The Breeeze Janruary 2020

In the summer of 1923, she rented a home from
Thomas Lawton and subsequently purchased
a tract of land from him and acquired plans to
build a small hotel. She then contracted with
the local Ulmer family to provide lumber and
materials to erect it.
In its originality, it was a building with 12
bedrooms and a large main kitchen and
dining area overlooking Brighton Beach and
the May River. It had six guest rooms upstairs
and another six on the first floor and had huge
screened-in porches with rows of rocking
chairs from where the guests could enjoy the
breezes and watch their children frolic and
swim in the May River.
One of the many JOYS of the hotel was the
large dining room where Miss Annette served
her guests a bounty of local seafood caught by
her son. The vegetables were bought locally
and prepared by cooks brought down from
Allendale who cooked them to perfection.
Imagine, “All you can eat for 50 cents.” Miss
Annette quickly realized that in order to fill
the many requests of her quests at the hotel,
she would need a much larger facility. Soon
a similar structure with 12 guest rooms and
another large kitchen and dining room was
added.
Amazingly, this was accomplished at a time
of America’s greatest recession. The hotel
managed to thrive and prosper until 1935 when
a fire destroyed both hotels and two additional
homes. Unfortunately, she was unable to
rebuild them, but she did return every summer
staying at her brother-in-law’s home until she
was able to build a home of her own.
Former guests who became familiar with
the area gradually purchased properties and
constructed their own homes in the All Joy
Circle. Some of these original families were the
McKenzies, Rhodes, McSweeneys, Sanders,
Lawtons, Sextons, Causeys, Gohagans,
Chilsoms, Pattersons and Boones. Martha
Crapse currently resides on or about the site of
the All Joy Hotel.
With only a few exceptions these original
homes are still owned by the descendants who
are still yet enjoying the “Great Joy” that exists
in the All Joy Community.
The following is an exerpt from Angela Herbert
Straight’s book, “Is It High Tide Yet?” These are
some memories of staying on All Joy during her
summer visits in the 1950’s and 60’s.
“The best location for a house on All Joy was
right on the beach. Aunt Annette and Uncle J.E.
Smith had the first house on the front corner of
the loop. It was a white, two-story that opened
to the breezes. Outside, ironrails made great
footrests as we sat and watched the May River
and the people swimming.
The upstairs bedroom, where we stayed,
opened to the front and the breezes from the
river would drift in as we slept. We would always
use bath powder after showers and the smell of
it reminds me of All Joy.”
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