Stories About the Park

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Smith Family at Blackman's Point

The Smith Family found Blackman's Point by accident 55 years ago, in 1958. My parents had gone for a ride along the coast to Brant Rock and on the way they decided to see where Ocean Street went. Lo and behold they found a wonderful trailer park at the end. I was 8 months old at the time. They then took their trailer from Danvers and brought it down to Blackman's trailer Point in May.

My parents had just bought a house in Arlington but couldn't move in until Thanksgiving. Brad and Helen Blackman were nice enough to let them stay until then. My sister Kathy started kindergarten in the Marshfield school system. She would walk down the bottom of the hill to get the bus to school. One morning she missed the bus and Mrs. Blackman drove her to school.

I have wonderful memories of growing up in Brant Rock. We'd set up sheets as stage curtains between the trailers and put on plays for the other campers.

We had great parades with Mr. MacDonald leading the way in his jeep. We found pots, pans, spoons and anything else we could find to use for instruments.

My dad rented reel to reel movies and show them on a big screen at the platform. People would bring their lounge chairs to set up and pay 25 cents to watch the show. Anyone remember selling popcorn and Zarex at the movies?

Everyone's trailers were held together with duck tape and rope. No one cared what their trailer looked like and we always walked in front of the trailers to get from one end to the other. No one ever walked the road. We had to fill our water tanks that were up on the roofs with hoses that we hooked up to faucets around the campground. Every so often you would forget about turning it off and water would spurt everywhere.

On 4th of July we would have competitions to see who could build the biggest bonfire. We also had to burn our trash below the high water mark.

There was so much to do downtown in Brant Rock. Best popcorn ever at Esty's Candy Kitchen! They also had wonderful salt water taffy.

Who could forget the pink and green movie theater with the bowling ally on the bottom floor. I saw my first full length movie there; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

We would also stop at Mommie's restaurant (now Arthur and Pat's) on Sundays after church to get the best blueberry muffins.

My dad would give each of us 5 kids 25 cents each week to go to Bud's penny candy store across from Brant Rock Market every Friday. You could actually get candy for 1 cent and sometimes 2 pieces for a penny!

We are now on our 3rd generation of Smiths and are still making wonderful memories at Blackman's campground.

Lauren Murphy

(Laurie Smith)