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Dune Allen 1950's

john hendrixBeach Comber
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I am looking for pictures from the 1950's or 60's of the north side of Oyster Lake in Dune Allen as well as any information regarding the history of possibly a Boy Scout Camp around Oyster Lake back then??? We were told our home was part of that camp when we purchased it 20 years ago but I havent been able to find a source for this.
Thanks in advance!

Replies

20
Kurt avatar
KurtAdmin
#2
The coastal branch library had some aerials from then a couple of years ago. They may still have them or point you to them.
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#3
I went to it. It was a YMCA camp called Camp Harold Baird. Named after the builder who put up most of the original homes, including mine, along 30A in Dune Allen and SRB. Without being nosy tell me where you're located, and I'll tell you. There are only maybe two structures left that were associated with the camp
john hendrixBeach ComberAuthor
#4
I went to it. It was a YMCA camp called Camp Harold Baird. Named after the builder who put up most of the original homes, including mine, along 30A in Dune Allen and SRB. Without being nosy tell me where you're located, and I'll tell you. There are only maybe two structures left that were associated with the camp
Hi! We are at 121 Oyster Lake Drive. Cinder block house.
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#53
Here are some shots for reference. The camp encompassed the outlined area. The boys cabins were over on Bob-Bo Ln or Allen Lakeshore Dr. Those structures were there until maybe the last ten years or so. The house in the second picture was the far end of the camp, and if memory served was where the head counselor lived. That's the only remaining structure. Amazingly, you can see the remnants of the old dock!
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#6
Hi! We are at 121 Oyster Lake Drive. Cinder block house.
You posted that just before I uploaded my shots. Yes...that was the house where the head counselor lived. It was the furthest structure to the east. Everything else except the old dock pilings is gone!
ShallowsNole avatar
ShallowsNoleBeach Fanatic
#7
You posted that just before I uploaded my shots. Yes...that was the house where the head counselor lived. It was the furthest structure to the east. Everything else except the old dock pilings is gone!
Hurricane Eloise was not kind to Camp Harold Baird. After Eloise, the remaining gutted buildings became places to explore, and other things teenagers do...
john hendrixBeach ComberAuthor
#8
You posted that just before I uploaded my shots. Yes...that was the house where the head counselor lived. It was the furthest structure to the east. Everything else except the old dock pilings is gone!
Oh wow! Thanks for the info! Our house is 2 separate structures connected by a screened in porch (originally), We added the larger screened in deck later. Any idea why 2 separate structures? One side is basically a big room with loft. The other flat side has kitchen, bath and bedrooms.
Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#9
Oh wow! Thanks for the info! Our house is 2 separate structures connected by a screened in porch (originally), We added the larger screened in deck later. Any idea why 2 separate structures? One side is basically a big room with loft. The other flat side has kitchen, bath and bedrooms.

It was likely to avoid kitchen fires. I doubt there was any fire department that long ago.
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#10
Hurricane Eloise was not kind to Camp Harold Baird. After Eloise, the remaining gutted buildings became places to explore, and other things teenagers do...
LOL!! Been there done that! Mindy and I both went the last year it was open.
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#11
It was likely to avoid kitchen fires. I doubt there was any fire department that long ago.
It was a woefully small volunteer department that sat on 393 just south of 98 right about where the donation store was
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#12
Oh wow! Thanks for the info! Our house is 2 separate structures connected by a screened in porch (originally), We added the larger screened in deck later. Any idea why 2 separate structures? One side is basically a big room with loft. The other flat side has kitchen, bath and bedrooms.
I'm trying to remember if it was two distinct buildings. Maybe Shallowsnole can chime in. The loft was not a part of them. They were very basic block structures that have changed over the years. The area that was just cleared out at the corner of Oyster Lake Dr and E Seahorse Circle used to be where we shot BB guns, .22's, and bows and arrows. I was very tempted to walk through the brush to see if there was any indication of of arrow shafts that were off target!
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#13
Hi! We are at 121 Oyster Lake Drive. Cinder block house.
On the west side of your house between you and the condos are there any remnants of an old white crushed cinderblock wall that is maybe 2 feet high? Your driveway is what's left of the road that passed through the main camp, and it passed through an opening in a small wall. I don't know if that was a Harold Baird thing, but they were at many of his homes including ours in SRB. We are building a new home on our lot and are having the landscapers clean out the growth along 30A to expose the old wall.

And by crushed cinderblock I mean the walls were made of chunks of bashed up cinderblocks that were, then, cemented back together in a random fashion and painted.
john hendrixBeach ComberAuthor
#143
I’ve done some digging online and found these! Maybe they will bring back some memories!
Matt J avatar
Matt JSWGB
#15
It was a woefully small volunteer department that sat on 393 just south of 98 right about where the donation store was

Gotcha, wasn't sure if that existed yet. It was the old Restore building. Now it's the SWFD lifeguards.
john hendrixBeach ComberAuthor
#16
On the west side of your house between you and the condos are there any remnants of an old white crushed cinderblock wall that is maybe 2 feet high? Your driveway is what's left of the road that passed through the main camp, and it passed through an opening in a small wall. I don't know if that was a Harold Baird thing, but they were at many of his homes including ours in SRB. We are building a new home on our lot and are having the landscapers clean out the growth along 30A to expose the old wall.

And by crushed cinderblock I mean the walls were made of chunks of bashed up cinderblocks that were, then, cemented back together in a random fashion and painted.
Haven’t noticed any walls on the lot…..
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#171
Haven’t noticed any walls on the lot…..
Not surprised. It would have been gone many moons ago. This pic is an example of the walls that were frequently used. This is our house in 1967. We're un-burying this wall as part of the new home construction. It's still red!FB_IMG_1603503761528_324207415822572.jpg
john hendrixBeach ComberAuthor
#18
That’s awesome to retain that piece of history! Did you recognize anyone from the pics I posted?
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#19
That’s awesome to retain that piece of history! Did you recognize anyone from the pics I posted?
Nope...
Will B avatar
Will BModerator
#20
Gotcha, wasn't sure if that existed yet. It was the old Restore building. Now it's the SWFD lifeguards.
The original building back then was little more than a large Quonset hut / corrugated metal shed with one door and a pumper truck since there were no hydrants at all

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