Sunday’s at Bella Vista Lake

During my childhood years in the 1960s, I had some fantastic family outing memories growing up in New England.

Summers were the best, when a Sunday outing usually meant cooling off at “Bella Vista Beach,” which was located on Cobbett’s Pond, in New Hampshire. We couldn’t wait!

A trip to Cobbett’s Pond, also included a car ride on the “roller coaster road”-which my father named for its winding, rolling hills. While Dad was driving, he would put the pedal to the metal going over these hills- which was quite the thrill to us kids.

Upon parking off Bella Vista Rd, my siblings and I would eagerly help carry inflatable floats, webbed folding lawn chairs, and a food cooler to the beach area. Most of the time Dad would bring his grill to cookout, but every now and then he would treat us to a hot dog and tonic (the term we used for soft drinks), at the lake’s concession stand.

Bella Vista Beach, also featured bath houses, a large slide in the water, and a floating dock.  (I remember how proud I felt at age eight, after learning how to swim out to it.)

In 2014, I revisited this area with my Dad. The dirt road down to the lake seemed the same, but unfortunately the beach area had totally changed-It was now someone’s personal property and home.

Still, I was happy to have those cherished childhood memories.

For more Collectable and Memorabilia know-how from contributor Patty Penke check out her book Stop Throwing Cash in the Trash: Your Guidebook to Finding Hidden Treasures and Transforming Them into Huge Profits and her blog vintagetrasureandmore.com