History of anthony beach

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In July of 1929, a group of businessmen purchased a piece of rocky shoreline in Dartmouth for the use of patrons as a beach club. The owner of the property, Everett B. Sherman, sold them the single parcel (Lot #249 today) with the stipulation that future landowners of specific parcels that he developed (Broadmeadows A and B) would have the right, guaranteed in their land deeds, to the use of this Anthony Beach parcel.

That first lot contains the beach area located on the north side of the rocks which presently divide the beach into two sections; hence, our label "Anthony Beach-North." This beach area is presently used primarily by those deeded beach-right holders, though the parcel continues to be owned and maintained by Anthony Beach Association, Inc., and entirely available to its Association members. Most of the deeded beach-right holders have joined the Stone Ledge Beach Improvement Association, (SLBIA), founded in the 1960s, which provides them with an employee who checks their membership and their guests for legal entry and also some form of insurance (though they are insured by our insurance also). The purpose of their Association is to make sure that their rights to use the property are protected. 

After the initial July 1929 purchase, a second purchase (Lot #250 today) was made in October of 1929, from Franklin W. Hatch. This parcel is located at the present entrance/parking lot of Anthony Beach Association, Inc., and ABA has full ownership, with "no other person having any rights thereunto." The third parcel (Lot #100 today), which presently includes the bathhouses and beach in front of them, was purchased from Horatio Brewster (thought to be purchased in July, 1938, but registered as May 21,1931), again with full ABA ownership and no deeded beach-right contingencies. Deeded beach-right holders did not contribute to the purchase of the two additional parcels which make up Anthony Beach Association, Inc., and they do not have rights of usage to the amenities which were created on the two newer parcels.

The original by-laws of ABA provided for 150 shareholders and 150 annual memberships to be determined at the meeting of shareholders. Members enjoyed sunbathing and swimming to the extent that was acceptable at that time. Pictures of adults and children enjoying the beach sometimes appeared in the "brown section" (society pages) of the New Bedford Standard Times. At some point, additional sand was obviously trucked in to cover the many large stones and boulders that made up the early shoreline. 

Broadmeadows was said to include land parcels on both sides of William Street from the water up to Rockland Street (and then perhaps Stoneledge Road with later development?) Stoneledge Road would become the location of many “camps” during the summer months, and those deeded beach-right families made frequent use of the north side of the beach. Anthony Beach Association began to hire a lifeguard (a Mr. Sylvia from YMCA in early 60s; Mr. Beauregard-60s) and manager (Joe Lopes, Earl Sutter, Walter F. Smith early on?; later, Dick Barry assistant and then manager) and would build bathhouse(s) near the water and provide parking on the newly purchased parcels of land. 

The bathhouses were washed back and destroyed by the 1954 hurricane. Part of their original foundation makes up the present waterside walkway. Three bays of new bathhouses, plus about 20 wooden lockers (in the back of Bay 3), and two changing bath houses were built farther inland at their present location. Some members changed in the changing lockers and then put their clothes in the wooden lockers. After changing, members would run their wet bathing suits through a roller-wringer, where the present footbath is, and hang them on a clothesline (behind the present showers). We even found a directive to the manager, reminding him to take down the swimsuits from the line and put them in the owners' lockers or bathhouses before leaving for the day!

In approximately 1963, a young man who was not an Anthony Beach Association member was illegally diving off the Anthony Beach Association's far raft after-hours (and yes, we had a diving board—still to be found on the rafters of one of the bays) and suffered a broken neck. His family sued and settled with ABA, and the legal issue would cause hard feelings between the two groups who used the Anthony Beach properties. Deeded beach-right holders, through the SLBIA, hired their own lifeguards until 2012, when it was decided--for safety purposes after the 2011 accidental drowning of a non member young man (a deeded beach-right member's guest) on the north side of the rocks--that the ABA must take stronger managerial control (including supervising of lifeguards) for the entire beach area. 

Some areas of governance remain complicated. It should be noted that deeded beach right holders cannot be refused admittance to Anthony Beach-North if they have not chosen to belong to SLBIA. Their deeds allow them bathing and boating privileges on the 1929 Anthony Beach first property parcel. To this end, they are allowed to launch watercraft outside the float line on the north side. However, our own Anthony Beach Association Member Rules do not allow our members to launch watercraft (our only allowance is for small inflatables inside the float line). If ABA members are also deeded beach-right holders, they may launch watercraft north of the float line but must enter the beach with their craft on the Stoneledge Road access to Anthony Beach North. We require that deeded beach-right holders who are launching craft refrain from starting their motors until they are beyond the outer floatline. 

Now, about the name Anthony Beach: where did it come from? Well, we have learned of "Anthony House," a big white house on William Street belonging to a wealthy family. And there is also Anthony Street which intersects with William Street (both are beyond the originally-mentioned William Street/Rockland Street borders of Broadmeadows). So, did the Anthonys at one point own the land all the way to the water, or was their name and wealth used as an indicator of the location of the beach property? 

Research continues!