OUR HISTORY
Ocean Pines was constructed in 1980 and has remained pretty much the same since. However, before it was constructed, Cocoa Beach and our location were quite different. Recently, we have uncovered some facts and pictures of our location that account for a period of time from the fifties to the seventies. Hopefully, we can continue to fill in the other gaps to form a complete history of our condominium.
Below are some pictures that were postcards of the previous complex, The Bal-Ray Resort. On the original cards, there are postmarks of 1958 and 1973, respectively. It is clear in the 1973 picture (on the right), that our current clubhouse in the top left corner still stands and is functional today. It’s also clear from the same picture how we got our name, Ocean Pines.
The Bal-Ray Resort Motel was owned and run by Howard Kerner and Dee-Dee Ballentine in the 1950s-1960s. After HK and Dee-Dee married, he worked for seven years with her father at the Ray Laboratory, which among other things did the blood tests required then for marriage licenses. Then they moved to Cocoa Beach and owned and ran the Bal-Ray Resort Motel until he retired. It was one of the few motels over there during the beginning of the space race era, and they hosted many commentators who covered the space shots. By the early 1970s, it was owned by Peggy Lea.
