To be demolished for new houses? Kenneth Smith expanded his 1869 house and built seven other buildings on his estate. (NTHP)

A 60-acre golf course and golf club factory in Shawnee, Kan., may become just another housing development.

Golf guru Kenneth Smith moved into an 1869 house in 1933, transforming the estate into a his club-making headquarters. After his widow died 10 years ago, the land fell into the hands of local developer Darol Rodrock, who plans to tear down all eight historic buildings to make way for 86 new houses.

Local laws do not protect Smith's house, manufacturing facility, clubhouse, barn, garage, and three-par golf course. The fate of the buildings may be in the hands of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is overseeing a Section 106 review process necessary because of drainage issues. (The National Trust's Mountains-Plains Office is a consultant in the process.)

"The ball is in their court," says Janine Joslin, executive director of the Kansas Preservation Alliance, Inc., also a consulting party in the review process. "[The Smith property] is very unique, not only for the county but for the country. To have this nationally renowned golf club manufacturer in residence there for 40 years, that really is an important story."

Last December, six neighbors filed a lawsuit against the city council for its November 2004 decision to re-zone the property to allow Rodrock to build a subdivision.

"The change in zone will add more houses on the Smith property, and that will create more impervious ground, which will cause more water to flow onto their properties," says Sherwin Epstein, the attorney representing the neighbors.

A judge recently ordered the city council to allow the group to present expert witnesses to outline the impact of the new development. The city council has not yet put the item on its agenda.

In the meantime, Joslin is trying to find developers who are willing to build around the historic complex and re-use its buildings. "We want to let [the Corps] know that there are people who are willing to put up the money to save these buildings, preserve them, and put them back into use," she says. "There's no reason why someone can't live in that home."

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