New Silver Beach
New Silver Beach | |
|---|---|
 Village of New Silver | |
 Flag | |
| Nickname: Silver Beach | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Barnstable |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.7 sq mi (7 km2) |
| • Land | 1.8 sq mi (5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.9 sq mi (2 km2) |
| Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 02556, 02565 |
| Area code | 508 |
New Silver Beach is a beach and community of the same name. It is located on Massachusetts's famous Cape Cod in the census-designated place (CDP) of North Falmouth, in the town of Falmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to a few hundred families, mostly from suburban areas in eastern Massachusetts; however, there is a significant population of families who are not from this category. The village was founded in 1893 and has been a functioning resort destination since.
History
New Silver Beach was founded in 1893 as a resort destination for upper middle class families living in around the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It was later expanded by the New Silver Water Company headed by Joseph Dahlburg, which laid out the plans for New Silver Heights, in an area of higher elevation to the west of the original Village. In the early 1900s the Silver Beach Hotel was constructed at the corner of Arlington Avenue and Wickertree Road. The hotel, though initially successful with the introduction of the automobile, went bankrupt and was subsequently sold and demolished. In 1953 on the 30th of August at the home of Dr. William J. Adams Jr. on Wickertree Road, Dr. Christopher Duncan, Wesley Durant Jr., Carl Moses, Delbert Nevins, Laurewnce Noonan, William J. Kirk and others organized the Whild Harbor Yacht Club to "...bring the sport of sailing back to Wild Harbor were it existed prior to World War II but not after" (Wild Harbor Yacht Club: History, Wes Durant, 2004). The yacht club was associated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 15, 1954. It has since existed as one of the most competitive clubs in the Buzzards Bay region and has been a competitive force in the Southern Massachusetts Sailing Association's yearly Grand Prix. New Silver and its beach have been effectively governed and maintained by the New Silver Beach Improvement Authority (NSBIA) which helped to establish the Wild Harbor Yacht Club at its present location at the eaternmost end of Grove Street. The NSBIA also provides lifeguard services for the beach, and hosts movie nights regularly on Sundays and Wednesdays on a projection screen in the tennis courts which they also have tenure of. In addition to regular movies, the NSBIA also hold events such as a Fourth of July festivities (including a parade, fireworks, and bonfires), and Illumination Night; a holiday of sorts where the village center is bedecked in Christmas lights and bands play from to rooftop of 196 Crystal Springs Avenue.
Recreation
Due to its long history as a vacation destination, recreation is central to the local culture. 'Beaching' as it is referred to by locals is an omnipresent activity during the summer months. The beach has both public and private sections which are, to some degree, both publicly accessible. The NSBIA mantains tennis courts for residents. the Tea Room, located on Ocean View Avenue, is an eatery and ice-cream parlor which serves the gastronomic needs of beach-goers. The Wild Harbor Yacht Club provides the basis for boating and sailing in New Silver and is a major focus for sport. Other common activities include volleyball and fishing.
" is a way of life not just a beach. It is comprised of a neighborhood of several hundred families who live for the beach and can't wait for the summer." ~Joe Keenan
Since the above was written I returned to New Silver Beach in August 2010 and my only disappointment was that the Tea Room as it was in the old days as a restaurant only exists in memories. As told to me by one of the long-time residents, Hurricane Bob flattened the Tea Room in 1991 and when the building was rebuilt there was no more "Tea Room" but the ice cream bar is still in existence and sells sandwichs, drinks and ice cream. - Margaret Cunningham Papia
Geography
New Silver Beach is located in the census-designated place (CDP) of North Falmouth, in the town of Falmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies on the northern rim of Buzzards Bay to the northeast of Old Silver Beach. The two are separated by the marshy estuary of the Wild Harbor River. the village is located on the floodplain of the river and on the high ground to the west. Main thoroughfares include Crystal Springs Ave, Wild Harbor Road, and Silver Beach Ave.
The central area of the village is noted for its Victorian cottages typical of American 19th century Cape Cod architecture.
Constituent communities include New Silver itself, Nyes Neck, located on the peninsula to the northeast of Wild Harbor, and the developments of Seascape, Fiddler's Cove Marina, and Wile Harbor Estates.
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