Miss Colonial Beach

by Janet Carter
(Richmond, VA)

My parents had a summer home just outside of the beach. They bought it in 1961, I was a year old. We spent time there every chance that we could. We moved there in 1971, to our summer house. I remember as a teenager spending a lot of Saturday nights on the boardwalk with friends and making new ones. Those were the days. The amusement area, the train that went around in front of the old Colonial Beach Hotel, the game room on the boardwalk and the food stand. The weeping willow trees and the concrete park benches with the wooden seats. Wolcotts hotel on the end of the boardwalk across from Hops Place and Rocks Hotel. I miss those days so much. My parents sold their place in '91 or '92. When my former husband and I were married, we bought a place, (weekend place) about a mile from my parents place and a year later my brother bought a place around the corner from my parents place. When my ex and I separated, I moved back to the beach for a couple of years, then sold that place to come back to Richmond for work. I miss the beach so much. I miss the relaxing atmosphere, the views of the water, riding around the point, you have to cruise the point. The beach is nothing like it was in the '70s. A lot has changed and a lot of places have been torn down. So much history of the town has disappeared and it is so sad. There were some beautiful places there many years ago and now the new is taking over the old. I have fond memories that will be in my heart as long as I live of Colonial Beach.

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