vintage and contemporary postcards and stamps from around the world


15 May 2014

sandy beach

sent Jul 22, 1910 Norfolk, Virginia to Paris, Ontario

Out for a time 
while enjoying the sun and we are thinking of you.
Uncle Sam and Aunt Alice

No-one here is going to get sunburnt shoulders.
There are plenty of people wearing black, which seems an odd choice for a hot summer's day!

The Ocean View Resort on Chesapeake Bay is about eight miles from the city. It had a good hotel, fine bathing and fishing, and many thousands frequented it between May and September. Little open car trains ran back and forth every hour from the city during the season.

14 comments:

Bob Scotney said...

It is interesting to compare this card with the old pictures (not as clear as this) of people on the beach at Redcar that I posted this week, They seem to be well covered up as well.

Kristin said...

They look like they are enjoying it, although I imagine it was still pretty hot in all those clothes.

Jofeath said...

Some of the men and children are actually wearing shorts, or whatever they were called back then.

La Nightingail said...

A 'proper' lady never swam in mixed company back in those days. We've come a long way, baby - & how glad I am for it!

Postcardy said...

The men's swimsuits look like the 1890s style shown on this page:
http://www.gallimauphry.com/beefcake.htm

Jinksy said...

What a super postcard picture - love the bowler hats - or are they homburgs?

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful card. It looks more like a painting than a postcatd.

Unknown said...

Very interesting card, look at the woman strolling dressed wrist to toe with parasol to shield sun rays. Somehow those two tots appear oblivious to the near by crowds of adults, as it should be.

Lisa said...

Wonderful! I grew up in Norfolk, VA, and know the Chesapeake Bay area well! You would certainly see a lot more skin at the beach there today! Don't know that the old modest customs weren't better... (Probably less skin cancer back in the old days for one thing!)

Sean Bentley said...

(Oops, seem to have flubbed my first comment?) Anyway great photo, reminds me of Georges Seurat's pointillist classic, "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte"!

Jackie van Bergen said...

Great postcard! Haven't times changed.

faizalnizam said...

People those day are almost fully covered up when they were going to beaches. Indeed, Time have changed.

Wendy said...

Wonderful post card. The leaders in Ocean View today would love to have such a crowd back at the beach.

Mike Brubaker said...

I grew up near Ocean View and because it is on the Chesapeake Bay and not the Atlantic, the waves are very modest and the surf water is shallow. The heavy swimming costumes are protection from the jelly fish!