Smith's Point

 

Two Guys Talkin' Sailing

"Yes we used to go to Old Inlet, but no one goes there anymore it's too crowded"

 

"The Smith Point House"

This is where Dodi Knapp and his future brother in law, Thomas Dixon had dinner in 1911 when they capsised on the return to Bellport

 

The Coast Guard Complex

 

In the fall of 1917 the seaplane base that was set up across the bay on the Knapp estate moved or expanded to Smith's Point. By then the Hedges Hotel was built and some of the 3 dozen pilots of the newley formed Unit 3 AERIAL COAST PATROL of the US NAVY stayed there. I have a seperate page for that here

 

There has been several different military stories about what went on at Smith's Point right after WW1 . Most circulated stories involve some sort of recooperation for shell shocked and gassed troops that survived the great war. These photos show some type of large miltary encampment there. If anyone knows anything and you would like weigh in on it...please do

E MAIL

 

 

"The're Tenting Tonite "

The Coast Guard complex is on the left, the low lying building in the center is the aero plane hangers. It's actualy two stories high

You can see the back of the TANGIER Log sign and the large white building is the Hedges Hotel

 

Were entire familys living in tents here like Nomads ? It certainly appears that way

 

In 1926 a movie company trecked across the wooden Tangier bridge to film scenes for Rudolph Valentino's "Son Of The Sheik". It would be Valentino's last movie. Ice would take out the bridge for the last time in 1929 and Smith Point remained only accesible by boat for another thirty years.

 

 

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