1929 Club Honors Cheekwood’s Heritage and Raises Support for Preservation

For almost a century, the automobile has played a central role at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. Over the decades, cars have wound up the drive to the historic mansion carrying well-heeled guests eager for the festivities ahead. On a cozy fall evening, supporters and donors — all members of the 1929 Club — gathered at the former home of the Cheek family for the group’s annual dinner. As the sun set behind the hills, a jazz trio played tunes reminiscent of the Jazz Age — setting the mood for the evening.

After a reception beneath the wisteria arbor, guests headed into the loggia for an intimate dinner with friends. The tables, dressed in black cloths, featured stunning centerpieces of white roses and orchids. The 1929 Club — established in 2014 to raise funds to refurnish the historic Cheek mansion — is made up of passionate supporters who help preserve and maintain the estate. (One recent initiative involved replacing the 97 historic windows on the mansion.)

Jane MacLeod, Cheekwood’s president and CEO, welcomed guests and thanked everyone for their support. This year, she focused her remarks on the estate’s long history with automobiles — a fitting theme, as Cheekwood is in the midst of raising funds to build a significant, 750-car parking structure. 

Jane regaled guests with stories of Leslie Cheek Sr. driving some 200 miles to Reelfoot Lake for fishing trips — and Mabel Cheek taking day trips with estate head cook Johnny Winston to scout for boxwoods to add to Cheekwood’s collection. The family charmingly referred to this as “going boxing.”

Dinner followed with a fall salad of arugula and roasted golden beets, and a grilled filet mignon entrée with hazelnut crema and smoked cremini mushrooms. The delicious meal concluded with pumpkin cheesecake featuring a berry jam and graham crumb.