“King Cottage” at the Old Breachway
From the late 1800’s until about 1960, the Old Quonochontaug Breachway was not a straight route to Quonochontaug Pond, as the new breachway is today. The location where the breachway meets the ocean was the same as it is today, but the Old Breachway wound around and entered the pond to the west. Hotels and boarding houses lined the Old Breachway. The cache includes an old photo of the “King Cottage” boarding house. The “King Cottage” boarding house originally was situated on the north side of the breachway. If the Cottage were standing today, it would be located in the middle of the new breachway!
The Life Saving Station at the Old Breachway
The Quonochontaug Life Saving Station was built on the Old Breachway in 1892 between the breachway and the ocean. The Life Saving Crew would launch their rescue boats on the breachway side and then row out to the ocean through the breachway entrance to the shipwreck. The Life Saving Station became part of the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915. The Station was severely damaged by the 1938 Hurricane and torn down after the storm. By this time, due to improved technology, shipwrecks were infrequent.
Please sign the geocache log! Each visitor is welcome to take a copy of each the postcards, one with an old photo of King Cottage and the other depicting the Life Saving Station.
Parking for this geocache is available at the Quonochontaug Pond Breachway recreation area. From Route 1 in Charlestown, take West Beach Road to the intersection at the end, and turn right towards the breachway. After approximately .2 miles, look for a dirt parking area on the left adjacent to the breachway. Please do not park along the road itself.