Figure 1.--A picture of Ocean City in 1903. A close inspection shows many boys in straw sailor hats, middly blouses, and large ruffled white collars. Hardly what would seem suitable to the modern beach goer.

I have no information about American interest in the seaside and bathing during the 18th and early 19th century. After the Civil War, however, as the populatin of the great northeastern cities began to increase, there was great interest in seaside outings by all classes of society. People wanted to escape the sweltering tempeartures of the increasingly crowded cities for at least a short time during the summer. The expanding economy in America after the Civil War gave an ever greater proportion of the population the finacial ability for such outings. Wealthy peoole might spend the entire summer at beach resorts or their own summer 'cottages'. Beach resorts began to appear in the 1870s and by the 1880s, hundreds of beach resorts dotted the eastern seaboard. The impetus for this explosion was the steamy industrial cities of the northeast. A rising industrial workforce had more buying power than ever before and craved relief from the heat of the tenaments. A newly affluent middle class vitually created the concept of the summer vacation. A few cities like New York City had conveniently located beaches, but for others cities some travel was requited. The country's growing railroad system soon offered inexpensive day trips to the beach from virtually every major city or the more affluent could afford to stay in the luxurious hotels that sprang up at the major beach resorts.

Chronology

We have no information about American interest in the seaside and bathing during the 18th and early-19th century. As far as we can tell there was little or no interest in the seaside at the time. In fact the whole idea of a saeaside vacation is a very new phenomenon. There is no evidence that the seaside was a point of diversion in the ancient world. In fact just the oppoosite. The Bible references to the sea convey a mysterious and destructive place. It is where the Great Deluge appeared. It appears in Genesis as a 'great abyss'. The Romans enjoyed the cool breezes at the seaside, but there is no evidence that they enjoyed the seaside. The Roman poets and philosophers Horace, Ovid and Seneca all hated the ocean as an 'unsociable' force that divided people. And this continued into the medieval and early modern period. Shakespeare depicted the seas with tempests, chaotic journeys, and shipwrecks. [Corbin] Colonial Anericans had basiclly the sane outlook. The change in outlook began in Britain largely led by wealthy people and for preceived medical benefits. Those of us who have visited British beaches know that they are a far cry from the warm beaches of sunny Florida. The British interet in the seaside spread to both Europe and Amnerica. Again wealthy people began the cultural trend. We see rich southern planters building summer cottages in places like Newport, Rhode Island to escape the heat (mid-19th century). Soon after, escially after the Civil War, rich northerners followed suit. We also see the behinning of the summer camp movement. Swimming and boating began to become popular for mny of the same reasons that people were attracyed to the seaside. As the population of the great northeastern cities began to increase, there was great interest in summer seaside outings by all classes of society. The railroads made this possible at low cost. People wanted to escape the sweltering tempeartures of the increasingly crowded cities for at least a short time during the summer. The expanding economy in America after the Civil War gave an ever greater proportion of the population the finacial ability for such outings. Unlike Europe, however, many American cities were located at some distance from the ocean. For the people of the indistrial Midwest, there were beaches on the Great Lakes. But until the 20th century, sea-side jaunts were mostly available to the population of the northeastern cities located close to the coast.

European Influences

Sea bathing began to become popular in Britain during the 18th century. It was primarily enjoyed by the well to do. We do not notice any comparable develoment in America. We only bote American beach resorts developing in the the late-19century. Rising affluence and urbanization seem to have been factors. It is at this time that European influences, primarily British began to be felt. Gradually more relaxed attitudes toward bathing developed. The major issues here were issues concerning modesty and the mingling of gender, but other issues included casino gambling, drinking, Sunday observance and public dancing. Americans tended to follow the more restrictive British appeoachm if not being even more prudish. Social commentators in the early-20th century began to cimment ob the more permiscuous continental influences. Commercial sea-bathing was at first an innovation in the United States, but one which was enbaced with enthusism at the turn-of-the 20th century. Coney Island was surely the best example of this.

Social Class Trends

Wealthy people might spend the entire summer at beach resorts or their own summer "cottages". Beach resorts began to appear in the 1870s and by the 1880s, hundreds of beach resorts dotted the eastern seaboard. The impetus for this explosion was the steamy industrial cities of the northeast. A rising industrial workforce had more buying power than ever before and craved relief from the heat of the tenaments. A newly affluent middle class vitually created the concept of the summer vacation. (For rural America, the summer was hardly a time for vacation, it was a time of increased work caring for and harvesting the years crop.)

Health Trends

Modern concepts of health developed in the late-19th century as a result of breataking medical discoveries. . There were many different developments beyond the basic scientific discoveries. Perhaps the most important was the developmenf public health services, at first mostly in the cities. Ironically one result of that was the emergence of polio as a major helth concern and one that affects mostly children. The idea of a seaside vacation was buttressed by new ideas about the healthful benefits of sunshine, fresh air, and sea bathing. A seaside vacation combined both health and fun. At the same time the summer camp movement also took hold in America. A related development was the foundation of youth groups. We also see sports, gymnastics, and bicycling becoming important.

Beaches and Resorts

Beaches and ocean air began to become popular in the late-19th century at about the same time, the idea of a summer vacation began to take hold.Only a few American cities, however, had beaches that were close enough to used metropolitan city transport. A few cities like New York City had conveniently located beaches, but for others cities some travel was required and for many a great deal of travel. The country's growing railroad system soon offered inexpensived day trips to the beach from virtually every major city. In the second half of the 19th century, especially bythe 1870s, massive hotels as well as smaller rooming houses began to be built in easide locations. The more affluent could afford to stay in the luxurious hotels and resorts that sprang up at the major beach resorts. Well-to-do people sought out resorts. More modest Americans soughout out boarding houses. The Great Lakes offered beaches to the Mid-West. Almost all of the most-popular resorts were located along the coast or on an inland body of water. For Americans and Europeans, the resort and public beach were as much about status, social climbing, health, vanity, and fashion as sheer fun.
Day trips: Train stations by 8:00 AM on wekdays would be croweded into trains running at short intervals from major northeastern cities. The railroad companies by the 1880s had girded the northeast with an expanding network of tracks. Trains ran from Philadelphia to Atlantic City and Cape May. A scooner also ran fromPhiladelphia to the beach resorts. Soon the beach resorts were teaming with men, women, and children. Hordes of day visitors stroll on rickity boardwalks. Other head for the water breaking on the beach. As the turn of the century approached, the beach was a novel event for the masses. For the first time Americans of modest means could vacation in the surf. Many had never seen the ocean or taken a vacation before. The price of admission was an inexpensive railroad ticket and the cost of a bathing suit.
Cottagers/Boardinghouse guests: The somewhat more affluet and by mow tanned vacationers staying for extended periods in cottages and boardinghouses look ascance at the pale day trippers.
Hotels/Resorts: The wealthy of course would stay at hotels or resorts where they would not have to mingle with the masses.
Boardwalks: Boardwalks began appearing in the 1870s.
Beaches: The most famous American beach was Coney Island. But the undisputed center of gravity along America's mid-Atlantic coast was Atlantic City, New Jersey. A luxurios hotel was built in 1875 followed by a boardwalk and amusement park.
Day activities: The best part of the beach by the time the day trippers arrived would be filled by those with overnight accomodations and the day trippers would have to make do as best they could. Those who could afford it went to the small frame bathhouses where they could change into their bathing costumes--if they owned one--or rent a costume from the attendant.

Figure 2.--Ocean City scene at the turn of the century. Boys from low-income families often could not aford a proper swim suit and used a pair of long johns. Note his cap.

Individual Resorts

There are many beach resorts in the Unites States. The original beach resorts were the ones cloest to the large cities. These were accessable to virtually everyone regardless of income level. Our information on these resorts is limited at this time, but we of course know about Coney Island. Mo American beach resort was more famous than Coney Island which was located almost in New York City. Here there was not only a beach, but a wonderful amusement park as well. On hot summer days New Yorkers flocked from the stifeling tenamanents to Coney Island. Photograsphs from Coney Island show trendemous crowds of people. Atlantic City became another popular beach resort. The best know beach resorts were of course ocean beaches. There were also popular local beaches on lakes. As transportation improved and families became increasingly affluent, beach resorts opened far from large cities. This was especially true fter Word War II. People took trains and eventully drove or flew to the resorts in Florida and California.

Clothing Trends

The increasing popularity of sea bathing created a demand for bathing costumes. We note that in the 1897 Sears Roebuck catalogue they advertise swimming trunks along with bicycle pants. They are very similar to the trousers worn by the boys' except in the catalogue they are not bloomer shape but knit of wool. We wonder whether the trunks were swimming trunks that were worn with middy blouses because children waded more than went swimming. Boys in the early 20th century also covered their toros. These were one-piece suits and still commonly worn during the early 1930s. At the turn of te 20th century their were full hirts worn with trunks. The boys' swimming suit after World war I was a one piece suit largely open on the sides and at back. I'm not sure about the texture, bit they were done in wool and can't have been all that comfortable. They also took for ever to dry. A reader writes, "When in Boy Scouts, we let our swimsuit outside for drying at night. In the morning, the first thing to do was to pull on still moist. Oh! Boy." HBC notes that the clothing associated with seaside outings is not only bathing costumes, but also clothing worn at the resorts and for beach play.

Sources

Corbin, Alain. The Lure of the Sea: The Discovery of the Seaside in the Western World, 1750-1840.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Sailor suits] [Sailor hats] [Buster Brown suits]
[Eton suits] [Rompers] [Tunics] [Smocks] [Pinafores]

Created: December 30, 2001
Last updated: 3:35 AM 4/9/2018