Pine Beach Association Collection, 1922-1980

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Founded in Athol, Mass., prior to1922, the Pine Beach Association operated a summer resort on the northern end of Lake Rohunta, a 383-acre reservoir owned largely by the Rodney Hunt Company. Recognizing the touristic and recreational opportunities, the Association built Pine Beach into a facility that included the Rohunta Inn (the former Elm Lodge Clubhouse), a restaurant, camping facilities, and a lifeguard-patrolled swimming area with water slides and other recreational facilities, all with the intent of becoming the "leading inland bathing beach of New England." Although the hurricane of 1938 washed away Rodney Hunt's dam and hydroelectric station, Pine Beach remained a popular destination, freely available to the company's employees. In the 1980s, the properties were sold to the not-for-profit Lake Rohunta Beach Association, an association of 15 residential properties.This small collection contains postcards, photographs, and ephemeral material relating to the Pine Beach Association, concentrated in its early years.