SEEN AND NOT HERD

   Farm boys working at farms on Sconticut Neck got a good break from the tedious labor, spending the day at West Island. At low tide they could wade cows over to graze at the mostly vacant 700-acre island into the mid 1940's.

   "It was a great place to let the bulls go over to graze and blow off steam, running along the beach and wander through the fields, teaming with deer." Said my dad, the late Louis Baron, who recalled his days working at farms on the neck as a kid. (left photo inset 15-years old). Louis, along with his seven brothers, like other teens at the time always had chores or work to do, with little idle time. The Baron family of 7 boys and 2 girls, grew up on Tootle Lane at the Fairhaven-Acushnet town line.

   At one time, some brothers also helped lay the blue stone lining along the Cape Cod Canal, with rocks from the Blue Stone Quarry in Acushnet. Most of the brothers served their country during WWI and WW II, one didn't come home. Louis served aboard the Battleship Missouri and later would become North Fairhaven's favorite meat cutter and Polish Chef. His fondness for West Island never left his thoughts.

   *ML's Note: During WWII, the island became a military outpost guarded by soldiers on horseback. The tower at town beach remains as a reminder, 80-years later. Someone asked how far back my roots go to West Island, and now they know, and thought I'd share., from this life-long townie. Compiled by MLBaron for westislandweather.com