About

History of the Dunes Club 

With the signing of a lease on Monday, June 7, 1954 by Mrs. Thomas F.  Johnson with Mr. Robert Carpenter, the owner of what was the ’21 Club’  the old Isle of Wight Coast Guard Station converted: The Dunes Club was  founded. 

On June 19, 1954 the first general meeting and election of officers was  held and Mrs. Johnson was elected President, with Dr. Frank Townsend as  Vice President, Elizabeth Sanford, Secretary and George Vickers,  Treasurer. Since that first year, without interruptions the club has been led  by Presidents: Dr. Frank Townsend, Bo Quillin, Mrs. Grace Campbell,  John Dale Showell, Jim Perrot, Ken Groton and the new 1976 President, J.  Edward Collins, Sr. 

Incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland as a non-profit  organization, the Dunes Club is chartered as a private club to operate  exclusively for the convenience and pleasure of its members. 

With the newly renovated and beautifully decorated club house aglow with  candlelight, the grand opening and first social event, a Black Tie Dance  was held on the evening of July 3, 1954 with 200 persons attending. This  was followed with the first Dinner Dance on July 17, 1954 with 90 persons  for dinner and 100 more attending the dance. 

In order to reduce expenses, several members refinished and redecorated  rooms, in the clubhouse, individually. The family membership at that time  was $120 with a $60 initiation fee. 

For years, up until the time in 1960 when the lease was not renewed,  members of the club enjoyed a very active and diverse schedule of social  activities, from ‘Opera in the Round” to the legitimate theater. In  association with the great Metropolitan Opera Star, Rosa Ponselle, who at  the time was Artistic Director of the Baltimore Civil Opera, excerpts from  the Operas ’La Traviata’, ‘La Boheme’ and ‘Madame Butterfly’ were  presented by members of the Baltimore Civil Opera on the evening of  September 10, 1954.

In subsequent years, the Players Company and the Hilltop Players,  presented Theater in the Round with popular plays such as ‘Kind Lady’,  ‘Claudia’, ‘The Vinegar Tree’, ‘The Moon is Blue’ and ‘Portrait in Black’. 

Under the direction of an Activities Chairman, special events were planned  for certain days and evenings, throughout the week, such as the Treasure  Hunts on Wednesday; cocktail parties on Thursdays, when a member  would act as host; bridge on Monday, with instruction; an Arthur Murray  Dance Team; Fashion Shows; Barbecues on the beach and  Beachcombers Balls similar to those held by the Green Mill Club in Cape  May. 

In addition to activities at the club house during the regular summer  season, dinner dances were held in Ruxton at the L’Hirondelle Club, the  Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore and the Tidewater Inn in Easton. 

After an unsuccessful effort by the club to purchase the Old Coast Guard  Station and surrounding land in 1961 for the sum of $32,000, the Club  ceased to operate from that site. However, this loss of house facilities did  not dampen the enthusiasm of the members and the following year, club  dinner dances were held at the Atlantic Hotel and subsequent years, our  social activities have been held in the Carousel basement; the rear of  Harrison Hall; The Ocean Pines Beach Club and the Diplomat Motel.  Many of our members can recall some of the problems and incidents  which occurred at these various locations, such as having to bail out water  from the old Carousel, and the complete lack of air conditioning on some  nights at other places. 

In spite of all of these problems, the club has held together and today it is  as active as ever with far better facilities now available here in Ocean City.  We can look forward to many enjoyable social activities with nice people,  our loyal Dunes Club members.

Charter Founding Members

Tom and Agnes Johnson

Frank and Lil Townsend

Tuffy and Zaidee Mumford

Bill and Dottie Chew 

Harry and Marian Dundore

Harry and Jane Cambell

John Dale and Ann Showell

Bo and Fran Quillin

Frank and Fran Gunther

Dan and Lila Trimper 

Wally and Fritzie Campbell

Ruth and Elbridge Tilghman

Mr. and Mrs. Roman Steiner

Garland and Rhem Lane