The Ponder Cove Beach Club was incorporated in 1951 to maintain the community property, including the picnic area, swimming beach, fishing pier, boat ramp, and boat pier. Since the maintenance and upkeep of these areas is funded solely through membership dues and boat slip fees, use is limited to Beach Club members only.
Business of the Beach Club is conducted by a five (5) member board of directors which is elected annually by the members of the Club during the Spring Picnic and club meeting. All directors serve on the board on a volunteer basis for a term of two (2) years.
The Ponder Cove Beach Club is not a neighborhood association or a civic association. Business and activities of the Club are restricted to issues related to the community areas only.
History
Ponder Cove offers salt water swimming, boating, water skiing, an excellent boat harbor, crabbing, and fishing. The community is located about three miles from the Chesapeake Bay, nestled in White Marsh Creek. The Beach Club, with its board of directors elected from the members, has been deeded to the community. Each lot owner is invited to become a member and thus to enjoy its pier, sandy beach, reserved parking area, picnic grounds, and other facilities an privileges associated with a private beach or country club.
The country is old and rich in history and legend. The swift-footed Indians once roamed the land, Englishmen made fortunes in tobacco, and a renowned and colorful pirate came to live and pursue a respectable life after many a daring exploit at sea. And who knows in what cove he may have hidden his treasure and other spoils from those never-to-be-forgotten buccaneering days.
The first white man to explore and navigate the Chesapeake Bay, and perhaps walk on the beach at Ponder Cove, was Captain John Smith, the fabulous character of Jamestown, Virginia. On June, 2, 1608, he left Jamestown in an open boat of “three tonnes burthen” and a crew of fourteen, and sailed up the Eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay, inspecting many of its Inlets and coves. After a stormy time, for which the Chesapeake Bay is noted, he crossed over to the western shore, undoubtedly sailing up the Rhode River to this land named Ponder Cove.
The recorded history of Ponder Cove actually began on July 26, 1658, when Cecilius, Lord Baltimore, granted a plantation of 490 acres of land bordering the Rhode River to Captain Edward Selby, Gent., which he named “Selby’s Marsh”. In 1665 and 1688, he added contiguous tracts to his estate which were given the names of “Poplar Hill” and “Selby’s Stopp”. The addition of this land bringing his dwelling plantation up to about 1,400 acres. Part of this plantation now embraces Ponder Cove.
With his wealth from tobacco and his prominence in public affairs, Captain Selby became one of the most successful and important gentlemen of the Rhode River area. He died in 1688 and willed the plantation to his only son and heir, Edward Selby, Jr. Young Selby sustained financial trouble and sold the property to William Cotter in 1693.
The newly arrived William Cotter was legend to be dashing and debonair and made quite an impression among the country gentry of the Rhode River. Within two years of his arrival, he won the heart and hand of one of the local aristocracy, Jane Gassaway. She was one of the daughters of Colonel Nicholas Gassaway.
In 1696, a vessel arrived unexpectedly from England and anchored at the Port of Annapolis. Secret conferences were held with certain provincial officials and word soon leaked out that one-time pirates were reported to be living around what is now Ponder Cove.
The pirates turned out to be none other than William Cotter and his compatriot John Blackmore. They were immediately placed under bond and warned “to be of good behavior as to Acts of Pyracy”. They were released: “To stand and be indebted unto our Sovereign Lord William, the third, King England, Scotland, France, and Ireland in the sum of five hundred pounds sterling each..That they, the said John Blackmore and William Cotter shall personally appear and be forthcoming whenever His Majesty’s pleasure is known concerning them, in the meantime to be of good behaviour as to any acts of Pyracy.”
William Cotter died in 1702 and left the estate to his sons who both died without heirs. The younger son, William, left the estate to his nephews – William, Henry, and Thomas, the three sons of his sister Sarah, who had married her cousin, Captain John Gassaway, another grandson of Old Rough and Ready Nicholas Gassaway.
In 1750, Captain John Gassaway ordered a resurvey or consolidation of his land holdings of “Selby’s Marsh”, “Poplar Hill”, and “Selby’s Stopp” which he named “Cotter’s Desire”.