OSDA Members Bob & Cindy Lehtinen and Steve & Terry Saunders have advised President Kevin Doyle that that they will co-sponsor the 2016 window boxes at the Ellen T. Mitchell Bath House in memory of Bob's mother Mary S. Lehtinen and Steve's father George 'Bud' Saunders who both passed away in 2015. Bob & Cindy Lehtinen Steve & Terry Saunders
Hi Neighbor - Happy New Year! Christmas Party Report: For those who haven't seen it on the webpage, I have attached the article about the party, primarily because it features the comments of the town officials there as our guests. They all appreciate the recognition and thanks that members of the Association express. Thanks, too, to Dorie Ketterer for a great time! Heritage Map: The Falmouth Preservation Alliance sponsored the year-long project to showcase the historical districts in town. First up was the area within a mile (+/-) radius of the Old Stone Dock. We are very proud that the project was undertaken by 2 OSDA members: Barbara Weyand, President of the Alliance; and Karen Rinaldo, Artist. The folks who got it at the Christmas Party will tell you, it's a beauty! Heritage Map Distribution: The plan is to distribute one map per household, mailed to your "winter" address. We hope to complete the mailing by the end of February. Philanthropy: $500 of the $1500 that OSDA volunteers earned by assisting the Falmouth Triathlon with traffic control last July was used to underwrite the map project. OSDA received 500 maps from the Alliance in appreciation. Our plan is to sell the remainder along with OSDA logo wear. Window boxes: For the last 4 years, an OSDA member has underwritten the cost of the flower boxes on the bathhouse. Last year, Rebecca Bevilacqua donated $500 in her mother's memory. Two 4x6" plaques are posted on the building denoting the donor. If you would like to fund the flowers for 2016, please let me know. Scholarships: OSDA continues to award $500 scholarships to graduating children or grandchildren of members who will enter their first year of college. Jim Crossen is the Chairman of the Mae Crossen Scholarship Committee and welcomes your entry. Forms for 2016-2017 will be on our website in the Spring of 2016. Website: Director Terry Saunders does a great job of creating and maintaining web information. Many users have complimented Terry and the Association for its ease of use and useful information. OSDA member Morningstar Designs designed the site. Old Stone Dock Quarterboard: Attendees of the Summer Annual Meeting at the Beach Breeze Inn saw the sign that the Association funded to identify the "Kiddie Pool" as the actual Old Stone Dock. Beach Superintendent Don Hoffer will post the sign at the start of the beach season. It was crafted by OSDA member Locust Street Signs. 2016-2017 Dues: You will be contacted to renew your dues later in the Spring. Your $25 helps fund a number of community activities and helps defray the costs of our two annual parties. Thank you! OSDA Activities: The Association has six standing committees and welcomes ideas for the full range of neighborhood interest. In planning now is a project to refresh the 3 brass historical monuments in the OSDA area (the Dock, the Proprietors, and the Seamen's Memorial). We're also working with the Town on street and green-space safety and maintenance. Please let us know if you have interest in promoting a project or participating [...]
New and Old Celebrated at OSDA Christmas Party 12-06-15 The Falmouth Preservation Alliance's first Heritage Map was unveiled, and retiring Fire Rescue Chief Mark Sullivan was honored at the Old Stone Dock Association's Annual Christmas Party held at the ShoreWay Acres Inn on Sunday afternoon. The new Heritage Maps will feature the historic districts in Falmouth according to the President of the Alliance, Barbara Weyand. “The Old Stone Dock neighborhood and the Village Green were the first villages established as Suckanessett in 1689. It was natural to use this area as the first in the series of historic maps,” according to Mrs. Weyand. OSDA member Karen Rinaldo was the artist who designed and executed the map. “The unique thing about the map is that it illustrates existing historical houses and properties, as well as buildings that are no longer there, probably due to hurricanes, destruction, or decay,” said Ms. Rinaldo. All members present were given a copy of the map. Several members also ordered one of the 100 limited edition prints of the poster as a piece of art for household decoration. The Association donated a print that will hang among Ms. Rinaldo's other artworks in Town Hall. Among the town leaders in attendance, Fire Rescue Chief Mark Sullivan was recognized for his many contributions to the community and the Old Stone Dock Association in particular. Chief Sullivan was instrumental in the two presentations the OSDA has offered the public about Hurricane Carol and the impact of Storm Surge. The chief was presented with kind words and an OSDA sweatshirt in appreciation. Town Manager Julian Suso also praised Chief Sullivan's 30-year career where he served in many capacities from firefighter, to EMT, though the ranks, and up to chief. Chief Sullivan's official date for retirement in January 15, 2016. Mr. Suso also addressed some of the challenges and successes of a very busy year. He referenced the value and efficiency of the current projects in sewering the Little Pond neighborhood, and building the water filtration infrastructure for the benefit of all the town. Members applauded Mr. Suso for his stewardship and his personal involvement in neighborhood activities. Deputy DPW Director Peter McConarty was congratulated on his recent promotion and thanked for his interest in both safety and aesthetics. “The shoreline creates unique challenges and we try to keep up with the demands of Mother Nature,” said Mr. McConarty. “The corner of Shore Street and Surf Drive is being analyzed for possible sidewalks and curbing to improve pedestrian safety and traffic flow.” He also cited Town Meeting's approval of vehicles and apparatus as a major benefit for the town. The new street sweeper was in evidence in the hours before the parade down Main Street. Beach Superintendent Don Hoffer echoed Mr. McConarty's comments about the need for safety in beach areas and thanked the OSDA for providing the “silent policemen” used in crosswalks to remind drivers that pedestrians have the right of way. He also praised the contributions of the members [...]
Old Stone Dock Association’s - Annual "After-the-Parade Christmas Party" Please join us immediately following the Christmas Parade for the camaraderie of a good, old-fashioned neighborhood party. Sunday, December 6, 2015 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at ShoreWay Acres Inn, 59 Shore Street, Falmouth Village Refreshments including: Cape Cod Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls, Hearty Hors d’oeuvres, Assorted Holiday Cookies and Sweets, Egg Nog, Mulled Apple Cider and Hot Chocolate...Plus the Inn’s B.Y.O.B. Bar Music by Charlie Jamieson – Bring Your Dancing Shoes Fabulous Face Painting sponsored by OSDA Member, Kathy Hall Kids’ Gingerbread House Decorating sponsored by OSDA member, ShoreWay Acres Inn Unique “SHOP FALMOUTH FIRST” Ideas & Offers plus Great Door Prizes Old Stone Dock Association Logo items make great Christmas gifts - Hats, T-Shirts, Polo Shirts, Tote Bags and more will be available for sale TICKETS: Save $5.00 per ticket when purchased by November 29 $17.00 per person with advance payment by Nov. 29 (Children 12 and under - $5.00) $22.00 per person with payment on Nov. 30 or later (Children 12 and under - $5.00) To assist OSDA and ShoreWay Acres in planning our event, please purchase tickets by telephone or in person at ShoreWay Acres’ front desk on or before Sunday, November 29, 2015. Payment may be made by cash or check. For phone reservations, checks should be made payable to ShoreWay Acres Inn and sent to “OSDA Reservations” c/o ShoreWay Acres, P.O. Box 907, Falmouth, MA 02541. Tickets will be e-mailed to you or may be picked up at the front desk at any time prior to the party. Tickets purchased on Monday, November 30 and later will be charged $22.00. ShoreWay Acres Inn: 508-540-3000 IMPORTANT: ShoreWay Acres’ unique B.Y.O.B. Bar will be open for guests who wish to bring their own wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages. The Inn will provide all mixers, setups, garnishes and bar service at no charge. Alcoholic beverages are not available for purchase. Parade goers attending the OSDA Party are welcome to check their beverages in at the bar on the way to the parade between 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. This avoids having to carry them to the parade or waiting in line at the bar following the parade. OSDA guests are welcome to park at the Inn prior to the parade. A parking pass will be provided with your ticket purchase.[/fusion_text]
An article published in the Falmouth Enterprise 10-30-15 “It’s not the wind; it’s the water.” That was the theme of the presentation on Tidal Surge that was sponsored by the Old Stone Dock Association. Last Friday night (10/23/15), one hundred residents gathered at the Casino Wharf Restaurant to hear Menauhant meteorologist “Doc” Taylor talk about the causes and effects of tidal surges in Buzzards Bay and the Vineyard Sound coast. He showed several photographs from the course of three hurricanes to illustrate the sequence of inshore flooding that can accompany a hurricane. Dr. Taylor explained that a surge only occurs when waves hit the land. The slope of the ocean floor, the forward speed of the hurricane, and the barometric pressure of the storm are the key variables that drive the storm surge. Interestingly, a small island like Nantucket will have a lower tidal surge that the mainland because the waves will pass around the land. For example, during Hurricane Bob in 1991, Nantucket had a two foot surge recorded, while Woods Hole was up seven feet. The speed of the surge takes many victims by surprise. The recent storm in Charleston, South Carolina, saw the ocean rise four feet in twenty minutes. Hurricane Camille hurled ashore along the Gulf Coast in 1969 with a surge of twenty-five feet. Such surges retreat almost as fast as they develop. In as little as 4 to 6 hours the surge can overpower buildings and then recede leaving massive debris behind. Doc Taylor and Hayden Frank, a return lecturer from the National Weather Service in Taunton, both stressed the reliability of models to predict paths of hurricanes. As a hurricane approaches an area, there is generally ample time to evacuate or prepare protections for property. A difference of 40 or 50 miles in the point of landfall can make a big difference in damage done, but heeding the warnings and taking precautions is critical. The theme of precaution was picked up by Fire and Rescue Chief Mark Sullivan. With the Assistant Emergency Management Director Kimberly Strohm, they outlined the activities of the Emergency Management Planning Committee. The group includes all municipal department heads and other institutions such as WHOI, Falmouth Hospital, the Council on Aging, and electric and gas utility companies. The group conducts drills to practice coordinated responses for events from hurricanes to active shooters and maritime disasters. Chief Sullivan stressed the value of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan which every town in Massachusetts is required to produce. Every town department provides input about the personnel and equipment they can provide in given disasters. They also describe the sequence of actions they will take in the days preceding a predicted storm, or in response to a sudden emergency. Town Manager Julian Suso noted that he was very pleased with the great work the town departments have done to create the plan. Chief Sullivan and Ms Strohm emphasized the importance for every family to make a plan, stay informed, and plan ahead for [...]
The Old Stone Dock Association invites you to a presentation on Cape Cod Storm Surges on Friday, October 23, 2015 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Casino Wharf Restaurant FX (upper floor) at 286 Grand Avenue, Falmouth. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and there will be a cash bar. The talk can be preceded by a dinner in the Casino Wharf Restaurant FX starting at 4:30 p.m. and reservations are requested. If you wish to eat beforehand please reserve early at 508-540-6160 as there are only a limited number of tables. Tickets for the presentation are $10.00 per person and only available by reservation. Space is limited to 100 individuals so we suggest you reserve early as ‘first come-first served’. We cannot accommodate those who do not reserve a ticket. To reserve tickets e-mail PaulPCSMA@aol.com stating “OSDA-Storm Surge” in the subject line Name of each individual attending Street address Email address Please RSVP to Paul so we can maintain a master list. The Hurricane Carol show was a sell-out. We hope you can join us on the 23rd.
Old Stone Dock Association Holds Annual Meeting, Sunday 08-02-15 Article written by Kevin Doyle and printed in the Falmouth Enterprise 08-14-15 The Old Stone Dock Association held its Annual Meeting at the Beach Breeze Inn last Sunday. With 150 members and guests in attendance, the gathering doubles as a Summer Social. Barnstable County Sheriff Jim Cummings provided the tents that covered the lawn at the inn owned by members Don and Joyce Filiault. He was glad to do it – especially since his son, Falmouth Police Sergeant Jim Cummings, is the Community Liaison Officer for the neighborhood. The mission of the Association is focused on advocacy and maintenance of the Surf Drive Beach and Bathhouse. Beach Superintendent Don Hoffer expressed great appreciation for the contributions of the members. This year’s flowers for the bathhouse were donated by Director Rebecca Bevilacqua in memory of her mother Jacqueline Moore. Treasurer Bob Lehtinen lent his expertise to mount the many plaques that have been won by Falmouth lifeguards over the years. Larry Rowland designed, fabricated, and donated the bulletin board mounted outside the door of the bathhouse. Mr. Hoffer was also grateful for the “Silent Policemen” the Association provides to help beachgoers cross Surf Drive. Members also conduct an annual Beach Clean-up Day at the end of May that brings out many volunteers to support the grooming efforts of Assistant Beach Superintendent Bruce Magardo. Thanks were extended to the many individuals who carry small bags with them on their walks to pick up litter as they go. The primary communication link for the Association is through emails and access to their website, oldstonedock.com. Director Terry Saunders was praised for her tireless efforts to keep the site fresh and current. Mrs. Saunders recently worked with Morningstar Design on Locust Street, also an Association member, to re-build the site to current standards. The website is open and available to anyone interested in the history and activities around the Old Stone Dock. A highlight for the year was a presentation made by Bill Swift, a descendent of the original Proprietors of the town, when he discussed his youth growing up on Mill Road. Long-time resident Al Irish joined in for recollections from the 1930’s and 40’s. Many folks recalled when the Falmouth Enterprise carried the story in April. Plans are being made for FCTV to broadcast it in the future. Thanks were extended to the many town leaders who have lent support to the activities of the Association. Selectwoman Pat Flynn and Town Manager Julian Suso have consistently endorsed beach and bathhouse beautification initiatives. Mr. Suso was also forgiving when the Association inadvertently parked cars along Main Street for the Triathlon a year ago. “This year things went a lot better,” said Mr. Suso. “And when the merchants are happy, I’m happy.” Lance and Tony Panigutti, the organizers for the Without Limits Triathlon were thanked for their significant contribution to the Old Stone Dock Scholarship program. This year’s recipients were Neil Koontz, grandson of Col and [...]
Old Stone Dock Destroyed - 200 Years Ago an article published in the Falmouth Enterprise 08-07-15 The Old Stone Dock, known to generations of beach-goers as the “Kiddie Pool” at Surf Drive Beach, originally built in 1806, was destroyed by hurricane force winds and tides in 1815. The “Great September Gale of 1815” slammed ashore about 10:00am on September 23rd, with 135 mph winds and a 16 foot tidal surge in Buzzards Bay. Over 500 homes were destroyed in the path of the storm and 38 deaths were reported. The word “hurricane” was not yet in use. In fact, scientists up until that time were not aware of the circular motion of hurricane winds. Harvard Professor John Farrar researched the phenomenon from 1807 to 1817 and advanced the theory of a “moving vortex” to explain how the winds from the same storm could move in so many directions. The Gale of 1815 was the first major hurricane to hit the Cape Cod coast in 180 years. The next one of significant consequence to Falmouth wouldn't hit again until the Hurricane of 1938 which followed an almost identical path with very similar destruction. By then hurricanes were identified as such, but were not given names as they are today. That practice started in 1953. Only women's names were used until 1979 when the National Weather Service began alternating men's and women's names. The dock at the end of Shore Street was the hub of commerce for Falmouth throughout colonial times. The Surf Drive Beach area was the site of the British bombardment of Falmouth during the American Revolution. Major Joseph Dimmock and 50 Falmouth militiamen defended the beachhead from a long trench in the sand, and prevented the British Regulars from landing. The cannonade continued from the ships anchored offshore from noon until 5:00pm on April 3, 1779. A rendering of the action can be seen in a painting done by Karen Rinaldo that hangs in the Selectmen's Meeting Room at Town Hall. The dock was also the site of the British attack on Falmouth during the War of 1812. James Madison was President of the United States when the town was bombarded for most of the afternoon by His Majesty's Ship Nimrod on January 28, 1814. There are several historical homes in the area that bear the scars or even the cannon balls from that shelling. Of course, the war ended after the final British defeat in the Battle of New Orleans in January and the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in February 1815. So it was left to Mother Nature to do what battle couldn't accomplish: batter the dock to the point it had to be replaced. After the Great September Gale of 1815, the dock was re-built through the year of 1816 and was finally back in service in 1817. The new dock used Falmouth granite as a base for a wood-plank deck supported by tree trunk pilings. Early photographs bear this out. Subsequent storms have splintered [...]
Old Stone Dock Association President's 2015 Annual Report Kevin M. Doyle Selected highlights of activities since the last Annual Meeting: Ellen T. Mitchell Bathhouse: - Don Hoffer thanks the Association for its continued support - Bulletin Board at Bathhouse door was designed, fabricated, and donated by Larry Rowland - Flower boxes were $500 gift of Rebecca Bevilacqua in memory of her mother Jacqueline Moore - Welcome to Surf Drive/Old Stone Dock sign hangs in the Bathhouse - Interior office space signage presented to identify individual functions - Interior shelving to hold lifeguard plaques was installed by Bob Lehtinen - OSDA purchases “Silent Policemen” for crosswalks Surf Drive Beach - Benches destroyed by car accident were replaced in original locations by request of OSDA - Graffiti at end of Shore Street was removed - New quarter board made to recognize location and dates of the Old Stone Dock - Bruce Mogardo, Asst Beach Supt, grooms the beach to extent allowed by Conservation Commission - Annual Beach Cleanup Day held on May 30. 15 volunteers and many bags of debris. Website: - Key communication for OSDA maintained by Terry Saunders - Effective and efficient. Updated by Morningstar Design this Spring. - Please check out oldstonedock.com for neighborhood items of interest and links to Falmouth activities. E-mail Registration - Need your contact information to succeed. Will be held in confidence. - 90%+ of members are contacted by “blind” email communication Bill Swift Historical Presentation - Retrospective on growing up in the Mill Road neighborhood. - Enjoyable and informative morning spent at the Swift house - Caught on camera and hope to air on cable television this Fall Falmouth Enterprise: - Articles on request and great cooperation - Next article is on “The Great September Gale of 1815” that destroyed the dock. Rebuilt in 1817. Community Liaison: - Town Mgr Suso, Police Chief Dunne, Fire Chief Sullivan, DPW Deputy McConarty keep open door - Sgt Jim Cummings, Jr. keeps our neighborhood safe Scholarship Donations: - Christine Salanger donated $500 in memory of her husband Jim - Panigutti Brothers of Falmouth Triathlon donated $1500 to the Crossen Scholarship Fund - Jim Crossen contributes annually in memory of his wife Mae Fundraising/Gifting: The Board is contemplating increasing the efforts of the Association to support activities in the town that complement our mission. Your thoughts are welcomed. What's next? - October 23, 2015 (Friday): Tidal Surge Presentation at Casino-Wharf Restaurant - December 6, 2015 (Sunday): Annual OSDA Christmas Party at ShoreWay Acres - Falmouth Preservation Alliance - Heritage Trail Map Series - October
On Monday, 05/25/15 Colonel Kevin M. Doyle of the US Marine Corps Reserve (retired) gave the Keynote Address at the Falmouth Memorial Day Celebration. The day’s events started at 9:45 a.m. with several groups including veterans, scouts, fire and police department employees and the Brian Boru Pipe Band walking from the Village Green to Memorial Lane in front of the Falmouth Library on Main Street. Ahmed Mustafa, Chairman of the Falmouth Veterans Council was the Master of Ceremonies and Andy Dufresne provided the opening remarks. Falmouth High School senior Jessica Edgar sang America the Beautiful. Congratulations to Kevin who did a wonderful job on a beautiful day.
