Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

When I was a kid, a trip to Revere Beach meant a day of fun. Mom packed a lunch and off we went. After frolicking in the water we would eat our baloney and mustard sandwiches. Mayonnaise was a no-no because it might spoil in the heat. Mom would reapply the Coppertone sun block and we went back to playing in the sand and water.

Revere Beach was approximately a six mile ride from Somerville. The car would be very hot as we looked out the window on our ride down Route 16. Of course, that was way before the pink condos arrived.

Dad would be up early with his checklist: cooler, ice, lounge chairs. And it wasn’t okay just to go to the beach, we had to leave early to get a primo parking space. Dad liked to be within walking distance between the amusements and a lounge. Our favorite bar/lounge on the beach was the infamous and still present Sammy’s Patio.

After getting our fill of waves and sand, we would hit the arcades, games and rides.

I remember playing Shooting Waters. I can still hear the guy saying, “Step right up and play Shooting Waters!” You’d squirt water from pistols and try to be the first one to burst a balloon. I never went on the daunting Cyclone rollercoaster. Here’s a cool Somerville/Revere Beach connection: my friend Charlie’s grandfather, who was a carpenter, helped build that wooden thrill ride. Roller coasters still scare the hell out of me. Dad wouldn’t have let us go on it anyway. He did however come on the merry go round, Ferris Wheel and Wild Mouse or Caterpillar with us. My favorite ride was the small scale but authentic automobiles. I can still remember the realistic details like chrome and real rubber tires. I can also still taste the cotton candy and smell the pizza.

In the early 70’s, my friends and I worked on The Dodge’Em Cars for Clement Hurley. The Hurley family were Revere Beach concession pioneers. In his later years, when the rides were all gone, Clem and his wife Marge drove an ice cream truck up and down the boulevard.

Fast forward to 1978 and my band Shadowfax landed a gig at Hurley’s Palm Garden. Then in the 90’s I hosted games at Sammy’s Patio when I was with Kiss 108. My pals, who played with the band The Dream Machine, were the house band at Sammy’s for years. This year, Sammy’s Patio is celebrating 70 years on Revere Beach. I still stay in touch with the family. Sammy was a great guy!

A friend shares the following memory: “Once a year, in the summer of course, my dad would take my brother and I to a night out at Revere Beach. We would head out knowing dad would let us go on any ride and play any game we wanted all night. I thought he must be so rich.

Some of the rides I had to sit on one of my parents’ laps because I wasn’t tall enough. Oh, how I loved those Dodge’Em Cars and the merry go round. Life was much simpler then and the memories last forever.” Thanks for sharing!

Today, a ride to Revere Beach may be to get food at Kelly’s Roast Beef or just to drive or walk along the beach. If you decide to eat your sandwich or clams outside, watch out for hungry swooping seagulls. They have been known to dive bomb and fly off with your food bag and all!

Lots of us have fond memories of family fun at Revere Beach, the way it used to be.