aluminum courts and a warming hut. The 1990’s also saw the Club’s construction of a third Har-Tru tennis court.

273 Westledge Road • West Simsbury, CT 06092 • 860-408-1138 • hopbrook@yahoo.com