Winter swimming in South Boston began in the 19th century, by some accounts as early as 1865. The practice was likely introduced by European immigrants, who believed that cold water plunges followed by saunas or steam baths were good for one's health. Swimmers who came regularly to the L Street Bathhouse in South Boston usually swam nude or with minimal clothing, and became known as the "Brownies" because of the deep tans they acquired from daily exposure to the sun. The Brownies claimed that swimming and tanning were beneficial to the heart, skin, and circulation, and credited the practice with miraculous cures. The belief that winter swimming strengthens the immune system has persisted into the 21st century. and began accepting women members in 1915. Although the club itself is older than the
Coney Island Polar Bear Club, which was founded in 1903, its first documented New Year's Day swim did not take place until 1904, when a photographer took a picture of the event. For this reason, the title of "oldest polar bear club in the United States" is generally given to the Coney Island club. One such member, Richard Pinkson, had reportedly been an L Street Brownie for 64 years when he died in 1955.
The L Street Bathhouse The L Street Bathhouse stands at L Street and
Day Boulevard in South Boston, facing
Carson Beach (or the L Street Beach, as that part of the beach is sometimes called). The original bathhouse was one of several built by the city in 1866 to enable poor immigrants, who lived in tenements with no indoor plumbing, to bathe regularly. The motto "Cleanliness of Body Is Next to Godliness" was inscribed above the building's entrance. The bathhouse was rebuilt by
Mayor Curley in 1931, and is officially known as the Curley Community Center. In the 1970s, during
Kevin White's administration, the women's half of the bathhouse was converted into temporary classrooms. Under Mayor
Raymond Flynn, the whole building was renovated and turned into a fitness center, and women were once again allowed to join.
Peter S. McNally, a world champion long-distance swimmer, made the first recorded attempt to swim Boston Light in 1898. In 1907, during
Old Home Week, three more men attempted the swim:
Samuel Richards, Commodore Alfred Brown, and Louis Jacot. Richards and Brown dropped out, making Jacot the first winner of the Boston Light, despite not actually reaching the lighthouse finish line. In 1909, the Austrian-born
Alois Anderlé swam to Boston Light in 5 hours and 38 minutes, completing the last half mile in a severe thunderstorm. He was later disqualified because his navigator had steered him over
Nix's Mate, a small island which was barely submerged at the time, forcing him to walk the short distance across it. The following year, 15-year-old
Rose Pitonof of Dorchester completed the course in 6 hours and 50 minutes, defeating seven men. Her father and brother navigated her over an irregular course that stretched the distance to 12 or 13 miles through choppy, frigid waters. By the time she finished, cold and fatigue had forced all the other contestants to drop out. Toth held the American endurance record for a time, and famously trained for his
English Channel swim in 1923 by towing a rowboat full of passengers. Other notable Boston Light competitors have included
James J. Doty (for whom the Doty Memorial Mile Swim is named), Olympic swimmer
Marian Gilman,
Eva Morrison, The Boston Light Swim is now organized and sponsored independently of the L Street Brownies. == Notable members ==