Remember slot machines? Beverly Beach was once a bustling resort. It drew crowds from Washington and Baltimore. Let’s step back to the mid-20th century. Imagine the excitement.
Beverly Beach is located on the Mayo Peninsula in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. It sits between the West and Rhode Rivers. The Chesapeake Bay is nearby too. Today, it is a county park.
Edgar Kalb, a Baltimore attorney, opened Beverly Beach in 1925. In 1942, he bought Ford Beach and renamed it Triton Beach. He planned over one hundred single-family homes. The area became Beverley Beach. The name’s origin is unclear. It might be a relative’s surname.
Kalb kept the bayfront for a day resort, also named Beverley Beach. He also built his home there. The sandy part of the shore was for Beverley Beach members. The rest was for his home and resort expansion.
Kalb likely influenced local authorities to allow slot machines in 1943. This boosted his resort. He built three pavilions. Two had covered breezeways. One stood alone. It had lockers and showers for those wading in the Chesapeake Bay. Another pavilion housed slot machines. The southernmost pavilion offered fast food, beer, and soft drinks. It also had tables and chairs. A dance floor and bandstand were at the north end. These were popular with young people.
In the late 1940s, the dance area became a bingo hall. The dining area got more slot machines. A swing set was added. The swimming area spanned 300 feet of beachfront. It extended into the Chesapeake. Floats supported by drums dotted the water. Lifeguards watched from these platforms. They used dinghies to help struggling swimmers.
Sea nettles plagued the waters in late summer. Kalb used nettle nets to combat them. These wire mesh panels were placed around the swimming area. Lifeguards hung lanterns to warn boaters. They also harvested soft-shelled crabs from the nets.
Beverley Beach was a popular destination. On weekends, it drew hundreds of cars and busloads of people. People came from Washington and Baltimore. Russians were even allowed to visit here. The resort season ran from June to Labor Day. Other times were too cold for swimming.
Segregation was strong in Maryland. Though Beverley Beach employed Black residents, they were not allowed in the resort. Memberships costing fifty cents were required. A court order in the fifties ended this practice. It required that Black people be allowed to use the resort. Kalb chose to close the resort in 1968 instead.
The Baltimore Sun reported in 1998 about Kalb’s discriminatory sign. It only allowed “white gentiles.” Some say he also denied access to others. A lawsuit in 1968 removed the sign. Kalb said he would rather close than open to Black people.
Today, the skeletons of picnic pavilions remain. These are relics of a popular beach complex. Before the Bay Bridge, people escaped to Chesapeake Country. Mayo Beach, Beverly Beach, and Triton Beach thrived. Beverly Beach was a teen hangout. Mayo Beach was for families. Triton Beach was for corporate events.
Anne Arundel County is working to reopen the beach for swimming. The Lost Towns Project researches the park’s history. You can learn about the good old days. The skeletons of Beverly-Triton Beach whisper tales of a bygone era. A time of slot machines and segregated shores. A time now long past.