Duxbury Beach, which is a beautiful, white sand, four and a half mile long barrier beach. It has a very special relationship to the Town of Duxbury. In the late 1800's, Duxbury Beach was carved up on maps into approximately 200 house lots. In 1919, the owner of the beach offered it for sale and since the plans for development were known, some 18 - 20 concerned Duxbury families raised enough money to purchase the beach. In November, 1919, title was taken in the name of The Duxbury Beach Association. Access to Duxbury Beach was over the Powder Point Bridge, built in l892, a wooden bridge that was maintained jointly by the towns of Duxbury, Kingston, Marshfield and Plymouth, as well as Plymouth County. As beach use increased, Duxbury asked the Association to provide parking on the beach. They did, and the town agreed to police the lots.

In 1941, the Town approved taking over the full cost involved in maintaining the Powder Point Bridge. In 1950, to cover the increasing cost of policing the parking at the east end of the bridge, Duxbury Selectmen initiated parking fees and the Association continued to assume maintenance costs. In l958, it became apparent to the Selectmen and Beach Trustees that the beach was being damaged by increasing recreational demands. Various conservation efforts were implemented over the ensuing 17 years, but by 1975 the Beach Association decided a more permanent organization was needed to manage the beach. So the Duxbury Beach Reservation, Inc. was formed. The five or so remaining families who owned the beach transferred ownership to the new non-profit Massachusetts charitable organization whose primary mission was and is the preservation of Duxbury Beach. In order to provide the financial resources needed to carry out the Reservation's objectives, the Duxbury Beach Preservation Society was formed. Membership contributions are tax-deductible.