Anthony's Pond

In the 50's and 60's, Anthony's Pond was one of the greatest places for a kid to be during the summer in Adams. Frigid cold water that ran from the top of Mt Greylock trickled into the pond and filled it. It had a small dam on one end with an overflow for excess water. The water was so cold that it was hard to get a body into it except during the hottest days of summer. However, when the dog days of summer arrived, it was a wonderful place to cool off.

Anthony's was a very special place for many reasons. First, the owner, Ralph Anthony, had built a concession stand for snacks, drinks, and pinball. It also had a men's and women's changing area so you could change out of your suit. Second, it had a diving board with lots of spring and also a high diving tower. The tower was a scary place because of its height and also, once you climbed up to the top, it was hard to go back down without looking like a big chicken. So you really had to suck it up and jump! Third: Anthony's had swings, a merry-go-round, and riding animals on springs. But my very favorite thing about Anthony's was the dance hall with the juke box. If you put a nickel into the juke box, you could play your very favorite songs. It was so much fun to dance to the music of the 50's and 60's in the dance hall: Beach Boys, Martha and the Vandellas, Beatles. It was such a fun place for teens and tweens to hang out in the summer.