It was quite the place in the '50s from what I have heard. One of the local minister's daughters was found turning tricks in an opium den down in The Cove. In the early '60s it was codine (cough syrup ), weed, and speed. The boys were a cash machine and were seldom bothered by the cops, it had to be flagrant beyond the pale ( like hitting on minors ). Sex on the beach (in the dunes usually)was not a drink back in the day. The Canuks were always shocked when they, usually wearing speedos, were hit on.
I have no idea if Barney made it to Oqunquit back in the day. I think he is a later arrival. But there were so many who knows.
I just a few miles away for some reason never hit Ogunquit until I was an adult [ thank heavens] stuck much to home as a kid and then as an adult lit out to see what was on the other side of the mountain.
On the few trips home we would drive up the coast and go through Ogunquit in the mid 70's and it was beginning to fall down then.
As a Navy Brat I did not date many civilions so the drug culture was not part of my life. Booze yes, but never ran into drugs until I was in my 30ies and caught my oldest with a joint.
I missed out on all the wild stuff and really was too busy changing diapers to give it a thought. Mom did get me a subscription to the Portsmith Herald so I could keep up with the home town news.
Ogunquit was in the news quite a bit for a year or so. A beautiful place, so sad it runs on Gay money today.
Once old Barney takes up permanent residence and begins to gift schools hand over fist allot of money, I wonder what the kids will be learning ??????
Darn Zeit, I am sorry you got your introduction to adult life seeing and knowing all this in a small town.
All this is suppose to happen to a young man when they hit Saigon, not in their back yard at home.