-15- 



Plum Island Center. Horsecar service on this line continued 

 on a seasonal basis until 1895 when it was replaced by 

 electric trolley. The Citizen's Electric Street Railway and 

 the Newburyport Division of the Massachusetts Northeastern 

 took over the rail service and continued regular trolley 

 service from Market Square to Plum Island Point during the 

 summer months. Seasonal rail service to the island was 

 discontinued during the summer of 1922, and was apparently 

 replaced by the competing bus line. 



The northern third of the island, which had belonged to 

 the Pettingell family since 1827, was sold to the Draper 

 syndicate of Boston in 1920 (Cummings ,1964) . The syndicate 

 formed the Plum Island Beach Company and began construction 

 of what is now Northern Boulevard during the same year, with 

 the intention of making the area suitable for the 

 development of summer cottages (Cummings, 1964). Plum 

 Island Beach originally included the entire area north of 

 Plum Island Turnpike. Lots were sold for as low as $350, 

 and if they were purchased on the installment plan one was 

 given free life insurance (PRNWR records) . 



The indiscriminate development of the northern end of 

 the island that followed proved to be unfortunate in regard 

 to its effect on the dune system. Unable to withstand the 

 subsequent increased impact, much of the natural vegetation 

 was eliminated and in many places the dunes themselves were 

 destroyed. As can be seen today this has upset the natural 

 balance and may ultimately threaten the stability of the 

 entire dune system. Travel over the sand to the southern 

 end of the island was difficult, whether by foot or by 

 wagon. Thus the principle means of access to the southern 

 end of the island was by boat, particularly the Carlotta, 

 which docked at both Stage Island and Grape Island (Griscom, 

 1955; Waters, 1918). A combination of factors spared this 

 end of the island from the fate of the northern end, for it 

 never developed into a summer cottage resort. During the 

 1800 's and early 1900 's the southern end of the island 

 contained farms on Cross Farm Hill and Stage Island, one 

 hotel, a few hunting and fishing camps, a Coast Guard Life 

 Saving Station, and some cottages (Griscom, 1936, 1955). 

 The greatest concentration of cottages occurred around the 

 base of Bar Head and on Sandy Point (Griscom, 1955; 

 Kilborn, personal communication). According to Mr. Kilborn, 

 a long time resident of Grape Island, there were a number of 

 houses on Grape Island and at least two hotels, one at 

 either end of the island. 



After the initial colonial impacts, the southern 

 two-thirds of the island remained relatively undisturbed 

 during the past century. Its inaccessibility helped to 

 limit development, but this portion of the island wasn't 

 without human disturbance. As related by Waters (1918), one 

 of the largest impacts during this period arose from a grand 

 scheme conceived by the Frenchman Gilshenon to establish a 

 salt works on the island. In 1829 Gilshenon and his crew 



