STAFFORD BEACH HOUSE

This is Stafford Beach House. It was always part of Stafford. In 2000 it went to the park.

A couple of years ago, the then current Superintendent, Jerre Brumbelow, saved this beautiful beach house. It was falling in. He put a new roof on it, made repairs, updated plumbing/well, kitchette, painted, caulked windows, so much in order to preserve this Historical structure. Well, he caught a lot of flack about it! It was a waste of money in the eyes of the park and not to be used AT ALL! I'm pretty sure he used some prison labor to save money and this caused even more grief for him!

This area on the end with the little bar is the kitchenette. Then there's a tiny bath and one tiny bedroom on the far left. The room to the right is a little common area for dining/living room. That's it! Very tiny, mostly meant to enjoy the outdoor areas and views.

This area once had a swimming pool. Grover thinks the pool was put in when the original structure was built after the turn of the last Century. There was a problem with it leaking and functioning properly, so it was covered over with this decking.

The above photos were taken from the upper area on this observation deck.

This is the view from the top observation deck area.

I was happy to see new A/C units to keep out the ever growing mold in this humidity, but they aren't turned on.

Approaching from dunes.

Looks pretty good, huh? well, remember I was saying that it was saved not long ago?

Well, this is what it use to look like! This is another little bldg. behind the main structure,  which didn't get renovated. Jerre had to stop renovations.

Yeap. The whole thing use to look like this....

and will again very shortly. These vines are growing on the inside of the windows now.

Mold is growing everywhere due to no A/C. Even a minium of 80 degrees would be of some help in this climate to keep out mold.

Like so many things the park does, I do not understand. It seems that firefighters could stay here when we have fires in summer, and so many have to be shipped in to work.

There is a primitive campground just beyond the dune in back of this house. It seems to me that the presence of a ranger would be useful, if not for health and safety issues alone!

Far be it from me to question the park.... but I'm telling you right now, this structure will once again fall into disrepair. It happens VERY quickly over here with the elements.

No, this is NOT in the "wilderness". This is smack dab in the middle of the commonly used and easily accessible areas of the park.

It seems to me that it could be used as a comfort station. You know, instead of folks squatting in bushes!?!?  A place to refill your water bottle? One room is a common area, where folks could get cooled off and/or escape a rain shower?  Possibly eat their picnic lunch on the deck?

Campers and day trippers have to walk right past this. Literally, right on the road NEXT to it!

Yet, they can't use it.....I think that the park forgets that this belongs to YOU AND I, the American People. WE pay their salarys and "upkeep" on our parks. There ya go, the thought for the day.