Kurth Tennis Courts
A replaced place tangled up with the complicated history of Ernest Kurth .
From their establishment in 1957 to replacement in 1995, the Kurth Tennis Courts served as Southwestern University's mainstay for tennis activities and carried the name of controversial figure Ernest Kurth.
Positioned where Joe S. Mundy Hall currently stands, the Kurth Tennis Courts were a central feature of Southwestern University's sporting landscape from the mid-1950s until their demolition in 1995. Funded by alumni Mr. Ernest L. Kurth (Class of 1905) and his wife, Mrs. Isla Kinsolving Kurth, the facility was named the Kurth Tennis Courts. This was in recognition of the Kurths' contributions to the university and Mr. Kurth's tenure as a Board of Trustees member from 1929 until his death in 1960.
The process to establish the new courts began with the demolition of the previous tennis courts in early 1955. As new construction was underway by Austin's Giesen and Latson Construction Company, the university's tennis players practiced on remaining courts, adapting to the challenging conditions of the worn-out facilities.
Completed in February 1957, the Kurth Tennis Courts were unique in their location. Positioned on a hill, the courts offered a subtle yet unique factor of wind influence, contributing an interesting dimension to the games played there. Despite the challenge of the location, the courts managed to secure their place in the university's sports facilities for nearly four decades. Featuring a Laykold surface, the courts catered to many matches, training sessions, and casual games over their operational lifetime.
In early 1995, plans to replace the Kurth Tennis Courts were announced, as part of the broader scheme to renovate the school's recreational facilities, known as "The Master Plan of Vision 2000." This led to the construction of a new set of tennis courts near the then newly-built Robertson Center, which became operational by September of the same year.
Despite the relocation and subsequent renovations, the Kurth Tennis Courts' significant role in shaping Southwestern University's tennis narrative is undeniable. In 2007, the 1995 tennis facilities were renamed as the Marvin D. Henderson, Sr. Tennis Courts, following a generous donation from the Henderson Family. Marvin D. Henderson, Sr., a 1941 Southwestern graduate and esteemed tennis player, became the namesake of the updated courts, adding a new chapter to the university's tennis history.
However, like the Kurth-Landrum Golf Course and Kurth Residence Hall, it kept generations of people at Southwestern and in the larger Georgetown Community who played there saying Kurth’s name not knowing the complex legacy of Kurth’s role in the history of Southwestern.
