Sandy Point Beach

Historical narrative

Sandy Point State Park occupies a scenic stretch of shoreline near the western end of the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland acquired the property in 1949, and the park opened to the public in 1952 as a major new recreational destination near Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. Like many public recreational facilities of the era, Sandy Point initially reflected Maryland’s racial segregation policies. Its beaches were divided by race, with Black visitors restricted to the smaller East Beach while white visitors used the larger South Beach. Legal challenges followed, and in 1955 court decisions required the integration of public beaches and recreational facilities. Sandy Point opened as an integrated park in 1956. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, visitors spread blankets on the broad sandy beach and spent the day swimming, fishing, crabbing, or picnicking beneath shade trees. Children built sandcastles while pleasure boats crossed the Bay in the distance. The smell of charcoal grills drifted through the picnic grounds, and laughter carried across the water as families enjoyed a classic Chesapeake Bay summer day.

Watercolor

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