Well Beaches Sure Looked Different, Wonder Why We Cut Out The Parasols...
This colorized photo, taken on the beach at Asbury, shows an image just as crowded as the Jersey Shore is on a summer day more recently. Look closely, though as there are some real differences; these differences show the passage of time. As people lounged on the beach and simply enjoyed their leisure time, photographers roamed, capturing an array of scenes, documenting the beachwear in the crowds, as well as some of the oceanside activities. By the time this photo was taken, the beach was quite crowded, packed with people who had arrived by the trainload to enjoy some leisure time.
Just before Asbury was established, in 1870, first boardwalk was built in Atlantic City; the boardwalk was proposed by a railroad conductor, Alexander Boardman, as a means of keeping sand out of the hotels. The boardwalk would, of course, become a mainstay of many seaside towns. Other attractions soon followed in Atlantic City, as rolling chairs were introduced in 1876, and in 1880, amusements and games followed. By 1898, Steel Pier, the first amusement pier over the ocean, was built. As these attractions sprang up, proprietors advertised the shore as a place to go to escape the air in the big city. Hotel owners claimed that Atlantic City possessed “three of the greatest health giving elements known to science—sunshine, ozone, and recreation.” Of course the shore towns began to spring up prior to the proliferation of the automobile, but people were able to flee Philadelphia and New York in trains to reach the shore, and some were able to get there by horse and buggy as well. Of course, with the gradual proliferation of the car, traveling to the beach became much easier, but, as you can see by the number of people on the beach, the transportation options at the time did not hinder them.
Building up the Beach
Atlantic City in the early 1900s. Source: (vintage.es)
Shortly after the first boardwalk was constructed in Atlantic City, James A. Bradley developed Asbury, the location in the colorized photograph. He developed it as a resort town in 1871, installing the Asbury Park boardwalk, an orchestra pavilion, changing rooms, and a pier. Others soon began to help with the development; in 1888, Ernest Schnitzler built the Palace Merry-go-round in Asbury in the location that would become the site of Palace Amusements. They also began to build places for people to stay, including the Plaza Hotel, and other grand hotels. In the early years, as many as 600,000 people vacationed in Asbury Park each year. The New York Times estimated that by 1912, the population could reach 200,000 during the summer. This is quite a change from the attitudes centuries earlier, when people were fearful of the ocean.
Yes, They were Tethered to the Shore
Women experienced the ocean by holding onto ropes. Source: (Victoriana.com)
Historically, the beach and the ocean did not have wide appeal; however, starting in the late 16th Century in Britain, physicians began to consider the healing properties of the ocean. Of course, this led to the advent of the seaside resort in Britain and in America, and these resorts and resort towns began to spring up, starting with Cape May in New Jersey. Attitudes towards the beach gradually shifted over time as well. People began to visit the beach for popular leisure activities, including swimming, diving, and surf bathing. Prior to this, the bathing suits of the Victorian era were quite cumbersome. Of course, women weren’t too concerned about the weight of their clothing, as they didn’t really swim in the ocean until the beginning of the 20th century. They did go in the water, but they only jumped in the waves while holding a rope that was attached to an off- shore buoy. If you look closely at the picture, you can see women holding on a rope. Although this may look like they are playing tug-of-war with the ocean, this was the way that most women enjoyed their time in the ocean. Gradually, people started to realize that women needed a new style of bathing suit. Of course, they were still concerned about modesty, so the new suits needed to meet the new requirements: allow women to swim, but also keep them covered. However, the suits the were still made of billowing fabric, even though the amount of fabric used in the bathing skirts and bloomers had been reduced, although in the colorized photo, it is hard to distinguish between a bathing suit and a dress.
Beach-wear Changed Quite a Bit
The men, on the other hand, have a bit more freedom in their beach attire. While women did not really swim, the men did and were not held to the same standards of modesty as the women. Some men wore full suits, looking like they belong anywhere but the beach. Others wore pants that stretch down to their knees with a top that seems to be the equivalent of a tank top.
Protecting Themselves from the Sun
People needed to protect their feet on the beach, although some in the picture have no foot coverings. A holdover from the 19th century, some women wore long black stockings and lace-up bathing slippers. Some of the slippers had soles of twisted straw. These were often sold at seaside locations. Women also occasionally wore fancy caps, and some added decorative embellishments. Some of the men would sport hats. In this photo, you can also see many people are hiding under umbrellas. During this time, people tried to protect their skin from the sun, not because of concerns about sun damage and cancer, but because of the prevalent belief that only peasants and natives had darker skin because of their time in the sun.
