Cape George Colony Club

Cape George History

British explorer Henry Kellet named the eastern point of entrance to Discovery Bay in 1846, probably in honor of Captain George Vancouver. Nevertheless, early local maps and common usage referred to it as Dead Man's Point. The reason for that name has since been lost. 

The Cape became a Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Great Depression.  

In the early 1960's a wealthy midwesterner, J. Frederick Palmer, turned the cape into a residential development, the first major real estate project after the boom period of the 1890's.

Palmer developed the area known as the Colony in 1961. Real estate developers Coleman and Riddell developed the Village and Highlands as separate entities.  The three areas were joined as one in 1971 by annexation of the Village and Highlands to the Cape George Colony Club.

In some areas there is a mix of mobile homes and conventional housing. In other parts homes are restricted to stick-built and modular construction.  Most of the lots have excellent views but there are also many  large, wooded lots in the Highlands.

The original Cape George Marina was half its present size. The southern section was added later as was the northern shallow wing of the swimming pool.  Originally the present log house workshop was the only community center.  It had existed since the 1920's as a fisherman's shelter. Members enjoyed many gatherings there including Christmas parties, wine tasting and other functions.

In the mid-1980's, the present day clubhouse was built using funds raised by members through bake sales, garage sales, bazaars, etc. and volunteer labor.  The swimming pool was enclosed at the same time.
 
In the 1970's a group of members organized efforts to provide a local fire station and the community granted a 50-year no cost lease to the property in front of the Village for that purpose.  The station was built using Cape George member's voluntary labor.