North Hills, New York

IF, AS KARL MARX ONCE SAID, history repeats itself first as tragedy, second as farce, then maybe the saga of Deepdale Golf Club makes sense. Ever since the Supreme Court ruled in Kelo v. New London that forcing the sale of private property to promote economic development and broaden tax revenues passed constitutional muster, Americans have read about a steady parade of eminent domain horror stories, typically involving wealthy developers and cash-strapped city councils. But with Deepdale, eminent domain moved from heartbreak to absurdity, as the local mayor kicked around the idea of seizing a plush private golf course and making it “public.”

Deepdale is located in the tony village of North Hills, New York, along a strip of Long Island’s North Shore known as the Gold Coast. Founded in 1924 by William K. Vanderbilt II, its most famous members have included Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon, as well as New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg and a bevy of celebrities. The club boasts around 200 current members–by invitation only–and gauges the value of its 175-acre property at over $100 million.