History of Cottrell Pier
This is a brief history of the Cottrell Pier Association compiled using CPA files, Jamestown Historical Society sources and other public sources. We are very grateful to Sue Maden and Rosemary Enright for sharing the resources of the Jamestown Historical Society. It is hoped this history will be corrected and added to by members. We have gaps in the story between the 1970- 2000. Check your attics, files, bookcases for information and pictures which will help fill in the story. CPA’s is a rich history reflective of the growth of Jamestown as a summer colony in the 20th century and a unique island home for many. Together we can tell the tale.
Kim Westcott
January, 2022
Cottrell Farm History
According to local tradition, Major Daniel Lyman (1756-1830) – originally of Durham, Connecticut, but most recently of the Continental Army – brought his bride, Polly Wanton (1762-1805), to his newly rebuilt farmhouse at Rock Hill Farm shortly after their marriage in 1782, although the house is usually dated about 1886. The Lyman farm extended from the East Passage to Mackerel Cove and from Hamilton Avenue south to about Blueberry Lane. Although Daniel and Polly Lyman returned to Newport after only about a year in Jamestown, the 200-acre farm remained in the Lyman family for another 60 years, worked by tenant farmers. In 1844, John Stanton Cottrell (1801-1857), who already owned the 194-acre farm to the south of the Lyman property, purchased the 200-acre Lyman farm and moved into the farmhouse. John Cottrell’s life revolved around the farm, but his son Frederick had many other interests.
Frederick N. Cottrell (b. 1835- d. 1884) married Ellen Tucker (b. 1847- d. 1929), daughter of Pardon and Sarah Tucker in February, 1867. She was 19 and he, 31. The Cottrells owned what is known as Fox Hill Farm and the 400-acre Cottrell Farm which covered the area south of Hamilton Avenue surrounded by Mackerel Cove and Narragansett Bay. Jamestown’s agricultural future was dimming and the population was in decline * so Frederick was interested in developing the farms and investing in local ferries to spur development of the summer cottages. He was one of the Ocean Highlands investors who organized in 1874 and purchased from the Cottrells, land from just north of what is now Blueberry Lane south to the water. Cottrell died in 1884 and Ellen continued to sell lands for development and by 1893 the Cottrell Farm land north of Ocean Highlands, was being divided in to lots. The Cottrell Farm beach was part of the Cottrell property. The Cottrells sold lots with deeded beach access.
Why is it sometimes called “Green’s Pier”?
John Pugh Green (1839- 1924) was born in Philadelphia to John Green and Mary Anne White Pugh. He attended Central High School and went to study law. He served during the Civil War as a captain of the Union Army. After the war, Green began working as a secretary for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He eventually worked his way up to the position of vice president in 1907. *1 In 1889, Green commissioned noted architect Charles L. Bevins to build Anoatok at 95 Walcott Avenue. A pier was built at the nearby Cottrell Farm beach to accommodate his yacht. *2 CPA Members Bob and Jane Mead are the owners of 95 Walcott Avenue today.
Pictures and Postcards of the Pier and surrounding area are from the Jamestown Historical Society Collection.
1909 Photograph JHS Four women, three in bathing costumes, at Green's Pier. Katherine Farwell Clark at right. “Onarock”, 105 Walcott Avenue and “Anoatok”, 95 Walcott Avenue in background.
1909 Photograph JHS Four women, three in bathing costumes, at Green's Pier. Katherine Farwell Clark at right. “Onarock”, 105 Walcott Avenue and “Anoatok”, 95 Walcott Avenue in background. Katherine Farwell Clark (1879- 1968) (r.) was the niece of Elizabeth Hodges Clark (1855-1932) who built “Half Acre” at 170 Walcott Avenue in 1895. This house has stayed in the family and is currently owned by member, Alia Kent. Katherine Farwell Clark lived in Boston and spent summers with her aunt beginning in 1895. Elizabeth Hodges Clark was an assistant, secretary and scientific illustrator employed by Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) from 1873 to about 1910 during the time when Alexander Agassiz was director. Interestingly Agassiz, who had acquired significant wealth through copper mining, built the home and a lab that is now known as the Inn at Castle Hill in 1875. He promoted Elizabeth to be his personal secretary and she was in charge of the day to day management of the museum when Agassiz was often traveling. *4
1909 Postcard shows Green’s Pier.
1910 Postcard shows Green’s Pier - View of the Dumplings
Garry and Winston Emmons climbing on Life Guard, Jim Davison.
From The Cottrell Pier Archives
Dr. Mary Lee Mann (1883-1967) was Treasurer of CPA from 1938-1962.
Dr. Mann graduated from Barnard/Columbia in 1914 and went on to earn an M.A. (1917) and a Ph.D. in plant physiology in 1932. She taught high school science for many years and lived at 79 Green Lane in her retirement.*5
Following are highlights from her Treasurer’s ledger and the Cottrell Pier Files:
1939 Round House Shipyard repairs pier - $306.65
Annual maintenance performed by Round House Shipyard. Other expenses over the years: Beach cleaning $10; Padlocks $1 purchased from Hammond’s Hardware; Insurance coverage for fire, flood, accident provided by Meredith and Clarke $75/ p.a.
1953 Spring board purchased. Abercrombie & Fitch $97.
1954 In September Hurricane Carol destroyed the pier and “tossed bathhouses in to swamp”. 15 Estate Property owners; 47 Seasonal members.
1955 Pier and bath houses rebuilt by Captain Clark for $2470 (All were insured). Rebuilding 12 bathhouses (yellow with white trim). Dues: Family chartered: $20, Individual $15; Seasonal Family $30, Individual $25 Charter members- 15 and 42 seasonal members.
1956 Bad March storm damaged pier and rebuild had to occur quickly. 15 Charter and 42 Seasonal members.
1957 Spring board purchased $92.50 possibly for the float; James Davison life guard – 3 weeks $60. From Jim’s memories of that summer: “I was only life guard for the last 3 weeks. Dorset Smith, Colgate University student, was the Life Guard for the summer and taught Life Saving lessons to Mapes Dodge, Mrs. Gertrude Coxe, and Mrs. Maisie Balloch. I enjoyed the job and used the ferry whistle signals to see and hear the time for me to leave and go home for lunch, you could see the steam before hearing the whistle.”
1958 White trim, painted on dock, bathhouses painted a “soft green” to blend in to the background better (Dupont Live Oak Green). 14 Charter and 44 Seasonal members.
1959 Round House work on float, steps and benches- $395; First Aid Kit purchased- Hunt’s Drug Store $4.07 ; 14 charter and 45 seasonal members.
1960 A “low board” was added to the pier outboard of the inner ladder on the south side. Not as high as the present one at the end of the platform. Abercrombie & Fitch $125. There is also a diving board on the float. September- Sinclair Oil spill (grounding of Tanker “Thirtle” in the Dumplings, summer, 1960). Rather than clean the beach immediately (via bulldozing out sand) it was decided to wait until after the winter. The annual picnic was held at the CYC due to the oil on the beach. 16 charter and 42 seasonal members.
1961 The beach and pier had to be cleaned (bulldozing of sand and fresh sand - $890). All members were assessed $20 for this clean up equaling $720. A claim was made against Sinclair Oil and a settlement, negotiated by Pickett Grieg, equaled $910. The Viera Co. hired to clean the beach and add sand annually for $250. 16 charter and 41 seasonal members.
1962 Admiral Howard announced his last summer as President. Dr. Mann will continue until 964 at which point she will have served 25 years as Treasurer! 16 charter and 43 Seasonal members.
1963 Outhaul charge increased from $5 to $10 for the 1963 season. The lifeguard was paid $20/week for afternoon work. 16 charter and 45 Seasonal members.
1964 Purchase of the Mann bathhouses for $300 added to the existing set of bathhouses. 13 Charter and 43 Seasonal members.
1965 Howard Harding is elected President. It is decided a lean-to is needed to store tools and lifeguard equipment. Members ask that the beach and pier be commissioned by June 15 th annually. 12 charter 41 seasonal members.
1966 New diving board on float. The Mann bathhouse is added to row of bathhouses to be used as a tool shed. Membership Closed. Membership committee established: Martha Greig, Polly Thomas, Nina Gopcevic, and Cassie Emmons, chair.
1967 President Howard Harding sent letter to charter members and seasonal who had joined since 1960. People were asked to accept the membership. Family head of household and 21- year olds could join. This would become the membership list that then could only be altered by the action of the Membership committee. 15 Charter and 63 seasonal members.
1968 Annual meeting 7/27/68 “About 70 members”. Population booming on Jamestown- suggestion made that members who belong to both Cottrell Pier and Dumplings decide on one beach or the other. Polly Thomas elected President of Association.
1970 13 Charter and 77 seasonal members.
1980 Bruce Baily is President. First set of By-Laws approved by the CPA Board. 1981 September 10, 1981 Date of Incorporation. (originally listed as Cottrell Pier Associates; Name Corrected in State Filing on July 5, 1994).
1991 Bathhouse fire. There are four pictures in Jamestown Historical Society archives.
1996 John Murphy, President. Cottrell family descendants formally transfer beach deed to Cottrell Pier Association.
2006 Richard Perkins, President and the Board establish the Emergency Reserve Fund.
2007 Life guard honored for saving the life of a drowning member. Emergency call box installed.
2012 Bob Sedgewick, President. CPA supports Town of Jamestown drainage project to replace pipes running from north of Green’s pier west into the Audubon Sanctuary.
2013 New float built to replace old one damaged during Hurricane Sandy, October, 2012.
2015 A kayak rack is installed.
2016 Underwater survey of pier completed.
2017 Kim Westcott, President and the board propose updated CPA By- laws which are approved at August Annual Meeting. It is the first revision since 1983.
2018 An assessment payable over two years is approved by the Board, to fund construction of new pier. Howard Balloch leads effort to replace the pier.
2019 May and June. A new swim pier is constructed by Reagan Construction, Middletown RI for $130,000. Members do the finishing work including installing new fiberglass platforms for midlevel swim steps and the Touch and Go.
2020 Association weathers the Covid pandemic thanks to everyone working together. Despite Covid restrictions and masking, members are grateful to be able to swim during the summer at CPA. Pavilion and tool shed roofs replaced. The By-Laws are reviewed and changes are approved at the annual meeting.
2021 Late fall storm damages float.
Sources:
Jamestown Press – Sue Maden and Rosemary Enright articles based on Jamestown Historical Society records
John P. Green “Personal Recollections of the Civil War” scrapbook ; Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Historic and Architectural Resources of Jamestown, Rhode Island, is published by the Rhode Island Preservation & Heritage Commission, which is the state historic preservation office, in cooperation with the Jamestown Historical Society.
Elizabeth Hodges Clark, Wikipedia and Jamestown Historical Society files.
Dr. Mary Lee Mann; American Men of Science Biographical Directory, p.1620