BURRILLVILLE – An outdoor presentation on the rich and surprising history of Herring Pond – now known as Spring Lake Beach – kicked off Burrillville’s celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday this week.
Burrillville Historical & Preservation Society President Betty Mencucci presented a slideshow on the beach at dusk on Wednesday, July 23. Guests were invited to bring chairs, blankets and snacks to the free event, with concession stands also open for refreshments.
The event marked an official kickoff for the Burrillville 250 Commission, a group that has been working for the past ten months to plan various gatherings and initiatives to celebrate the semiquincentennial anniversary of the America’s founding. Mencucci noted there will be other historical presentations in town to mark the occasion both this year and next.
It’s just one piece of a larger celebration tentatively set to include a parade, a giant bonfire, a tree planting and more. On May 2 of next year, one large event at Burrillville Middle School is set to include a vendor fair, reenactments, food trucks, a concert, fireworks and more.
“We’ve got a bunch of things scheduled for the fall and then the following spring,” Mencucci said.
On Wednesday, visitors were invited to arrive early to check out the Herring Pond Hotel Museum to see old photos and exhibits about Spring Lake. Admission to the free event began at 6 p.m. to allow guests time to wander the facility and socialize, admission free, and check out the arcade as well as the museum.
“I thought it would be a great summer event to have everyone out enjoying the beach and learning about its history,” said Mencucci.
Details of the beach’s past likely came as a surprise to some.
“People that look at the beach now… it’s a beach. But back in the 1800s, this was like going to Rocky Point,” said Mencucci.
From a large dinner hall seating up to 300 people who would arrive dressed in their finest, to a toboggan ride, where visitors could pay a quarter to go down a steep slide into the lake, Spring Lake was once the place to be in the summer. The beaches that made it an attraction featured boat rentals, swings, a shooting gallery, a merry go round, and more.
“It’s the only ideal inland summer resort in Rhode Island,” notes one beach advertisement from 1894. “1,500 feet of a perfect sand beach, the finest bathing beach in the world.”
“They had gambling, they had liquor,” said Mencucci, noting there was once boat racing, and a contest where you could shoot a cigar out of someone’s mouth.
In 1902, a trolley line was built from Woonsocket to Pascoag that would stop at the Glendale Station.
“Once they built that trolley line, even more people came,” said Mencucci.
“There’s just a lot of interesting history,” she said. “People don’t realize – it’s just kind of a sleepy place now.”
Photos and artifacts, assembled with the help of Mencucci’s mother, who grew up near the beach and is now 101, document changes all the way to present day, with a town-owned beach operated by the Burrillville Parks & Recreation Department. The arcade – still a major attraction at the beach – opened in the 1930s.
The full presentation entertained guests on Wednesday, with members of the Burrillville 250 Commission on hand selling Commemorative Coins marking the town’s yearlong celebration for $20.
Editor’s note: The above article was edited following the Wednesday event.
What a great event this was, thank you so much to the Historical Society & the Recreation Dept for hosting this event. Betty did such a great job to help educate the over (estimated) 60 attendees that sat the evening on the beach to a wonderful, beach-side slideshow presentation about the history of Spring Lake and the surrounding area. What a gem this whole area is! As a young child that grew up in the late 70s & 80s, the Beach was such an annual treat to go to; the memories are life-long! Wish the kids today could have a taste of just how wonderful this place was back then! It would be remiss without saying however, the beach facility is in need of TLC these days. The 25-year+ old siding, trim and outbuildings really need some love, little sweat, tears, some clean up and some painting to keep the facility a gem we all know it is; it’s time to reinvest. Well done Betty, the Hopkins, Egan and Burns families; everybody in attendance really enjoyed it. Thank you!