July 2014 – Historical Society of Riverton

Boardwalk Empire scenes and old postcards recall shore visits

Boardwalk Empire, Season Two, Episode 5, Opening Scene

You know you’re from New Jersey if you recognize the unusual structure in the distance of this scene from an episode of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.

A New York Times piece entitled The Atlantic City the Boardwalk Emperor Knew outlines some of the familiar places and landmarks of old Atlantic City in the popular series.

Like at the beginning of Episode 5, Season Two when my wife and I each caught sight of Lucy the Elephant Hotel in the distance, and then we reminisced so much about visiting it as kids that we had to rewind the DVR to catch the Nucky Thompson dialogue we had just missed.

It is amazing how a glimpse of an image can transport me back many years to the 1950s when a climb of the spiral staircase to the howdah on Lucy’s back rewarded this visitor with a spectacular view. It would make an impression on anyone.

Built in 1881 and now National Historic Landmark, this amazing and strange, larger than life-size pachyderm-shaped architectural structure has survived the ravages of devastating storms, neglect, and even re-location.

Yeah, I know there are already seven Lucy postcards on the site, but there’s always room for another variation on Lucy, The Margate Elephant.

This colorful 1909 postcard captures the simple beauty and charm of a familiar sight in South Atlantic City, now Margate, New Jersey. Many families and especially children will recall their visits to see and even go inside Lucy while vacationing at the Jersey Shore. Certainly countless family photo albums must contain photographic images of Lucy, The World’s Largest Elephant.

Postmarked at Longport, N.J. on JUL 31, 1909, the sender inscribed a novel handwritten message on the address side. It says:

“Hello Elizabeth, This thing is a place of amusement. See the doors and windows just like a house. It is just as large as a good size house. Hilda” On the front of the postcard the writer adds, “This is close to our cottage.”

Read much more about the history of Lucy right up to the present-day on the official website of the Save Lucy Committee.

Find more Lucy images and many more of Atlantic City on our ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Images page. – John McCormick

Auction Wins and Losses

Drug Store - Riverton, NJ — Drug Store – Riverton, NJ

You win some… well, you know how it goes.

Here’s a real photo postcard (RPPC) that got away on an online auction.

It shows the New Leaf Tea Room in a previous incarnation as a drug store. This non-watermarked eBay image is better than many other auctions display.

Henry Street - Palmyra, NJ 1926 — Henry Street – Palmyra, NJ 1926

A charming 1926 view of Palmyra’s Henry Street with three kids under a tree is another that got away.

It is another decent image for screen viewing, but resolution is too low to produce an acceptable print, as you find most images here.

This Bank Street postcard at right showing a perambulator, or baby carriage, and perhaps the child’s mother or nanny seated under a tree had a sole bidder – me.

As my friend Tommy Kuensel likes to kid, “Even a blind chicken finds a kernel of corn now and then.”

And then I found another kernel.

This time, it’s another view of Palmyra Moravian Church on Cinnaminson Avenue.

If you have a kernel, or a bushel, to share with like-minded time travelers, please contact me to arrange a hand-off.

I only recently ramped up from 600dpi to 800dpi when scanning postcards for archiving. Images displayed on the website are understandably lower resolution, but someday we may be able to grant the many requests for prints or enlargements of these images.

My friend, Harlan, a frequent contributor of scans to this website, scored a remarkable find when he came upon what he calls a “sister card.” He writes:

Here’s a companion, or sister, card to one I sent earlier which was entitled Camden Carnival. This is one of my favorites and just acquired on eBay. Look very carefully at the children on elaborately decorated wagons and carriages lined up in a parade formation for a festive Camden Carnival event. Notice this well-documented location for this scene looking North by the intersection of Broadway and Line Streets with the Camden Free Public Library at the far right of this photo view. This card was not mailed and bears no inscriptions on the reverse, or address side. Date circa 1904, or thereabouts. A magnificent showpiece!

You can see both Camden Carnival pix and many more on our CAMDEN, NJ IMAGES page.

Does anyone have a clue what patriotic themed carnival Camden would be having on October 1, 1904? An early Columbus Day Parade or a political rally? As always, we welcome your insights and comments. – John McCormick

Those Wildwood Days – 1960s Style

Wildwoods - Fun Pier — Wildwoods – Fun Pier

A friend recently showed me some 1960s-era postcards he bought from a boardwalk vendor just a few years ago.

Excited to see reminders of his childhood Wildwood Days, Jack bought up all eight of the old chrome postcards the seller had.

Wildwoods - Pirate Ship, Hunt's Pier — Wildwoods – Pirate Ship, Hunt’s Pier

The picture postcards reminded him of many sweet memories from family vacations spent at the Wildwoods.

There was the Pirate Ship and the pier with all the other great rides he remembered – like the Hell Hole.

Once inside the barrel-like room, it spun around with enough centrifugal force to pin you in place against its wall.

: Wildwoods – Sportland Pier

Jack confessed to upchucking as he left the Hell Hole ride when he was about 8 or 9.

Good times.

Wildwoods - Marine Pier — Wildwoods – Marine Pier

The images didn’t quite fit the stereotypical view of the “vintage” postcards we usually display here, but then I did the math.

A postcard from 1963 or 1964 is already fifty years old. That qualifies as an antique in automobile circles.

Large Letter Greetings from Wildwood-by-the-Sea

I guess we’ll just have to adjust our view of what is vintage.

Whatever your age, see the rest of Jack’s 1960s-era postcards plus many more from earlier times on our CAPE MAY & WILDWOOD IMAGES page.

We owe thanks to Jack Blank, Harlan Radford, Deb Whitcraft, and Jim Cutshall for providing scans of their Cape May and Wildwood postcards seen here. Many other collectors have contributed to the thousands of images in this virtual postcard collection. If you have any South Jersey/Philly postcards or real photos that you would like to give to the Society or lend for scanning, please contact us. – John McCormick

Arthur not welcome here on the Fourth

Who invited this guy Arthur to Riverton’s Fourth? Everyone else is welcome to come, but send him on his way.

Arthur, of course, is the tropical storm that threatens to be a party spoiler, depending on the track it takes as it travels up the East coast Thursday into Friday.

There is no “rain date” for the parade, but the very thought that Riverton’s patriotic festivities might be in jeopardy gets people wondering.

When has the day ever been washed out? I don’t know.

Riverton's Fourth as described in The Phila. Inquirer, July 4, 1914 — Riverton’s Fourth as described in The Phila. Inquirer, July 4, 1914

One hundred years ago no one was worried about a tropical storm. All thoughts were on the great Independence Day Celebration that lie ahead as described in the July 4, 1914 Philadelphia Inquirer .

A 1914 July Fourth Program just donated to the HSR gives more details of the big day including sailing instructions, prizes, and a history of the Yacht Club.

For a closer look at the rare hundred-year-old document, click on this link for a higher resolution PDF file.

Even I have heard of Facebook, but the appeal of Pinterest has eluded me. Then I read that it has an estimated 70 million users.

So I signed us up with the help of my friend Mike Solin who hooked us up with new buttons on our webpage for Facebook, Pinterest, Email, and Print.

Speaking of pictures, here are some Riverton homes decorated for the Fourth.

We will post some more pix of the great day and invite readers to send us some July 4th photos, new or old.

In fact, the older the better.