Apponaug's
"Old Swimming Holes"
Fortunately for all of us who are interested in Warwick’s
past, Apponaug has a number of excellent historians who can recall
how the city grew in the 20th century. Some, like Robert (Bob) Champagne,
have many fond memories of growing up in Apponaug. Time has sharpened
Bob’s memory of the Apponaug he knew as a boy and his knowledge
is a delight to old and new residents alike.
Gristmill Pond
He is especially fond of relating stories of the good "old
fresh water swimming holes that were so much in use during the summer
months." He vividly recalled swimming in these in the late
twenties and through the thirties. One of his favorites was Gristmill
Pond, commonly referred to as "Barlow's Pond." This was
on Toll Gate Road where the Grist Mill Apartment houses are now
located. "It had very cold water throughout the season,"
he recalled as he spoke of "its flowing, dam, the little island
in the center of the Pond and the metal ring hung from a tree by
a rope that would carry one out over the pond some 20 feet above
the water. To show how brave you were, you let go of the ring and
plunged into the pond."
A Little Pond near Carroll’s
Looking back over the years, Bob said, "There was a little
pond in Apponaug between Pontiac Road (now Greenwich Avenue) and
a small dirt road in back of Carroll's Shamrock Cafe that led to
where the F.O.P. Building is now located." He went on to say,
"Here we could dive off the wooden bridge at what was called
the trench and swim in very clear water up to Jencks (and later
Siravo's) Ice House." He said, "It was great fun to dive
off the runway of the ice house and swim back to Carroll's."
Gorton’s Pond
Bob Champagne's fond memories include swimming at various locations
on Gorton's Pond. He recalled, "We had Gorton's Pond with several
swimming areas especially at the Ice House off Bragger Avenue and
at a cut out 'Sand Bank' area called the 'Ring.' This was similar
to the Ring at the Gristmill Pond. These two locations were right
where the Warwick Police Station is now located."
The late Dorothy Mayor, who was one of the people originally responsible
for Apponaug Days, showed swimmers in Gorton's Pond in one of her
drawings. Bob Champagne pointed out that, "In her booklet,
I Remember Apponaug, Dot shows Gorton's Pond with a swimmer
on the Ring." In commenting on the drawing Bob fondly remembers,
"...the area where Carney's Island was built” as well
as”... the house that was between the road and the pond, and
the two ice houses that have since been torn down."
Apponaug Festival Days brought about comments that compared Apponaug
in the early 20th century to the present day. Many recalled that
the city beach at Gorton’s Pond, as it is now called, was
always in use. The most popular area, according to Bob Champagne,
was Carney's Island located where the city bath-house now stands
off Veterans Memorial Drive. Bob recalled that in the 1930's and
into the 1940's, this sandy beach area was not only popular with
the local residents, but was visited frequently by swimmers from
throughout the state.
Carney’s Island
Bob Champagne tells us that Carney's Island was built by the late
Julian Carney, known to everyone as "Dude." The popular
spot ceased to exist when the present by-pass road from Post Road
to Greenwich Avenue, known as Veterans Memorial Drive, was built.
“On many a weekend,” Champagne remembered, "the
parking lot for the Carney Island swimmers, which was where Fleet
Bank parking lot is now, was filled three and four rows deep with
cars."
During that period, the Island, as it was called, had a large sandy
beach, a steep bank of sand and was surrounded by woods. Bob Champagne
went on to say, "The Olympic-style diving board was out on
the point, which is still partially there, and was six to seven
feet above the water. Wooden bath-houses were along the cove side
which is now part of Veterans Memorial Drive. Finally, there was
the octagonal shaped building that stood right where Fleet Bank
is now situated." "Here," he said. "You could
get ice cream, soda, coffee, hot dogs, hamburgers, and good old
clam cakes."
"Prior to the lifeguards' era," Champagne stated, "We
would swim from Carney's Island to the city beach or to the ice
house on the north side, next to city beach. Many times we would
swim directly across the pond to the Greenwood side to a large sandy
hill area which we called 'Old Orchard Beach'." As an afterthought,
Champagne added. "On the long swims we always tried to have
a row boat along-side."
Bob commented, as so many of us would who look back to the past
with nostalgia. "Swimming in this area has never been the same."
The story of Apponaug and Warwick will be continued.
Dorothy Mayor’s sketch shows Gorton’s Pond from Post
Road looking west toward Greenwich Avenue. She commented, “There
were very few houses on or near the pond when I was a child.
From I Remember Apponaug , by Dorothy Mayor
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