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Circa 1915. "The beach and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." Back to the beach with another high-resolution panorama, this one made from two 8x10 inch glass negatives. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
I look at those people having fun in their time. When they look into the camera they're looking into the future. We're looking into the past.
I've found nothing on Hotel Poinsettia, but I have researched a bit about Hotel Dunlop, which stood at Mount Vernon and Pacific Avenues.
Sometime between when this picture was taken and 1916 the name of the hotel was changed to Hotel Overbrook and burned on February 4, 1916, killing six.
[That's not the same building as the one in our photo. - Dave]
Such a simple concept: the beach towel. What entrepreneur will step forward and offer a 6 by 3 piece of terrycloth to spread across the hot sands? Where's my time machine?
Bottled water has been around for at least 100 years.
The illuminated sign on the far right must have been impressive after dark.
I find it interesting that in all the theses beach scenes, unless they rented a chair or cabana, people just plopped down right on the sand in either their bathing suits or street clothes. No towels or blankets.
Guess they didn't mind taking a little of the beach home with them.
That's got to be him sitting on the sand facing the camera. Maybe he was planning to see Eddie Foy at the Criterion.
All kidding aside, another fantastic beach montage. I still don't understand how all those ladies & gents promenading down the boardwalk clothed in layers from hat to spats aren't keeling over from heat prostration in 90-degree heat and sun. How did they do it?
[It might not be 90, or anything close. - Dave]
There is ia young woman standing toward the left of the photo. She is shielding her eyes from the sun and is looking out toward the beach...or the water. Even though I can't get a closer look at her, I can tell she is pretty.
This is what drives me nuts about Shorpy, Dave. You don't have a Time Machine so I can go and meet her. Maybe she was looking for me.
This current shot of the AC Boardwalk so totally lacks the fun and energy of the 1915 picture. So much for "progress." Now to find a way to walk into that old picture. How did they do it in "Somewhere in Time"?
This photograph is a wonderful example of the difference between the crowds in their finery promenading on the Boardwalk, and the laid back people cavorting on the beach. So many candid views - the newspaper boy seems out of place on the beach.
Ya gotta build a sand castle! It's almost a rule! Interesting to note the evolution of swimwear when this shot is compared to earlier photos of beaches, either here or at Coney Island.
These panorama are such a treat, especially when the radio just happens to be playing the Nat King Cole song, "Those Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer!" Perfect Timing.
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