History

The Minute Man Sportsman's Club of Billerica, Mass. was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in 1934. The original location of the Club was on land adjacent to Hanscom Field Air Base. Dick Wiggins of Lexington was elected as the Club's first president. With the birth of skeet approaching, the members - mostly rifle and pistol shooters, put together enough money to build one skeet field. From the start of skeet at Minute Man, the management of the fields and their upkeep was in the hands of the Club manager, George Wilkerson. Every member of the Club was an enthusiastic supporter of George and he became the real maker of Minute Man's skeet activities.

In 1942, Uncle Sam took the Club's property by eminent domain for $13,500 to enlarge Hanscom Field. The money was put into a savings account from 1942 until the war was over.

After the war, George Wilkerson and Ed Matsuki went to Holliston and made an agreement with Hill Top Gun Club to lease two skeet fields and clubhouse facilities for use by the Minute Man shooters. The Old Hill Top was then reactivated and called the Mayflower Gun Club. Ed Matsuki and Walter Amesbury, along with Ed's wife, Grace, volunteered their time and services.

In 1945, after extensive searching by dedicated shooters, 140 acres of land was purchased for $5,000 plus another $1,000 to secure land court title. This is now the present site.

In 1961, a fund raising drive was initiated to enlarge the clubhouse and shooting facilities. The number of skeet fields was increased to four and trap fields to two. In the early 60's, George Wilkerson, Club manager since the rebirth of the Minute Man Sportsman's Club, died. George Burk was chosen as Club manager in 1964, a position he held with esteem until his resignation in 1981.

Due to the great demand for shooting time and registered tournament positions, under the auspices of president Asa Allen, during the period of 1964-1969, Minute Man grew again from four to nine skeet fields. The profile of the membership, which had once included many active pistol and rifle competitors, changed in the 60's and the Club became almost exclusively a clay target club.

The mid seventies found new life for the trap shooters under president Clark. Gene Morgan, Bob Hawkes, Gus Iozzo, Leo Hanrahan, and Art Nelson took the bull by the horns and transformed the fields from two to fourteen, thus enabling the Club to hold the state trap shoot. The aforementioned group spent years of time and money to complete this project which now has since brought trap to the level of skeet at the Club.

At the same time, there was a need for Club expansion again so a small unusable parcel was sold to generate revenue for yet another addition to the clubhouse and also set revenue aside for a possible relocation years down the road. All this was made possible by the undying hard work of presidents Allen, Clark, Haywood, Caballa, Weidergott, Marino, Hawkes, Denise, and the many directors and officers.

Minute Man Sportsman's Club, its officers and directors have been concerned over the years with encroachment upon its once rural environment. The abutting lands surrounding Minute Man are largely industrial and commercial developments; while it has increased the value of Minute Man, it consistently presents a potential threat to continued operation of the Club as a gun club. However, through the efforts of Presidents, Clark, Hawkes, Batty, Connors, Dunn and Fairweather, Minute Man has obtained documents from abutters stating they will not object to the continued recreational use as a gun club.

The Club, its officers and directors continually work towards maintaining a good relationship with all neighbors and the two towns in which the Club is located. The Club has voluntarily limited its hours of operation and scheduled its shoots to have minimal impact on neighbors. The Club regularly supports the local scholarship efforts of both towns and has benefit shoots for the local Boy's Club and Duck's Unlimited, as well as hosting the Bay State Games. In addition, local police departments and their personnel have utilized the Club.

Minute Man Sportsman's Club has produced some of the finest competitive skeet and trap shooters in the country during its 56 years of existence. "Shooting excellence" is not only a motto at Minute Man - it's a way of life. It is our belief that Minute Man has produced more "All Americans", "World Champions" and "Hall of Fame" members than any other privately owned shooting facility in the world.