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.

The Jersey Shore circa 1906. "A sand man -- Atlantic City." The Michelangelo of sand sculpture. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size.

Atlantic City circa 1910. "A group of big hotels -- Dennis and Marlborough-Blenheim." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Crowded beach, Atlantic City." These boys have been standing here for over an hour, hoping to spy a bare ankle. View full size.

Atlantic City circa 1905. "Giddap." These lovely lasses, last spied "Teasing," just won't stop. Edwardian girls gone wild! 5x7 glass negative. View full size.

The Jersey Shore circa 1906. "On the beach, Atlantic City." Note the DEFOREST WIRELESS station on the pier. Who wants ice cream? View full size.

Atlantic City circa 1905. "Teasing." One of a series of Detroit Publishing glass negatives featuring these bathing beauties. View full size.

Circa 1910. "Bathing at West Palm Beach, Florida." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Coney Island, New York, circa 1905. "Picnicing on the beach -- a hasty lunch." 8½ x 6½ inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

July 1922. Washington, D.C. "Kallipolis Grotto, Potomac bathing beach." The Grotto being one of Washington's many Masonic lodges. A big cigar, a bottle of pop, and Thou. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

"Washington Tidal Basin Beauty Contest -- August 5, 1922." Seventeen-year-old Eva Fridell, last seen here and here, takes the loving cup from judge Isaac Gans. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Circa 1906, Atlantic City bathers peering a century into the future. "Hotel Traymore and Brady's Baths." At left, the domed Marlborough-Blenheim hotel. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "Potomac bathing beach." Our second glimpse of these sandy lasses. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

July 1942. "Rupert, Idaho. Former CCC camp now under FSA management. Japanese-American farm workers swimming." Medium format nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

Circa 1908. "Atlantic City, N.J. -- the bathing hour." Nattily attired in a variety of suits. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.