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Keep Smiling: 1906
The Jersey shore circa 1906. "Rolling chair on the Boardwalk, Atlantic City." In the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 11:39am -

The Jersey shore circa 1906. "Rolling chair on the Boardwalk, Atlantic City." In the distance, the giant safety razor seen on the Gillette sign in the previous post. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Keep SmilingWhaddaya mean, keep smiling ? I AM smiling. The Wicked Witch of the East?The smiling, striding woman on the left is a dead ringer for Margaret Hamilton. Ouch!I was admiring the smiling lady, which seems uncommon in this period, and when I panned over to the stern couple in the rolling chair with the sign I laughed myself out of my chair. Thanks Dave, this is the most delightful photo I've seen. A Short Time LaterI hope the poor bugger in the rolling chair hopped out and ran away with the smiling lady and left that evil eyed old biddy behind. Hotel TraymoreAs noted in Dave's comment, vantage point for the previous birds-eye view of the beach. Is it a smileor a maniacal grin? The lady on the left seems to be holding her cane in a very threatening way. Perhaps it's her husband in the rolling chair running off with her mother! Rolling chairsAh, that's what you call them. I was thinking maybe "nobility scooter." Hello Pork Pie HatLove the gent's hat. A cool modern topper, especially compared to the fusty lady sitting next to him. Rolling Chair Evils Washington Post, Apr 22, 1900 Reforms in Atlantic City Rolling-Chair Evil Regulated This resort wears the aspect of summer, with a crowded boardwalk, and ideal sky, warm breeze, and everything in the way of amusement and entertainment in full swing. So great is the multitude of people that certain features of the city which have given it its attractiveness promise to become, and to certain extent now are, veritable nuisances. Once of these is the rolling chair, which every invalid who has ever been here and many of the perfectly able visitors know and have enjoyed. There are other visitors, those of the pedestrian class, who find their strolls on the Boardwalk at times almost blocked by the chairs, which line up five and six across the walk. There are no less than 600 of them. But a new grievance against the chairs has come up. Careless attendants have recently been employed, and because of the rolling of the chairs against a number of visitors, several handsome Easter promenade gowns have been torn, and others ruined by the dust and grease from the unprotected wheels. The authorities have now stepped in with vigor, and all the chair attendants are to be uniformed, provided with badges, and are to held accountable to the police department. This move will be hailed with general satisfaction. The morals of the Boardwalk have also been tuned up by the authorities. It took the police an entire week to learn that one or two mutascope showmen were exhibiting for "a nickel a look," scores of pictures decidedly "Frenchy." Then one morning Mayor Frank Stoy and a Baptist clergyman took a stroll and examined the pictures. Before night official orders were issued, and before morning the mutascope men had changed the pictures in toto, and now complain that business has fallen off. But the police order stands. Washington Post, Feb 12, 1939 Atlantic City Rolling Chairs Prove Popular The Boardwalk rolling chair, almost exclusively an Atlantic City vehicle, which was first introduced in 1887, is still a popular feature in the resort. The late George Hayday at first rented the chairs to invalids, who found the Boardwalk chair rides stimulating but later learned that persons in the best of health also enjoyed the chairs. The chairs, which are constructed here, were later enlarged to accommodate two or three persons. There are now 1,500 in use. Everyone who has ever visited Atlantic City will remember them and many a romance has started under the moon in a Boardwalk rolling chair. Should the weather prove to be a trifle cool, a warm robe and glass windshield protect the ride. Amazing photoIt's almost surreal the way the characters pop out of this photo. The clarity of those early lenses makes one wonder why modern cameras can't match the dots per inch. Amazing! [It's not so much the clarity of the lens as the size of the "image sensor." In this case, a humongous 8 by 10 inches. - Dave] Sun GrinsThe "smiling lady" doesn't seem to be smiling to me. She has the same expression I do when I go outside and forget my sunglasses. I have VERY light sensitive eyes and end up with the "sun grins" without my sunglasses, even in cloudy weather. I can easily assume I'm not the only one to have this problem. DopplegangerLooks like Amy Winehouse stumbled into a time machine. The third wheel Oh God, Harold, She's gaining on us, give the man another dollar! (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Travel & Vacation)
By the Sea: 1915
... Circa 1915. "Surf bathing at Atlantic City." Where not all the suits are for swimming. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. ... End of the innocence After this season, things on the Jersey shore would never really be the same. 1916 brought a polio epidemic in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 4:28pm -

Circa 1915. "Surf bathing at Atlantic City." Where not all the suits are for swimming. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Lost horizonI like the sailing ship in the background. On the Beach (apologies to Neville Shute) There's a lot going on here and it might be a record for Shorpy beach action photos: The light-haired person surrounded by captivated youths and holding forth about Sure-Wish-I-Knew-What, the apparently abandoned and (I hope) babyless carriage, the kid with the Buster Brown collar, the two casual wrestlers to the left of the Socrates Club, the Red Cross tent, the one overweight beach visitor (to the left of the wrestlers), the only person fully dressed in white asleep or dead in the right foreground, and so much more. The surf's up, and the horizon way off has a two-masted (I think) schooner heading north under full sail. Somebody get Gordon Lightfoot on the phone. Beach tentShould we assume that the (red?) cross on the tent erected on the platform indicates that it's a refuge for the injured, ill, sunburnt, sun-stroked, or just down-with-a-case-of-the-vapors beachgoers? The sign posted reads "No Packages or Garments Permitted on or inside of railing." Because? [Probably to keep the place from turning into a cabana. - Dave] Outside!That's a decent little A-frame there, too. Nowadays there would be about a dozen surfers splitting that peak. Possible eureka momentIs the person in white on the right side actually lying on a beach towel? Someone contact the patent office! Surf's UpThe older guy is probably telling the young kids what surfing was like in the old days. ScratchyI can feel the sand in my undies just looking at this photo! ConversationsIn addition to Don Struke's comments, I just caught myself get all captivated thinking, "I wonder what they're saying to each other." Particularly the mustachioed man and his son (?) in the centre at the front. I wonder what they said when they turned away from the camera? Wonderful shot, this. Something else missingShorpy beach scenes have elicited lots of comments about the lack of beach towels, overweight people, etc. But here's something else that's missing: not a single person is holding a bottle, cup or drink of any kind. Nor are there any on the ground. Such a scene would be inconceivable today when nearly everyone walks around such places with a drink in hand. For that matter, with the exception of a few parasols there are virtually no personal articles of any kind on the beach -- no satchels, no bags, no food, no toys. Just people and sand. "Beach towels"The reason you don't see them isn't because the idea hadn't occurred to anyone. It's because big, body-size cotton towels, especially the terrycloth kind, were practically nonexistent in 1915. People bathed with washcloths and dried off with hand towels. Big towels didn't become a mass-market item until the 1930s. The alternative was woolen blankets, which you wouldn't take to the shore (or would be supplied by the hotels to their patrons) for obvious reasons. Also realize that doing any kind of laundry in 1915 was a major undertaking. End of the innocenceAfter this season, things on the Jersey shore would never really be the same. 1916 brought a polio epidemic in New York City that send thousands fleeing the the city to the shore and other places, just in time for the arrival of the "man-eating shark" (that struck first at Beach Haven, just north of Atlantic City). Two wartime summers followed. Towels"Towels" were linen or cotton, along the line of what we consider dishtowels (like those decorative souvenir dish towels). Just a tightly-woven sheet. Not particularly absorbent and not very big. At the beach, a blanket would usually double as cover for changing in and out of costumes (if you didn't want to pay for the use of a bathing hut), keeping the wind off, and drying off at the end of the day. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Pony Boys: 1905
The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Ponies on the beach -- Atlantic City." In the distance, the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:56pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Ponies on the beach -- Atlantic City." In the distance, the Steeplechase and Steel piers. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. What fun!Now these are some "Jersey Shore" kids that I could stand to hang out with. I wonder why no one adjusted the stirrups for the boy on the pinto pony. Off RoadingI guess this was the 1905 equivalent of having your Jet Ski or Dirt Bike at the Shore. Messy BeachesAs if the beaches are not clean enough, you need to have horses walking around on them all day. It must have been like a minefield out there. This was not a case of the good old days. My guess isn't that theseMy guess isn't that these kids are out for a fun morning. It's more likely that they hired the ponies out, taking paying passengers for rides on the beach. This would have been taken at the start of their business day, early in the morning before the tourists came down to the sand. The kids with little traps would drive and the passengers would sit behind. The mounted kids probably led their ponies around, with the paying passengers riding. That's why the kid on the pinto has his stirrups so long. Time of Day, Year.Is it morning or afternoon?? In summertime, the sun sets such that shadows grow long toward the ocean. As autumn nears, the setting sun seems to almost set in the south on certain beaches in New Jersey, turning the shadows north toward Brigantine. If I had to guess, and judging by the heavier coats worn by four of the boys, the picture was taken on a late afternoon in October. Not a tourist in sight. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Horses, Swimming)
Pleasure Pavilion: 1910
The Jersey Shore circa 1910. "Steel Pier, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 12:47pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1910. "Steel Pier, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Cakewalk was a dance form...The Cakewalk dance was developed from a "Prize Walk" done in the days of slavery, generally at get-togethers on plantations in the Southern United States. Alternative names for the original form of the dance were "chalkline-walk", and the "walk-around". At the conclusion of a performance of the original form of the dance in an exhibit at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, an enormous cake was awarded to the winning couple. Thereafter it was performed in minstrel shows, exclusively by men until the 1890s. The inclusion of women in the cast "made possible all sorts of improvisations in the Walk, and the original was soon changed into a grotesque dance" which became very popular across the country. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cakewalk White Folks' CakewalkI recall from the early 1950's, going to a rural school's harvest festival wherein cakewalks were performed by having all the people march around the perimeter of the cafeteria to recorded music. When the music stopped, the person who was standing in a designated spot won a wonderful homemade cake. I expect the people taking part would not "have gotten" the slaves' satiric dance steps. But we all had fun at what we were doing. Before the DonaldEither Shorpy's photos of recreational facilities were all taken on Sundays, with the people in their "go to meeting clothes", or society's idea of having fun was to dress up for the occasion. Atlantic City before Donald Trump: innocent entertainment. Vessella's BandHere's some recordings of the featured Vessella's Italian Band to complete the mood. http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/artists/detail/id/858 TimingPerfect, as HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" has its Season 2 premiere next Sunday. CakewalksI do wish I could see more of the poster headlined "Cake Walks." I wonder what that was all about? But where's the baby?The pram is empty! I would submit that the tike is in the process of being buried up to his neck under the boardwalk by his out-of-patience siblings. To-DayEnhanced and enlarged. More About The Cake WalkIt was a dance craze of some kind. See these items: http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3cake1.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cakewalk Piece of CakeThe Cakewalk is a dance done to ragtime music, a huge fad at this time. It was originated by black people, and then became popular with whites, too, who saw cakewalks performed in minstrel shows. Couples jig or prance along in a line, two by two, and the best (or most outrageous) couple win a prize, such as a cake - they literally "take the cake"! Sparkling Unlike many buildings we see in Shorpy Times, the beach pavilions usually look spotless. I'm guessing a fresh coat of paint was in order every season. Cakewalk explainedCakewalk and ragtime were closely associated, and were just about the most popular dance and music styles of this period. The music's syncopated, jaunty rhythms inspired then-eccentric dance moves. If you were young and up-to-date, this was your thing. Icing but I don't danceSo delicious cake was at least peripherally involved in this activity? Well OK. Doin' the cakewalkHere are some good examples of people performing the cakewalk, circa 1903: Cakewalk into TownA slower tempo, roots-based musical accompaniment for your cakewalk, Taj Mahal (vocals) and Howard Johnson (Tuba): Cakewalk into Town, 1972. [Warning! YouTube link, marginally NSFW lyrics, "throw your big leg over me, mama", admissions of crime, "I spend my whole day stealing chickens, mama, from the rich folks' yard," whistling.] (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Atlantis: 1905
... mass of wood construction never caught fire and burned to the ground/water. Sign I'd love some salt water taffy and Hygienic Ice ... go" Pier review Author Emil Salvini's "Tales of the Jersey Shore" blog includes a postcard that he found in 2009 depicting a March ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 4:14pm -

Glimpses of a lost world circa 1905. "Young's Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. What?Down here we have fishing piers. What does one do on one like that? Fire magnetTell me that huge mass of wood construction never caught fire and burned to the ground/water. SignI'd love some salt water taffy and Hygienic Ice Cream! Love this photograph - obviously during the day during the week, the slow time when the blue collar workers come out to maintain the grounds. Notice the men on the roof and the gardener in the yard. One Look Tells MeI bet that Young's Million Dollar Pier was destroyed by fire. Just a guess. PuppiesThe two dogs on the lawn caught my eye. One more curious than the other. I'll Take That BetAccording to the sources that I've found, Young's Million Dollar Pier survived until 1981 when it was demolished and replaced with a concrete pier known as "Ocean One." In 2002 it became "The Pier Shops At Caesars" but is currently in foreclosure. I don't doubt that much of what was on The Million Dollar Pier might have disappeared over the years, it was almost certainly due to demolition rather than fire. Deep Sea NetWhile the best online history of the 'Million Dollar Pier' records that net fishing began in 1907, the following article calls this into question. The Washington Post reports on the capture of a baby white whale at this location, two years prior to this photo. While Americans had mastered the technology to launch global, multi-year voyages to hunt whales, newspaper accounts from the time display a maddening nonspecificity regarding whale species. The only true white whale is the Beluga, which inhabits the margins of the arctic ocean. It would have been a truly remarkable event to find one this far south. Today, the reported southern edge of their range is the St. Lawrence River in Canada. Washington Post, Aug 23, 1903 At Atlantic City A baby White Whale Captured in the Fishing Nets Among the incidents of the week was the capture of a baby white whale, the only of its kind ever seen in this city, and the big baby has attracted thousands of people, who have watched it cavorting in the large fish tan on Young's pier. What to do on the pier? & Are those dogs?The pier included the world's largest ballroom, named The Hippodrome, and a huge exhibit hall. It also hosted movies, conventions, and exhibits. So say they intertubes. In the yard where the gardener is working - are there two dogs laying on the grass? Can't imagine he would allow that. I see a small statue in the closer yard so perhaps that's what they are. I also see 3 or more people working on the far end of the roof. Probably spreading tar. Oh, thank goodness,the ice cream here is hygienic!!! The last time we visited the shore we got some of that unhygienic ice cream by mistake. Poor Aunt Tessie was sick for a month! Tar TimeAs far as the guys taring the roof goes, "Only 50,000 square feet to go" Pier reviewAuthor Emil Salvini's "Tales of the Jersey Shore" blog includes a postcard that he found in 2009 depicting a March 29, 1912 fire: Jim Waltzer, co-author of "Tales of South Jersey," wrote an article in 2006 in Atlantic City Weekly that describes Young Pier fires in 1949 and 1981. Fate of the PierYes, indeed, fire did claim the pier (kind of), but even to this day, not completely (the pier is about a third of a mile long; you are only looking at some 300 feet or so). The Grand Ballroom, which is to the far right, was destroyed by fire in 1949; the pier itself was still sound, however, and the section was rebuilt as an amusement park; it was very well known in the 1950s. The center section where the workers are on the roof was torn down in 1969, and replaced with other amusements. The far ocean side of the pier burned in 1981. The Ocean One Mall is built on what's left of the pier and pier site at this time, though one of the casinos is eying rebuilding the pier to something close to its former state. What does one do on a pier like that?One strolls while eating Cones filled with Hygienic Ice Cream, of course. Second-String but stll First-Rate.The Million Dollar Pier was still intact as an amusement venue as late as the middle-1950's, although it was always 'second-string' to The Steel Pier. But back in those days, that was in no sense a demeaning position to be in, in AC. Long-Lived"When did that thing burn?" was my first thought. It lasted a good long time. The pier had burned in 1902. (You can see some roof work going on in this picture). The rebuilt pier lasted in one form or another until the ocean end burned in 1981. The pier at Caesar's stands at the site now. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
By the Seashore: 1905
Ocean Grove, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Ross's Pavilion and beach." Desperately awaiting the invention of the beach towel. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit ... By my count, this is around the third of the Jersey Shore beach scenes showing black folks. The beginning of the end Near ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2010 - 3:37pm -

Ocean Grove, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Ross's Pavilion and beach." Desperately awaiting the invention of the beach towel. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Saw this on Digg!A blog had stolen your wonderful work, so I just wanted to say I appreciate what you're doing here. I'm going to come back here frequently, I'm just such a sucker for old-time photography! -Chicago resident Head ShotI can't focus on the pavilion, the water, the people or the sand. I'm obsessed with the image of the girl doing her best to carry the the big baby with the HUGE head. Guy on far rightsure is enjoying his fingernails! Woman smiling!Rarity of rarities - I see a 1905 woman actually smiling! To the bottom left of the life guard stand. Nice smile. GrimThe guy sunning himself in the foreground in the middle right looks like a dead body. Speaking fo easily amusedCheck out the guy standing on the extreme right: "I have FANTASTIC fingernails!" African AmericanBy my count, this is around the third of the Jersey Shore beach scenes showing black folks. The beginning of the endNear the girl struggling to carry the baby with the huge head, there on the sand, LITTER! This may be the first litter on the beach ever caught by a camera. If looks could killThe guy in the lower left center turned and looking menacingly at the camera. Hang on to your women and children. Easily amused?Don't forget, in those days, people worked so hard that they appreciated the simpler things, rather than being easily amused. And, don't forget, we enjoy the ability to hop in our car (or jump on a bus, train, or plane) and whisk ourselves off to some distant destination in a matter of minutes or hours. We have the money and leisure-time that our grandparents couldn't have imagined (between world wars and depressions). let alone enjoyed. A day at the beach would be the equivalent of a Caribbean cruise to a family at the turn of the last century. Not without expectationsYes, it seems to be a time when folks were easily amused. Nevertheless, I do get the feeling that the gang up in the Peanut Gallery wouldn't mind a good old-fashioned shark attack to liven things up a bit. Fingernail boyHe may be having an "aw shucks" moment as he chats with the girl to the left. Not a laughing matterNo smiling women because they are anticipating laundry day. (The Gallery, DPC, Swimming)
Sand in Your Socks: 1905
The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Atlantic City, on the beach." Surf, sand and Steeplechase ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 1:24pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Atlantic City, on the beach." Surf, sand and Steeplechase Pier in the distance. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. BoringI think it is funny that today people find sitting around talking to be boring. Just think about the individual entertainment possibilities back then. About all there was to do was talk and socialize. That was normal back then. Can you imagine actually enjoying sitting around talking to someone? It is like these people are aliens or something. Ha Ha. The Rest of the StoryEvery time I see one of these "turn of the century" photos it is like watching an old movie. These people had little idea what would happen to them and their world over their lifetimes. I wonder how they handled it. What happened to them? How did they live their lives? They are all gone now but they left plenty of stories. If only we could hear them. AlluringThere is nothing thats more fun than sitting on the soaked sand in a wet sailor dress, stockings and a shower cap. This may explain why the population gasped in shock when Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr did a similar scene with 50's swimsuits rolling around in the surf. Lately, the guidos and guidettes proclaim to the world their three priorities in life are gym, laundry and tanning. Isn't is strange that not a single sand sculpture has been created? This is their Sunday fun, just sitting on soaked sand in a wet sailor dress, stockings and a shower cap. (These people really need to get out more). We can rest assured however that nobody will get eaten by a shark. At LastWe have young men and women socializing in the Atlantic City's sand and surf. The usual photographs are of the old folks being wheeled about the boardwalk wearing their Sunday best and looking bored or as if they're waiting for the Grim Reaper. Re: The Rest of the StoryMy grandfather, born in 1900, who lived until 2001, would often tell how amazing it was for him to see the invention of automobiles and then air travel. Can you imagine going out in the ocean with your skirt going up above your head? Or trying to swim with the weight of that dreadful outfit? Surely, this photos shows how our fashions have become less and less. And makes one wonder how much "less" in fashion could we possibly go from here? Super centurian centenarianIt is possible but not probable that someone on this beach 5 and under could be alive today without reaching 110. Of course, anyone over five on the beach would have to be 110 or over to still be with us. Early J. PetermanI could be wrong, but I think I've spotted the original "Urban Sombrero." I wonder if there's a man in a cape wandering about. NopeThis just does not look like fun. Hey Guys!Let's all put on our black woolens and go to the beach! Pre-mortemAbsolutely fabulous photo. I can't realize that all those people are quietly lying in their graves now. Gosh. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
A Ride on the Boardwalk: 1907
The Jersey Shore circa 1907. "Haddon Hall and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 2:41pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1907. "Haddon Hall and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Steamboat Gothic.It may not be on the Mississippi, but Haddon Hall certainly presents all the features of the style. AmpleLady on the right would be described by my grandmother as a Lady of Ample Bosom. Beautiful photo, thanks. Capturing life's momentsA great photo to study people of yesteryear. For instance, the handsome couple on the extreme right, strolling along in what appears to be an intense conversation. How cool would it be to recognize, from old family photos, your grandfather and grandmother or even great-grandma and grandpa in their youth? Also interesting in these type photos are the clothes of kids such as the little boy at the end of the ramp with shorts and one of those wide brimmed hats and the teenage girl with ribbons - just as we have seen in old movies. Shorpy is more than a business - it is a great service to understanding past times. Leeds & Lippincott Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey, 1910. In 1890 he [Henry West Leeds] came to Atlantic City and opened Haddon Hall, in partnership with J. Haines Lippincott. Subsequently his mother sold out her interests in the Tremont House and joined with her son in operating Haddon Hall, and winning for it its wide and popular reputation as a homelike hotel. The hotel will accommodate four hundred and fifty guests, and is one of the most central and convenient of the hotels in Atlantic City. Being at the ocean end of North Carolina avenue, it commands an unobstructed view of the ocean and the boardwalk, and during the twenty years that Mr. Leeds has been connected with the house, he has established a most enviable reputation among people of culture and refinement. The house is beautifully furnished and decorated, and on its walls can be seen the best collection of water colors of any seaside resort hotel in the country. The hotel is open all the year. Stayin' FitI have a strong suspicion that pushing one of those carts about over the course of a season kept one in pretty good shape. I wonder how far these folks usually covered in a day. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Carnival of Souls: 1904
The Jersey Shore circa 1904. "On the beach, Atlantic City." Everyone please turn to face ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 12:55pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1904. "On the beach, Atlantic City." Everyone please turn to face the time-portal! Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Steel Pier provides the atmosphereAtlantic City's famed Steel Pier in the background. Not here The nearest Brazilian must be 3,000 miles away. Lookat the kid by the boat! Feeding frenzyI bet sharks miss the days of those wool bathing suits. It was probably the only fiber they had in their diets. Fit!I only see only one "beer belly" in this group. It shows how our ancestors were fit through hard work and the lack of the food temptations we have today! Bathhouse fashion dominatesA lot of the women have the same bathing attire. So do the men. I doubt if Gucci or Ralph Lauren had a popular "must have" style for beachwear in 1904 so I assume that a local bathhouse had a hot deal on rentals that day. His mother's hat all packed with sandLittle Bobby vowed one day to return to Atlantic City as soon as plastic was invented and make a fortune selling beach toys. That was his dream, and everyone there that day would thank him, although, sadly, nobody would remember his name. Except his mom, upstairs in the bathroom still trying to get the pungent New Jersey sand out of her hair. Yes, she was pretty sure it was Bobby. IncredibleWhat would these lovely people make of Snooki? ConclusionsYears from now, I wonder what conclusions people will make about our generation just by looking at a picture of us on a beach. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Multi-Modal: 1908
... "Pennsylvania R.R. ferry terminal, Market Street." Across the Delaware River we can see the Campbell's Soup factory in Camden. 8x10 inch ... Campbell's Soup The company's HQ in Camden, New Jersey. Railroad memories I went to work for the railroad on the Camden ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:09pm -

Philadelphia circa 1908. "Pennsylvania R.R. ferry terminal, Market Street." Across the Delaware River we can see the Campbell's Soup factory in Camden. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Campbell's SoupThe company's HQ in Camden, New Jersey. Railroad memoriesI went to work for the railroad on the Camden side of this photo back in the early 1960s. By then, the passenger service was just a shell of its former self due to the Ben Franklin Bridge and automobiles. However, back in the day, thousands of people escaped the heat of the city via the ferries and numerous passenger trains to Atlantic City and other shore points over the tracks of what would become the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines in 1933. Trains with names like The Seashore Limited, Boardwalk Arrow, Boardwalk Flyer, Rocket, Flying Cloud, Jolly Tar, Shore Queen and many more. Now THOSE were the days! Strange FacadeWhat is the front of this building made of? It's wavy and looks like some sort of metal. Mm-mm GoodThe fellow standing by the mail box looks as though he just finished off one of those towers of soup. The Victor FactoryThe Victor Talking Machine Company factory at the beginning of their huge expansion, before the iconic cabinet factory was built. What's Oliver Hardy up to?The aforementioned man by the mailbox seems to be intently eyeing the conversation between the men under the "Electric trains" sign. I wonder what they're saying?Looks a bit suspicious. Also, in the backround towards the right you can see the outline of a castle. What is that? The "Strange Facade" is Repousse' Copper WorkThe "Strange Façade" of this building is repousse' (sp.?) hammered copper work. The building has a modern steel frame. If this were a color photo, the building would appear verdigris green, just like the Statue of Liberty in NY harbor, which is also copper repousse' Sheet copper is hammered over wooden forms. Skill is needed to prevent the copper from tearing. The Hoboken Terminal, formerly the Delaware Lackawanna & Western terminal, in Hoboken, NJ has a repousse façade, as does the Governor's Island Ferry Terminal. Note that the building has many 3-D architectural details in the copper. Think of what that would have cost in stone. My GrandparentsMy grandparents used this ferry on a regular basis for many years, especially after they bought a cottage in Ventor - just south of AC - around 1912, and commuted from North Philly and then Glenside in the 1920's. Sanborn Fire Insurance map of the buildingSanborn made detailed maps of some cities used for determining fire insurance rates. They often included details like what kind of work went on in buildings, what building were made of, if there was a fire alarm or security patrol. They are fantastic when you can find them. Here's the one for this building. https://maps.princeton.edu/catalog/princeton-3t945s20b And the full set for Camden. http://library.princeton.edu/libraries/firestone/rbsc/aids/sanborn/camde... (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Philadelphia, Railroads)
New Garden Pier: 1920
The Jersey Shore circa 1920. "Atlantic City Boardwalk and New Garden Pier." An apt seaside ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/28/2013 - 11:22pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1920. "Atlantic City Boardwalk and New Garden Pier." An apt seaside metaphor might be the billboard as a sort of terrestrial barnacle, encrusting every available surface with ads for yarn, hair nets, cough drops and typewriters. 5x7 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 136 peopleon the beach, 78,000 on the boardwalk, also a second (third) story man caught in the act. Heisey's GlasswareThe A. H. Heisey Glass Company was established in Newark, Ohio in 1896. At first Heisey produced mould pressed patterns that simulated cut glass styles of the era. Table sets, cruets, small condiment jars, bowls and syrups were a large part of this production. By 1920, many of these early patterns were no longer considered stylish and Heisey was forced to join the new trend as consumer interest moved toward etched and cut patterns. During the 1920's many glass companies began to focus on color and Heisey was no exception. Vaseline glassware was made in the early 1920's. Later, about 1925, Moongleam (green) and Flamingo (pink) were introduced. Other distinctive colors soon followed and and the period from 1925 to 1938 was Heisey's most prolific color era. Heisey Glass Company Can someone direct meCan someone tell me what "Direction of Stanley Co." refers to, which appears just below the 'Globe' advertisement? I cannot for the life of me figure just what that means, unless there is some part of the sign which is not in view here. Great to see that young Shorpy had tagged the pier with his name. [The Stanley Company of America was a theatrical booking agency, owned and operated theaters and was a pioneer in motion picture exhibition. The Globe Theatre sign advertises the fact that their attractions are supplied by the company and are therefore as wonderful as you'd expect from them. - tterrace] Sumo ping pong?Dave knew when he posted this that someone would comment on the sign for Japanese Ping Pong. But I won't, I won't ... the heck I won't -- I give up, is it any different than any other country's ping pong? BTW happy to see the dog being walked on the beach found the newspapers to do his duty. The BeachDo the folks crammed on the boardwalk know it's there? So Crowded!I can't believe the congestion on the street. It must be a cooler day, as I see coats and overcoats on many folks. Notice the man climbing out the window to the right of the Luden's sign? Or the two men standing on the roof just below the "For Rent" sign and gazing at the crowds below? What a great photo! [That "street" is the Atlantic City Boardwalk. - Dave] BernaysThanks, to Ishadoff, for your information on Edward L. Bernays! The first thing I noticed in this picture was the ad for the hair nets, and thought of how their business was soon going to be drastically reduced by the popularity of the "bob". I remember Grandpa's sisters telling me about getting their hair bobbed and then going to the photographic studio and getting their pictures taken. Their mother was furious and told them not to expect her to put those pictures out on the piano, with all of the other portraits. Within a few months, however, she had her own hair bobbed! I guess we have Mr. Bernays to blame for the "lunch lady" look! Edward L. Bernays and Venida Hair NetsEdward L. Bernays (1891-1995), American consultant to business and government, labored to bring public relations to the status of a profession. Bernays' campaigns for Venida hair nets and Procter & Gamble during the 1920s and Lucky Strike cigarettes during the 1930s provide good examples of his methods. At that time shorter hair styles were becoming the fashion among younger women. This development was a matter of no small concern to the manufacturers of Venida hair nets, who saw the market for their product disappearing along with longer tresses. Bernays was called upon for his advice. Soon prominent women were publicly expressing their preference for long hair over short and assorted authorities were warning of the dangers of unbound hair in factories and restaurants. In response, a number of state governments passed legislation requiring the wearing of hair nets on the job. Edward L. Bernays Some products don't melt awayLuden's cough drops are still with us! Japanese Ping PongJapanese Ping Pong appears to be an arcade game where one rolled balls across a table aiming to sink them through numbered holes. The table may have contained depressions or other topography to increase the challenge. The Poultry Item, April 1914. While visiting Atlantic City a young married farm couple became interested in Japanese Ping-Pong, a game consisting of an oblong table with twelve holes at one end, each bearing a certain number, and ten balls which are rolled from the opposite end with desire to score in these holes. Whenever they went for a stroll his wife edged and schemed to reach the ping pong tables. In a short time she developed enough skill—and luck—to get the second highest possible score. The game became an interesting feature of their vacation. "If the game is enjoyable here it will surely be entertaining at home," they decided. Before leaving the shore he bought a second-hand table and some balls for less than five dollars, had them packed and shipped home where fine emery paper and a little labor placed the game in an excellent condition. The following winter found friends and family turning many dull and dreary evenings into happy ones with newly found game from Atlantic City.
Hotel Chalfonte: 1907
The Jersey Shore circa 1907. "Hotel Chalfonte and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." The 10-story ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 2:41pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1907. "Hotel Chalfonte and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." The 10-story Chalfonte was A.C.'s first "skyscraper" resort. View full size. This settingWould have driven the anarchists of the day into a violent frenzy! An MTV ProductionOn "Jersey Shore: The Black & White Edition," no one can see your orange skin. Ah, to be a millinerNot a single bare head to be seen. Mystery SolvedSo that's where all of the dignity went. Young NuckyIs that him walking by the carriages next to the Saratoga Excelsior? Take a walk on the BoardwalkHave you ever seen so many Monopoly men in one place? "I'd like to build a hotel, please." And on the rightis Haddon Hall, where my family used to vacation back about 60 years ago. Reverse ViewReverse view from Haddon Hall: Steeplechase Pier: 1905. Grand Hotel Isn't that a beautiful place? Just grand! (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
The Long Way Home: 1900
... Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Smell the flowers, climb the windmill and catch some shade under that chestnut ... on earth. I'd like to be the kid in the cap and striped jersey and go exploring. Still a nice place to live Still a nice place ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 3:51pm -

Wayne County, Michigan, circa 1900. "A Grosse Ile road." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Smell the flowers, climb the windmill and catch some shade under that chestnut tree, now almost extinct in North America. I Found Waldo!Looks like our young chum has been following the photographer around. Hot Footin' ItI can't wait to get home everyday to check out the latest Shorpy photos. 99.9% of the pictures leave me with a pleasant viewing experience. For some strange reason this one really creeps me out. Someting sinister about it. I can't put my finger on it though. I'd probably be running home fast if I had to travel this road alone as a youngster! re: Hot Footin' ItAu contraire, Anonymous Tipster old friend; looking at these Grosse Ile photos makes me think the place was a paradise on earth. I'd like to be the kid in the cap and striped jersey and go exploring. Still a nice place to liveStill a nice place to live albeit a bit pricey. Tree lined roads all through the city and nice shops down main street. Where's his dogfrom the previous picture? Did it chase a squirrel up the tree? I think I'm sleeping with a light on tonight.This photo just has way too much of a Twilight Zone feel to it. Just what strange thing does that kid keep locked up behind the fence? Does his imaginary playmate actually make things move? Who, or worse what, would you encounter just past the bend in the road? Would he pitch pennies with you for your soul? Another dimensionYeah, I don't get why it's creepy to the AT. This is a wonderfully evocative shot of a place and time that really never existed. Wouldn't we all like to step into that scene, talk to that Our Gang hooligan, smell the flowers, climb the windmill? The Source of Inspiration?It seems the windmill contraptions are straight out the game Myst. What is the device to the left of the vane? Rather than appear to be the rotors of a windvane in motion, it seems to actually be solid in construction. As others have commented, these photos do have a different feel to them than most others. Certainly a Twilight Zone aura, but still a very inviting place that I would visit in a heartbeat. Young Master Livingstonebent on a little mischief or idly passing the time watching all the girls go by -- you be the judge. Interesting how my mind "sees" the sidewalk as concrete even though this excellent series of photographs clearly reveals wood. I've taken a dislike to the Livingstone family. Unfair of me, I know. I'll work on that. IdyllicI love this photo -- yes, heaven on earth. but I think I understand why some commenters think it's creepy -- there's a sort of movie genre that plays with the idea of the evil or perversion lying just beneath the surface of idyllic small town life, and they used settings just like this quiet road. Those films have lost their original power insofar as an audience sees a photo like this and already expects something dark. Looks Like East River RoadThis picture looks like it was taken facing North on East River Road. It is somewhat similar even today (although it is paved) in that there are obvious lawns, trees, sidewalks and fences on one side and a drop off to the Detroit River on the other. The windmill and small building on the right echo outbuildings for boats, toys and barbeques found on the shore side of the road today. Twilight Zone, maybe... if you are referring to the episode "A Stop at Willoughby." Rather than creeping me out, this scene beckons me. I absolutely agree with sweinThe picture is great, and invites you to hit the road, play with the kid, climb the fences. I hope I can find an orange tree around. Now I see the scary part.Loved the imaginative comments! I think when you first look at this, it makes you want to take this particular long road home and all -- yet, when viewed in High Def, Uh-oh. There is a lot of blackness or is it deep shade -- but there's too much sunshine all around where there is such darkness. Dirt Roadsand wooden sidewalks. The Other TowerNot the windmill, the closer one. I thought at first it was an old, broken-down windmill, but there's an anemometer on it, some other device, and what appears to be a cable running down to the ground. A weather station? (The Gallery, DPC, Grosse Ile, Kids)
AC: 1900
The Jersey Shore circa 1900. "Atlantic City from lighthouse." View just to the left of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 3:17pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1900. "Atlantic City from lighthouse." View just to the left of the previous post. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Looks much better than todayI went for the first time a couple years ago, I would have rather had a time machine and gone back to 1900. That place is like a sewer now, I wouldn't go back even if you paid for everything. Pretty neat old buildings here, though. What do you think they offer at the Capitol Sample Room? GloomyThis photo reminds me of the first lines of Don Henley's song "Boys of Summer": Nobody on the road, Nobody on the beach. I feel it in the air, Summer's out of reach. It would be interesting if some of the same shots were taken from the lighthouse during a warm afternoon on a summer weekend. In the WaterThey seemed to have placed the utility poles below the tide line. Is that the way it was done elsewhere? [Funny -- they built the pier that way, too. - Dave] Hotel PierrepontThe $50,000 lobby. From an old postcard. ProgressI don't know about the Jersey Shore being like a "sewer" but it certainly is an overbuilt nightmare now. People are living (or staying) on top of each other. This is a vacation? Not only the shore, but the people as well are very different now than in 1900. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Behind the Boardwalk: 1900
New Jersey circa 1900. "Atlantic City from lighthouse." To be continued! Detroit ... View full size. Channeling W.C. Fields... Ah, the old Absecon Lighthouse. Yes, indeed. Just like I remember it. What's that ... poster may not have noticed that it is winter. Jersey shore towns tend to get a little desolate in winter. My guess is that hasn't ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2012 - 2:53pm -

New Jersey circa 1900. "Atlantic City from lighthouse." To be continued! Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Channeling W.C. Fields...Ah, the old Absecon Lighthouse. Yes, indeed. Just like I remember it. What's that you say, young man? Seven dollars to climb to the top? For that kind of money, kid, you're gonna have to carry me up there. http://www.abseconlighthouse.org/ On the serious side, what a treat to see some of these old beauties of homes in their just-built glory. These in the foreground have a turn-of-the-century tract-house look to them. Then there's the obvious transition going on between indoor plumbing and ye olde outhouse. Probably a welcome change, given what looks to be a cold winter's day down below the lighthouse. Where'd everybody go?Wonderful photo. I assume it was taken very early in the morning, but it's still eerie to see all those houses with almost nobody around. Not the Atlantic City I remember!I remember the Atlantic City of the late 60's - early 70's; a run-down place of penny arcades and peep shows. Sort of like a worn out mistress desperately trying to hold on to her youth. You also didn't venture too far off the boardwalk - Atlantic City was a dangerous place. This shot, however, shows Atlantic City at her height and in all her glory. A vacation mecca for much of the central-eastern US. Grand homes, hotels with wide verandas, world-class attractions. What a place it must have been! What square did I land on?Where are all the green houses and red hotels? MissingI kept staring at the houses and their lots because something seemed to be missing. It took me a while but I finally figured it out -- driveways. Charming old ACThe years have not been kind to Atlantic City. I love the photos on this site of this great city in her heyday. When I ride my bike around AC today, I revel in the hidden bits of faded glory that still exist. The earlier poster may not have noticed that it is winter. Jersey shore towns tend to get a little desolate in winter. My guess is that hasn't changed much in 100 years. AC's early Steel PierIf you blow up the high def picture, at middle left you will see two piers into the ocean. The first pier comes into the land and ends in a building with two roof turrets. That is AC's early famed Steel Pier. The Golden Age of the CupolaThe better to see the Monopoly streets. Found one old houseI've been browsing this area with Google Earth trying to find even one of those pretty houses which are plenty in the photo. They've been mostly torn out, but I think I found one: It is a four-floor house standing by the S Congress Avenue, on the middle right of the photo. It has a hipped roof with an odd flat appendix on the top of it. Great! Home ImprovementThat house mentioned by Aarno on South Congress is still there surrounded by a sad and tired emptiness. All of this within a stone's throw of boardwalk casinos. The house has fairly recently enjoyed the benefit of a crappy vinyl siding job and new windows. There are probably a few more houses standing in the immediate vicinity of Congress Avenue that can be found in the photo. It is difficult to see the neglect of this area now (and the last 50 years) when contrasted with the pride of craftsmanship from 1905. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Ginger Ale Alley: 1906
... is brought to you by U.S. Club Ginger Ale, fine product of the Phenix Nerve Beverage Co. of Boston. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, ... sidewheel steamer What Cheer, built 1867 at Keyport, New Jersey, with the steel Squantum, built 1888 at Newburgh, New York. On the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/03/2022 - 7:26pm -

Providence, Rhode Island, circa 1906. "River steamers at Crawford Street Bridge." Today's post is brought to you by U.S. Club Ginger Ale, fine product of the Phenix Nerve Beverage Co. of Boston. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Look out!Low bridge ahead! Re: Look Out!I think you meant, "Lola bridgeda - watcha you head!" I believe we see hereon the left the wooden sidewheel steamer What Cheer, built 1867 at Keyport, New Jersey, with the steel Squantum, built 1888 at Newburgh, New York. On the right is the wooden sidewheeler Warwick, built 1873 at Greenport, New York, as the Day Star. The What Cheer had been built as a towboat but converted to a passenger boat in 1869. Sold in 1915 to New York parties it ran between the Battery and New Rochelle, but sank at the New Rochelle dock in fall 1917. Raised and brought to the Hog Island shipyard at Philadelphia, it was abandoned there after brief service as a houseboat. The Squantum also headed to the Big Apple, running between the Battery and the Statue of Liberty until demolished in a storm off Brooklyn on 16 January 1920. The Warwick sank at its dock at Providence four days after the Squantum was lost and thought a total loss. However, it was raised and rebuilt and it, too, went to New York, where it ran primarily on the East River and Long Island Sound. It lasted until broken up at State Island in 1935. I grew up in Providence, but... didn't recognize this scene at all. Only one building survives, I think. Model of the What Cheer(There is also an Iowa town of that name) https://www.lofty.com/products/s-s-what-cheer-scratch-built-steamer-ship... Widest No More A decidedly different look on this brisk fourth day of 2022 here in The Prov'. Rhode Islanders of my age have long endured a (good natured) inferiority complex in regard to our diminutive size. That being said, we took pride in knowing that the widest bridge in the world could be found in our state, the aforementioned Crawford Street Bridge. Alas, the redevelopment of the Downtown area during the "Providence Renaissance" of the early '80s carved it up into many smaller spans, and our glory was no more! Also of note, a scant couple of hundred yards to the right of this photo sits atop College Hill two of the more esteemed institutions of higher learning in the area, Brown University and The Rhode Island School of Design (R.I.S.D.). The story behind "What Cheer"In the 1970s, I had stopped to ask a Providence police officer for directions to some location in the neighborhood, and my eyes were drawn to his police badge, which bore the words "What Cheer". When I got back to my car, I asked my wife, who was from just across the border in Mass., if she knew the significance of those words. No idea. Years later, researching the subject, I came across this, from the following website: https://www.nps.gov/rowi/learn/historyculture/foundingprovidence.htm In a canoe with several others, Roger [Williams] scouted the area across the Seekonk River. They spotted a group of Narragansett on a large rock, known afterwards as Slate Rock, along the western shore of the Seekonk River. As they approached the Narragansett greeted them by calling out: “What Cheer Netop!” This greeting is a combination of English and Narragansett languages. ‘What cheer’ was an informal common English greeting of the day, short for ‘what cheery news do you bring’ and today’s equivalent of “what’s up?’’ “Netop” is the Narragansett word for friend. WhatChout aheadThe WhatCheer's operation in Rhode Island waters included an early unfortunate episode, in which it plowed over a sailboat in Narragansett Bay, instantly killing a sailor named George Cook. After that 1869 collision, the representative of Cook's widow and children (Chase) sued the American Steamboat Company under Rhode Island's wrongful death act for the negligence of its agent on a "highway," and recovered $12,000 from the jury (equal to over $250,000 in 2022 dollars). On appeal to the Rhode Island Supreme Court, the company complained that the Bay was not a "highway" within the Act's meaning, and in any event the company should not be liable for its employee's negligence. In a 1871 ruling (Chase v. American Steamboat Co., 10 R.I. 79 (R.I. 1871)), that court upheld the judgment. The company then complained to the U.S. Supreme Court that a state should have no authority to impose liability in such situations, because the Judiciary Act gave admiralty jurisdiction to federal courts. The company fared no better. In Steamboat Company v. Chase, 83 U.S. 522 (1872), the U.S. Supreme Court found, in essence, that because the representative sued the wrongdoers and not the ship itself, he could do so in state court under that state's statute, and affirmed the judgment. New perspective The back end of the Amica Building is what faces the water. The front entrance is 10 Weybosset Street. There seems to be a lot less activity, but business and trade are now done indoors. Still a great spot to be for a WaterFire ... gotta find me a Del's. Undercover RiverWhen I was at Rhode Island School of Design in the 70's the river was just becoming visible again after years and years of being almost completely covered over in the name of modernization. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Providence)
A Little Fun: 1901
Circa 1901, back at the Jersey Shore. "Riding donkeys, Atlantic City." Note the roller coaster in the distance ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 12:54pm -

Circa 1901, back at the Jersey Shore. "Riding donkeys, Atlantic City." Note the roller coaster in the distance on Young's Pier. Detroit Publishing. View full size. C'mon kids!!Smile for Pete's sake! All the best cowboysThe boy in front has cowboy eyes. Dreaming of mustangs and the Wild West while sitting on a donkey in Jersey. Like peanut butter and jellyJackasses and the Jersey shore go together just as well in 2010 as they did in 1901. Predictable Copycat CommentThe donkey on the left is saying to the donkey on the right, "I bet these kids are gonna ride our asses all day!" Coppertone TanNothing worse than a sunburned ass. Lucky KidHow did you get to ride Topper? (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Horses, Kids)
Texas Flood: 1904
... New York circa 1904. "Galveston Flood, Coney Island." The main attraction here was a cyclorama depicting the deadly hurricane that ... service in New York. The firm moved to Elizabethport, New Jersey, in 1898 when it acquired Morris & Salom, makers of the Electrobat ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 5:55pm -

New York circa 1904. "Galveston Flood, Coney Island." The main attraction here was a cyclorama depicting the deadly hurricane that struck Texas in 1900. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Natural curiosityMy first reaction to the Galveston exhibit was the same as I had earlier at the Johnstown Flood pavilion in an earlier, different amusement park -- a kind of smug dismissal. Then I realized it was just an effective way of satisfying a very natural inclination to witness huge events. No Discovery Channel then but the need to know and "witness" was there. Electric Vehicle CompanyThose are buses made by the Electric Vehicle Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The advertisement below is from the February 1, 1906 issue of "The Motor Way." Here is an early version of one style of the company's cabs from the 1902 book "Self-Propelled Vehicles" by James E. Homans. Starting in 1896 in Philadelphia as the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company, EVC was credited for establishing the mechanized cab service in New York. The firm moved to Elizabethport, New Jersey, in 1898 when it acquired Morris & Salom, makers of the Electrobat (1898 examples below). In 1899 Electric Vehicle moved to Hartford after acquiring the Columbia Automobile Company and its factory from Pope Manufacturing. Columbia made a full line of vehicles including hansom cabs as seen here. Unable to keep up with the demand for electric vehicles (some sources claim that in 1899 fully 90 percent of the taxis in New York City were electric), in 1900 it also acquired the Riker Electric Vehicle Co. of Elizabethport. Riker built hansom cabs, along with vans, hotel buses, trucks and and regular taxis (below, from "Self-Propelled Vehicles") that looked very similar to the early ones by Electric Vehicle. The company was controlled by the Widener-Elkins-Whitney syndicate that either bought up companies like Columbia and Riker, or allied themselves with many other electric power oriented companies, such as the Electric Storage Battery Company (Exide), or simply created new companies such as Electric Boat. It even managed to get control of the Selden Patent. The firm also created taxi companies in some 11 cities, including New York, where it would sell itself the electric taxis and the batteries that went in them. In fact, by 1899 it had the state rights to all of New York. Its taxi business did not collapse when "three hundred of its cabs burned in a garage fire," as claimed in the 2007 book "Taxi!" by Graham Hodges. Its taxi subsidiary, The New York Electric Vehicle Transportation Company (which included the Fifth Avenue Coach Co.), had five such garages and many, many more cars (and still managed to save around 250 cars from the fire), and in fact continued in business until 1936. Nor were the cars as clumsy and ponderous as described by Hodges. Rather than wait for an eight hour recharge as claimed in the book, Electric Vehicle devised a battery pack that could be swapped out in 20 minutes, and the vehicle sent back into revenue service. It also invented a fast charger that could recharge a number of battery packs at the same time. Much to its dismay, one had just been installed in the garage that burned. As far as speed went, well, this is from the May 21, 1899 issue of The New York Times: The vignette below is from an 1899 New York Electric Vehicle Transportation Co. stock certificate, and shows two types of cabs made by Electric Vehicle. However, because the syndicate itself was falling apart, some of its holdings suffered. Electric Vehicle Company folded, although the manufacture of some of its products continued under the Columbia name along with Columbia's vehicles (gas and electric). Columbia was sold in 1910 to the United States Motor Company, and ceased production when that corporation collapsed in 1913. Over the years the other companies either folded or were sold off. Many still exist today, such as Exide battery and the submarine builder Electric Boat (now a division of General Dynamics). Fancy FloodI am amazed at the detailed and complex architecture of such a building, especially when you realize it was built as a temporary amusement showcase. And by the way, what's written on the telescope stand? [LOOK VENUS FREE. Astronomical educational something. - Dave] Pardon Me - "Is this the building where they show the Galveston Flood?" EIGHT signs! Come one, Come allSee how 8000+ of your fellow countrymen met their maker a few short years ago! And grab a soda on your way out. Correct WeightI wonder how much they deducted from a woman's weight for all the clothes they wore at the time. Bright LightThis is an excellent view of an arc light, and shows the mechanism to lower the fixture to service the carbon rods. The wires for the electrical supply are intentionally slack to allow the light to be lowered by the rope that runs through pulleys to the base of the light standard. Could you direct me to the Galveston Flood?More signs, Harry. I told you, we need more signs! "Cyclorama"I was trying to determine what the attraction was -- a movie? Stuff they found washed up on shore? A play based on the flood? Then I did what many die-hard Shorpy fans do ... last. I read the caption and googled the keyword! Motorized StagesI find those motorized stages (don't know what else to call them) very interesting. Anyone have an idea of what they are? Looks like they might be electric. Virtual realityWell, I suppose, if you regret missing out on the thrill of boarding the last train out of town, which was swept off the causeway and into the bay by the storm surge, or, being conscripted to load the dead onto a barge for burial at sea, this might be the next best thing. The perfect show for all those people who like to rubberneck accidents on the freeway, making me late for work. Thanks a lot! Motorized stagecoachesThe two vehicles one with steeplechase park on its side seem to be possibly the ancestor of our modern cars, they appear to be converted carriages missing the team and traces that would have gone with them. Under the drivers seat is possible engine with louvers. If anyone knows what they are please post it. [Those are, as Dennis M surmises, electric coaches. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Coney Island, DPC)
A.C. Beach Patrol: 1907
The Jersey Shore circa 1907. "Lifesavers on the lookout." The Atlantic City Beach Patrol ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/02/2022 - 1:02pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1907. "Lifesavers on the lookout." The Atlantic City Beach Patrol is watching you. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Women’s bathing costumesCan you imagine how heavy those swimming outfits would be once they got wet! On the Lookout?With that heavy surf shouldn't the lifesavers be looking in the other direction? Granted, a photographer with an 8x10 view camera might draw some eyes, and something is going on with the trio nearest the stand, most everyone else in front of the camera is looking toward the water. For those more familiar with Atlantic City beaches, is the A.C.B. Patrol still in business? I wonder what training they had. Speedo to the RescueKnitted swimsuits tended to absorb a great deal of water, resulting in elongation and sagging. As a result, they provided modesty only as long as they stayed dry. Speedo, the Australian clothing company, started to experiment with swimwear in 1914. By 1920, it was possible for women to buy something a little more like contemporary swimwear than what we see in the photograph. A man appears to be in distressnext to the lifeguard stand, as a woman attempts to assist him. Answer for LEZ Yes, the ACPB is still active! The ACBP was formed in 1891. Deja VuI have photos just like this featuring my grandma as a child at the beach with her family, from about the same time. I only have eyes for youI am intrigued by the body language of the couple having a conversation while standing knee-deep in the coming waves. They're visible beyond and between the pair of ladies in the foreground and the girl beside them with the long flowing hair. The couple look as though they don't know if they're in a garden, or on a crowded avenue ... just talking as though there is little or no ambient noise. Anyone who has ever conversed with someone at the beach knows that, the closer you get to a pounding surf, the more you have to raise your voice to be heard. But their attitude is quiet and even intimate. I also like the beautiful little boy behind them, standing by himself, wearing what look to be overalls, holding his arms out. I think he was loving his time at the edge of a heaving sea but not quite sure what to make of it. First impressionIt ain't Baywatch. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
My Grandfather and I
... I hope your memories of him are fabulous. I wonder if the salt water taffy place is still around. The East Coast beaches I have ... spent much time at both the Delaware beaches and the Jersey shore , and one must make sure to always call them by their proper ... 
 
Posted by Anonymous Tipster - 09/19/2011 - 8:03pm -

Photo taken at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, 1970. View full size. [Uploaded by stonefish. -Ken] What a nice shotI'll bet he was a great Gramps. I hope your memories of him are fabulous. I wonder if the salt water taffy place is still around. The East Coast beaches I have visited have a different vibe than those out here on the left coast. DecadesShows you how much of the 50s look was still around in the 70s - the building, the sign, the strolling family. Dolle's TaffyThe sign is still exactly the same. Every time there is a major storm they repair or replace it as quickly as possible. This has been a major trademark and landmark on the Rehoboth Boardwalk since before I was born in '49. I was born and raised in Delaware and spent much time at both the Delaware beaches and the Jersey shore, and one must make sure to always call them by their proper description. Having just recently relocated to the west, I cannot yet make any comparisons with beaches on this side of the country. Good shot and nice hat. Family vacationsHey, that's my grandfather and cousin on that bench. I remember when we went on a family vacation together to Rehoboth. We stayed in cabins and we had to bring our own sheets. I remember walking to the beach for pizza. Family vacations are so important to make happy memories for kids and enjoy family time for the parents. Look, no iPod or kids texting, just enjoying the wind and sea. Thanks for sharing the photo. DJ I spent summer 2008 inI spent summer 2008 in Rehoboth, was working close to this place in ice-cream store. actually i'm from russia and spent that summer in USA. it was interesting to find out that between 70 and 08 looks the difference is not too big. Lovely photo! We couldn't resist......taking the same shot again in 2016. The location is staged, wardrobe was coincidental (I apparently dress like a 75 old). (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids)
Beach Buggy: 1905
The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "At Atlantic City." In the background: Clabby's baths on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/25/2012 - 3:07pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "At Atlantic City." In the background: Clabby's baths on the boardwalk. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Let me be the first to say"Those are some nice girls on those asses!" Watch your stepSo ... just how clean is that sand going to be? Beach GigglesThe guy in the cart seems to be having way too much fun. Unlike the girl on the right. TimelessThis is a fantastic picture -- crop the faces and put them on Facebook and this could have been taken this summer! Oh someone took my line!I was going to say, "Nice Asses!" but I am too late! Darnit!! ha ha ha The girl on the right says"My parents dragged me to the beach and now I have to sit on this donkey...and I don't want the tee shirt!" Which twin has the Toni?The twins dress alike but have different hairstyles. PoliticsLooks like an early Democratic convention. Beach politicsIn response to NPB's comment below, I'm sure the users of the beach would have preferred it not to have been the Republican convention. Dorothy AgainMen seldom make passes At girls upon asses. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Horses, Swimming)
The Steel Pier: 1910
The Jersey Shore circa 1910. "Steel Pier, Atlantic City." Now playing: Vessella's Italian ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:43pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1910. "Steel Pier, Atlantic City." Now playing: Vessella's Italian Band. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Fresh Running Water In Every Room!... but I want standing water. Is you water running?Then you'd better stop it! It just ran past my house! Sorry, very old joke. I see Harold Lloyd.And a lot of his clones. Just needs to add some suitable movie piano music. Time MachineThese types of pictures are why I return to Shorpy week after week. Since nobody is letting me borrow their time machine I happily get my fix here! On the BoardwalkAnd under it! Trying to avoid the heat? With one exception,every single woman in the photo has a great figure! Before the golf cartHow were those wicker carts powered? [By people. - Dave] -5Five years earlier, the lighted Steel Pier signs had not yet been installed at the top of the building, but the place was hoppin' just the same. Wicker cartsI am also wondering how those wicker carts were powered. It doesn't look like there is any steering mechanism. It also looks like they may be built on tricycle wheels, but where are the pedals?? Hmmm, a mystery for sure! [The Boardwalk's famous "rolling chairs" are powered by the person pushing them. - Dave] Steel PierMy wife and I went there for our Honeymoon 51 years ago. Brenda Lee was playing there./ A few years ago I heard they had rebuilt the Steel Pier. LOL Yeah they put a merry go round and a ferris wheel on it. It's too bad it was a great way to spend a day and not expensive. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Over the Boardwalk: 1984
Atlantic City isn't the only place with a Boardwalk, ya know. Out here in California we've had the ... May or Bradley Beach, but Atlantic City and many other Jersey Shore towns still have the old wooden boards, like Atlantic City, Asbury Park. ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 02/17/2021 - 3:40pm -

Atlantic City isn't the only place with a Boardwalk, ya know. Out here in California we've had the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk since 1907. Its Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster is a National Historic Landmark. In another kind of history, back in 2008 its late, lamented Fun House was the location in one of my very earliest Shorpy photo submissions. I took my 1984 shot on 35mm Kodacolor VR 100 with my Konica Autoreflex T. View full size. Who Wears Short Shorts?Surprisingly it doesn't look all that much different than a similar scene today, except for the length of the men's shorts! They're showing a lot of legUsually you can judge the approximate year of a picture by female hairstyles and attire. But here it's the males that date this photo to the 1980s. More legShorts were shorter back then. Under the PavementIt's "down by the sea" alright, but a "boardwalk"? Where's the "boards"? Looks like pavement. I know, I know: "Boards?!? We don't need no stinkin' boards!!!" Konica: Built Like a TankIn 1972 my six year old Hanimex rangefinder camera was stolen. Actually, I left it in a phone booth (remember those?) for a few minutes and when I returned it was gone. I purchased a Konica Autoreflex T as a replacement, and took many thousands of photos over a forty year period. It was very reliable, and was rebuilt twice. I used mostly Kodachrome 25 and 64 colour slide film, but also Agfa, Kodak and Ilford black and white. I went digital in 2010, and this photo of my Konica was taken with a Canon ELPH 360HS, my third digital camera. I did my own darkroom work for many years, but I enjoy the ability to edit photos on my computer without the use of chemicals. A scan of a Kodachrome slide produces a richer photo than a digital image. My father's Kodachromes from 1954 have held up very well. The Konica weighs just over 2 pounds, while the Canon is just under 8 ounces. Nice JobOn reproducing a 1984 Kodacolor Mr. Terrace. Did you use the negative or print? [This is a scan of the negative. -tterrace] Medical emergency or fight?I wonder what is going on to the left of the red and green building in the middle of the picture? It appears to be two or three people on the ground in a pile. A few people around them seem interested but not the masses. [Good question. -tterrace] Where are the boards?I'm kidding, and it's a terrific picture! We have beach-side promenades made out of concrete or brick in NJ, like in Cape May or Bradley Beach, but Atlantic City and many other Jersey Shore towns still have the old wooden boards, like Atlantic City, Asbury Park. Some towns have begun replacing the wooden boards with trex composite planks, which last longer and warp less, but something's lost when you "upgrade" that way, and it doesn't sound or feel the same when you're walking or riding along. SocksThe men's shorts were short but the other 80's giveaway is the length of the socks, especially the ones with the 3 colored stripes at the top. A different era.A couple of guys have picked out something nice at that “Women” shop. Man, to have lived in a time like that. Man, to have livedThere are many Shorpy commenters who wonder what it would be like to be on a particular 1905 Manhattan street or at the 1922 Washington DC tidal basin. No one is alive to give a first-hand account. I like the 1941 Virginia crowded-bed photos that prompt personal memories from some commenters. But for Winstrol to say, “Man, to have lived in a time like that” about a scene from 1984, that makes me say, Hey! – I was 27 back then. (And I’m only 63 now.) So it’s not like that’s ancient history, you young person. We pre-oldsters remember the times of tall socks and short shorts and bad music and ridiculous hair. I think there was a hole in the ozone layer but global warming wasn’t a thing yet. Reagan was in his first term and Russians were bad commies. Cars were unremarkable. Living in the eighties was easy because although I was just a kid in the sixties, I knew I owed an eternal debt to all those hippies and freaks and protesters who did the heavy lifting that handed me sex & drugs & rock ‘n’ roll on a platter. Eye-catchingThe girl in the foreground with the white tank top and purple shorts, and the one just to the left of her in the blue top and a couple of steps behind her. The prevailing female hairstyle seems to be mostly shoulder length perms. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Sea Water Baths: 1904
The Jersey Shore in 1904. "Boardwalk at Green's Hotel, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2018 - 11:40am -

The Jersey Shore in 1904. "Boardwalk at Green's Hotel, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Such Civility!My mom, born in 1920, instructed me at a very early age to always walk to the right-hand side be it a staircase, a sidewalk or a hallway. Everyone stays out of each other’s way and can enjoy the view without worry. No Mexican standoffs! Nowadays you’d think most young people were British the way they hog the left side -- very stressful. "Do you know what fish do in that stuff?"Despite W.C. Fields' ostensible dislike of good old H2O, very early in his career he had a summer job as a "drowner" for various Jersey Shore hotels. He'd swim out beyond the surf line when there was a decent crowd on the boardwalk and very histrionically thrash about like a drowning man. With commensurate drama, a lifeguard or two would perform an exciting rescue, to the "ooohs" and applause of the tourists. [Another version of that story can be found here. And yet another here. Both involving concession sales. - Dave] Someone who claimed to have known Fields once told me that after one such performance, as the future comedian was being borne on a stretcher off the beach, he heard a woman remark, "My God, Mabel! That man must be a hopeless drunkard. It's the third time they've had to rescue him today." Reflecting on W.C.'s distinctive features, it's clear that he was a poor choice to play a succession of non-descript victims. But he survived to conquer vaudeville, then talking pictures, and leave a legacy that persists until this day, so in a small way we have publicity-hungry Jersey hoteliers to thank for that. Six years laterFrom a slightly different perspective, here's a view of the beach and the "Richard's Baths" in 1910, from a postcard in the New Jersey Almanac records. Sun Baths at The PierAtlantic City "Sun Baths" Look closely for the sign. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Beach Burro: 1905
The Jersey shore circa 1905. "At Atlantic City." Please watch where you walk. Dry plate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/25/2012 - 3:08pm -

The Jersey shore circa 1905. "At Atlantic City." Please watch where you walk. Dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Her ExpressionShe appears to be in on a joke I don't understand. I really think she's a cutie though. The girl ain't bad either! Reminds me... of a girlfriend I used to have. Loved the beach but never went in the water. Spent the whole day just sitting on her ass. Even on Vacation"Though they often performed together on stage in Tijuana, few dared guess they were close personal friends and frequently traveled in each other's company." Jackass 1.0Frankie and Annette of 105 years ago? Some things never change! Thank goodness, or where would WE be? I wonder if they went in for some nice refreshing Guzo after their romp? The Shorpy Challenge:Look at this photo and don't crack a smile. Beach Blanket Burro?An early, not-so-successful, Frankie and Annette movie formula. The DonkeysWhat was their purpose/allure on Atlantic Beach? Almost like an adult version of a pony ride. In that era of horses, I don't get it. Beach moviesI was thinking more Mack Sennett 1915. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Horses, Swimming)
Asbury Park Boardwalk: 1905
The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Boardwalk at Asbury Park." Live it up while you can, folks. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/27/2012 - 8:19am -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Boardwalk at Asbury Park." Live it up while you can, folks. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Asbury Park Fishing Club?I wonder if the building on the right on the pier is the Asbury Park Fishing Club. I can make out "A P ? Club" on the door and seems to be in the same location as the building here, even if it is not the same building. Thanks for your videoThat song takes me back many years to when I was a kid. I remember hearing it often, but never knew its name. Pryor's TuneI have wondered about the name and history of that ditty since the second Truman administration. When the Cleveland weather precluded our going outside for recess (most days from October until April, if memory serves), our kindergarten teacher would have us skip and hop around in a big circle for 15 minutes while she rendered that piece on an out-of-tune upright, perhaps from one of the sheet music editions depicted in that You-Tube clip. This became such a standard practice that when my mother would enquire what we'd done at school that day, my reply was invariably, "Oh, we skipped and we jumped." Thanks for enlightening this old codger, tterrace. No, I have not yet seen Naples but yes, I can now die happy, if with damaged sinuses from spending five formative years in Babylon on Lake Erie. More on Arthur PryorOne of the most-recorded artists of the early 20th century, he also wrote this: Strike up the bandArthur Willard Pryor (1870-1942) was a trombone player who was originally with the Sousa Band from 1892 to 1904, as well as being a soloist he was also assistant conductor. He left the Sousa Band and formed his own, first touring and then making Asbury Park the home of the band. GloriousLooks like a glorious summer afternoon of straw boaters, ladies' parasols, strong wind and bright sun. And yes, the couple in mid-amble down the boardwalk are indeed living it up. Could that be a movie screen?Notice the large square contraption in the left side of the photo. If it were turned facing the chairs it might serve as a movie screen. Any other ideas? Three GirlsI love the three young girls in the middle. Looks like they are skipping and so very happy to be alive in 1905. (The Gallery, Asbury Park, DPC, Swimming)
Greetings From: 1905
The New Jersey shore circa 1905. "Boardwalk and beach, Asbury Park." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/19/2012 - 8:52am -

The New Jersey shore circa 1905. "Boardwalk and beach, Asbury Park." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Then and NowJust for comparison, girls on the beach 1905 and girls on the beach 100 years later... Not Much to Look at TodaySad to say, the Asbury Park Boardwalk and Beach isn't the fantastic destination for the wealthy and famous it once was. DetailsWhat is the scene on that sand pail the woman in the foreground is carrying? At first I thought it was a container of Häagen-Dazs. not so badI think the Asbury Park Boardwalk does not look bad on your picture! It looks like as if the pavement is made from wood? The little wooden house is nice too and there is no traffic. (The Gallery, Asbury Park, DPC, Swimming)
Many of These There: 1908
... Maiden This picture makes me feel somewhat melancholy. The young lady could easily be a relative of mine, as my family hails from the ... Progress These days this girl would be at home watching Jersey Shore and other televised dreck instead of working. I don't know what's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 9:54am -

November 1908. Lincolnton, North Carolina. "Daniel Mfg. Co. Girl beginning to spin. Many of these there." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Spinning MaidenThis picture makes me feel somewhat melancholy. The young lady could easily be a relative of mine, as my family hails from the Gaston-Lincoln County area (where this photo was made) and was heavily involved in textiles. Her visage suggests a child that has experienced things far beyond her years. She should be involved in the activities preferred by girls of her age, but undoubtedly, her wages were necessary for her family to make ends meets. I often look at the pictures on Shorpy and wonder what it would have been like to grow up in the life of privilege that seems to have been enjoyed by many featured in photographs, as well as some who post their own photos and commentary on this site. I was the son of textile employees with limited income, so college seemed to truly be only a dream. But to my surprise, my father’s company covered a large portion of the costs for my first degree, which then opened the door to my earning a master’s. The cycle of the cotton mill was broken and my children didn’t have to live the life I had lived in cadence with previous generations. "Lint heads" are often seen as a sub-cast caste, and yes, many lack in formal education. And yet, in the heat of the textile plant, among the din of the machinery, one can easily find good, hardworking people with dreams, hopes, and aspirations – at least for their children, if not for themselves. She's LuckyUnlike most others we've seen in the mills, she has what appears to be a good pair of boots. ProgressThese days this girl would be at home watching Jersey Shore and other televised dreck instead of working. I don't know what's worse. Beauty in toilThis might be one of the best pieces of art published on Shorpy. Breathtaking contrasts. And her fate, and that of many other mill people of the time, was likely to a hard life with few rewards. Like everyone else of the era and area, but different. No sittingThose window sills don't encourage sitting down on the job, even if the kids had a quick chance for a moment's respite. A similar pictureAlso in 1908, Hines photographed child workers in a different mill in Lincolnton. He took one that is similar to this one. Unfortunately, I can't find it on Shorpy. But yesterday the Raleigh News & Observer ran a story that the girl in that photo has been identified. It's a pretty cool story. [Joe Manning also frequently contributes his findings in comments to Shorpy photos. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Factories, Lewis Hine)
A Lion in the Sand: 1900
Continuing our sojourn by the sea: Atlantic City circa 1900. "Sand modelling." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... so annoying! Dave, thank you so much for this ongoing shore series. I'm from New Jersey, and I'm inordinately proud of my little densely-populated state of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 1:32pm -

Continuing our sojourn by the sea: Atlantic City circa 1900. "Sand modelling." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Yesterday's headlinesSeeing the phrases "There is hope" and "Domestic Troubles" piqued my curiosity. Apparently this is an allegory about the 1900 presidential election, and in particular about William Jennings Byran, the populist who was reputed to have taken over the Democratic Party. The elephant at the top is a dead giveaway. Mixed Bag of SandThe sculptor seems to be revealing his inner conflicts. Is that Fred Nietzsche? A male lion and a female snake in domestic conflict with the proverbial elephant in the room? I'll leave it to the Shorpy historians to explain what its about. On a lighter note, I thought the kid crawling in the sand on the lefft looked like an lizard rushing over to see whats going on. Like sand through the hourglassThis photo immediately brought to mind sand-sculpting a little more local to me in space and time, at Revere Beach in Massachusetts. The artistic style is strangely familiar, and the "big theme" choices for subject matter are similar. 1900's "Domestic Troubles" could easily be placed right next to 2009's "Ouroboros: Life, Rebirth, and Stuff", the second-place winner at the annual competition on Revere Beach. http://reverebeachpartnership.com/nessf07/index.htm Bryan's Populists were depicted as a snakeIn a popular cartoon of the time, depicting the Bryan wing as devouring the whole of the Democrat party -- represented by the Donkey then as now. I think the sculpture may be showing that the snake is killing the lion, and thus crushing the notion of the King of the Beasts cowardly or not. Embraces of negative caricatures are familiar in our politics. For example, Martin Van Buren's faction in New York State adopted the name "bucktails," which was originally meant as an insult to show them running away. Concerning PoliticsThis is a stretch, but here I go anyway. The man is the Democratic presidential candidate for that year who has an anti-imperialist platform and the Republican press mimic him as "the cowardly lion": William Jennings Bryan (The hair is artistic license). The lion has killed the elephant: William McKinley and party. The snake is the devil himself as portrayed in the book of Genesis. Pardon me for wishing myself good luck with this one. Images in the sandThe 1900 election explanation sounds credible enough, but person in the "There Is Hope" sculpture has way more hair than Jennings ever did. On another note, that sure looks like a rather large lizard scrabbling along the sand in the upper left section. Is it, or is it an optico/photographic illusion? Update: on the other hand, maybe I should read all the comments before commenting. But hey! I just want to fit in here. [He/she/it should be familiar to cryptozoologists everywhere. - Dave] No sweat tterranceThat long hair bothered me too until I thought of him being represented as a biblical prophet. Only his sister would call him a lizardThat's because little boys can be so annoying! Dave, thank you so much for this ongoing shore series. I'm from New Jersey, and I'm inordinately proud of my little densely-populated state of cities, shorelines, farmland, highways, and forests. We're tremendously diverse and remarkably tolerant, for the most part, being descended from Quakers at one end and Dutch merchants at the other. The joie de vivre on the faces of these bathers, the care and engagement with the world that you see in these sand sculptures, all make me proud of my 250-year New Jersey heritage. Bravo, Garden State! With all that hairI think this may be Robert La Follette, another Populist orator of the time. Do you know the Munyon ManMunyon Remedy Company out of Scranton, PA. 'There is Hope' for consumptives. I recognized Mr. Munyon from some old shares of stock I have. Company went down with the crash of 29 or soon after. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
A Face in the Sand: 1906
The Jersey Shore circa 1906. "Bathers at Atlantic City." Note the airship exhibit and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/17/2014 - 10:32pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1906. "Bathers at Atlantic City." Note the airship exhibit and roller rink on the pier. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Call the Kaiser!I think we found his missing zeppelin. What could that be on the roof? [As noted in the caption, it's an airship exhibit. More speculation here. - Dave] Indians?Sure looks like three, maybe four, tepees on the pier. chair slingsI don't even know that this is the proper name for them, but we have a good look here at their backs & have seen them often on Shorpy. My question is, what were they? Did one rent a space in them? When did the disappear? [They're similar to this, a folding patio chair/lounge (which are still made, though usually with a metal frame), but here on the beach are mounted semi-permanently. - tterrace] BootyliciousIs that lady wearing a bustle under her bathing costume Hey anybodyHas anybody even noticed the little black boy behind all the chairs, with his face to the sand? No beach blankets!What continues to amaze me in all these turn of the century beach scenes is that everyone just sat on the sand. Nobody seems to have thought of bringing a towel or a blanket to spreadout and sit on. I guess they all went back to the bath house, showered, and changed into street clothes when they left, making it less necessary to keep the sand off. [Doing laundry was much more of an ordeal back in pre-washing machine days, especially man-handling (or, in reality, woman-handling) a big water- and sand-logged towel. And even before that, lugging it all the way home on a train. Many of these folks even rented their bathing togs at the beach, so had nothing to take home but themselves. - tterrace] Writing on the beach chair supportsDo Not Sit In Chairs With Wet Suits. What About the Little Boy?Come on folks. What about the little boy with his face in the sand? He was the first person I noticed because he is completely alone. He probably isn't welcome on the main beach because he is black. This is one of the saddest, most heart-wreching photos I've seen on Shorpy. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
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