Our History
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In 1919, the late Edmund S. Burke, Jr., former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and founder of the firms that later became Bethlehem Steel, held title to more than 500 acres of lush, rolling woodlands in the Chagrin Valley. With nature as his backdrop, Mr. Burke created a home that would become legendary. Today it is known as The Club at Hillbrook. He derived his architectural inspirations to build this 40-room Tudor mansion from an elegant home he visited in Ashford, Kent, England, which was originally built in 1472. A purist, Mr. Burke had a portion of this home brought across the Atlantic to rebuild it as it originally stood back in England. Mr. Burke married Josephine Brainard Chisholm in 1904 and had four children, Josephine, Kathleen, Parthenia, and Stevenson.
The mansion's woodwork is carved from more than 50 acres of black walnut and maple woodlands. Under Mr. Burke's ownership, the grounds required more than 30 full-time gardeners to properly maintain the thousands of varieties of trees and formal gardens. Mr. Burke sold Hillbrook to Paul R. Johnston in 1946. In 1952 Mr. Johnston converted the mansion into a club. Inside Hillbrook you will find thousands of leaded glass panes in windows, unequivocal paneling and woodwork, and spectacular mantels of carved wood and marble. As it began as a home for Mr. Burke, the Club at Hillbrook continues this tradition by inviting members to feel at home, to celebrate special occasions, and to create lasting memories. |
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