Tennis House
The Woodbury Indoor Tennis Court

The ultimate North Shore tennis experience still thrives at John Dunn's "Tennis House" at The Gates of Woodbury. The Tennis House mystique has a prestigious yet more serious heritage, dating back a half century when it was the eminent Winthrop Family's lavish Estate. Legend passed down through the decades portrays Tennis House as one of the elite playgrounds during the famous 1930's "Gatsby Era." Many of Hollywood's "Golden Age" celebrities, including Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, and Cecille B. DeMille, were said to have been only a few of the Estate's guests. However, Mrs. Elizabeth Babcock, one of Woodbury's last living aristocrats and a Winthrop relative, perceived the Estate from a more historic perspective. Emphatically, she remarked: "The House was much more of an aristocratic retreat than a 'playground' for movie moguls and Hollywood stars." Vividly she recalls that: "The Winthrops were selected by the King and Queen of England to officially host the Duke and Dutchess of Windsor on their royal visits to Long Island's Gold Coast." When the Duke and Dutchess arrived they would bring an entire staff including their own cook, maid, valet, and chauffeur.

Nonetheless, the Tennis House mystique has endured. Tennis House is the only remaining structure of the former 500 acre Winthrop Estate. The home and court has had numerous renovations since it's purchase in 1960. The Dunn Family has perpetuated their own unique legacy by keeping the court with it's original "Roaring 20's" design and look, yet modernized it for the 21st century tennis purist. The famous Woodbury landmark creates the perfect tennis atmosphere with natural light that beams down from it's massive steel frame, it's 500 grandiose skylights, and it's neo-classic French balcony and sitting parlour.

John Dunn, the patriarch of Tennis House, continues his work. However, after his half century of dedicated service to the tennis industry on Long Island, he has begun to pass the torch to a new generation of Dunns to run the family business.

Today, Tennis House is available for seasonal bookings and/or private lessons. For more information call 516-692-7754 or email us at tennisinfo@telstarnet.com.