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HISTORY OF LOVELADIES HARBOR
As told to Chris Raso by Bud Watters
Bud Watters and his wife Lillian, were some of the original purchasers in Loveladies Harbor. Over time, Bud became the unofficial historian of Loveladies Harbor Organization in addition to many other contributions to our organization, most recently as treasurer of LHO from 1991 to 1997.
You may remember Bud as the one at our annual meetings that would enlighten us about how we came to own our parking lots, bay lot or some other facet of our history. Bud passed away after a difficult bout with cancer. Some of his memories about LHO were recorded in recent conversations with Chris Raso. Bud's profession as an accountant is reflected in some of his recollections:
In 1958, the bay lot, now known as Mathews's point, was given to LHO by the developers, Lud Ullman and the Silvermasters for $1.00. The deed provided that if it were ever sold, the title would revert back to them. (In 1995 that right of reversion was conveyed to LHO and we now own the bay lot without such restriction). Also in 1958, the members of LHO purchased, from the developers, an ocean lot of 100' x 100' for $7,000.00 without a mortgage. The price would have been higher, but a building lot had to be 125' x 100. Those members had great foresight! Also, rather than keeping title for themselves, they put the property in LHO. There was a beach at the bay lot, but swimming was not allowed except when a lifeguard was present. An active sailing group held races from the bay beach. Lillian was an experienced sailor and Bud was her first mate. In the 50's some voiced an objection to a women captain, but Lillian's sailing skill quieted all dissenters.
Bud was active in LHO when in 1959/60 LHO bought two ocean-side lots for our south parking lots. Each lot was 100' x 100' and cost $7,000 each. They took out a 6% mortgage to finance the purchase. At the closing of the purchase, the developers added another 50' x 100' without any additional payment because it was not a "buildable" lot, making our south parking lot 250' x 100'. An additional 100' x 125' lot was purchased next to the North parking lot to make it a total of 200' x 125'. The members, for these additional parking lot areas, paid $21,000 and the mortgage was repaid out of the members' dues over the next 15 years. The foresight of these original members of LHO and their willingness to incur debt for the benefit of future residents was commendable.
The northeaster of 1962 came soon after and cut the island in half, and destroyed many homes. Bud's wife, Lillian and their two sons were evacuated to the coast guard station where they survived that storm. All communication with the island was cut off by the storm. Lillian gathered messages from all the survivors staying at the coast guard station and after the storm, used a radio on a fishing vessel to get the message to anxious relatives that all were fine.