James Walker Tufts

James Walker Tufts (February 11, 1835 – February 3, 1902), founded the Arctic Soda Fountain Co. and eventually merged with A.D. Puffer & Sons (Boston, MA), John Matthews (New York), and Charles Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA) to form the American Soda Fountain Co. Tufts was the inventor of the Arctic Soda Fountain and was installed as the first president of the merger that formed American Soda Fountain. Tufts parents were Leonard Tufts and Hepzebah Fosdick Tufts.

Tufts was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts He was "an entrepreneur, inventor, and philanthropist. He rose from being a sixteen year old drug store apprentice to becoming a wealthy businessman who had the vision and determination to build the village of Pinehurst, North Carolina in only six months." [ [http://www.tuftsarchives.org/tufts_template.htm Welcome to the Tufts Archives ] at www.tuftsarchives.org] In 1895, Tufts initially purchased convert|500|acre|km2, and eventually purchased an additional convert|5500|acre|km2, of land for approximately $1.25 per acre in the North Carolina Sandhills, with the vision of building a "health resort for people of modest means". [ [http://www.tuftsarchives.org/tufts_template.htm Welcome to the Tufts Archives ] at www.tuftsarchives.org] Originally dubbed "Tuftstown" during development, Tuftstown became the village of Pinehurst, and home of the Pinehurst Resort -- the name was chosen from a list of losing names proposed for Martha's Vineyard.

Tufts hired the landscape architecture firm started by Frederick Law Olmsted to do the initial city planning; because his health was failing, Olmsted himself was unable to play an active role.

Pinehurst later became known for its golf courses with the arrival of golf pro Donald Ross (originally of Dornoch, Scotland) in December, 1900. Ross designed four of Pinehurst's golf courses.

Tufts died in Pinehurst, North Carolinain 1902. Pinehurst was controlled by the Tufts family until 1970. James Tufts's son Leonard, and his grandson, Richard, succeeded him.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.golfthemidatlantic.com/story/12 Pinehurst Resort -- Significance Onto Itself]
* [http://www.wgv.com/hof/members/rtufts.html Pinehurst and Richard Tufts]
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_1999_June/ai_54680055 Golf Digest Timeline of Pinehurst]