Connecticut Goes to the Beach:
A Source of Pleasure and Relaxation

Souvenirs of the Trip

Whether a day excursion or a summer-long stay, people have always brought back souvenirs of their trips to the beach. These might be as simple as a pail full of shells and beach glass or as elaborate as a tintype in a fancy frame. Postcards were popular mementos, beginning in the 1890s. The scribbled notes on the backs provide glimpses of long ago vacations.

< When the picture for this postcard was taken, many beachgoers arrived at Ocean Beach, New London, by steamer. The pier, like most of the other beachfront structures at Ocean Beach, was destroyed in the hurricane of 1938.

Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Brown and Friends at Savin Rock
West Haven, 1908
Photo CD: 0538 img0030.pcd

< This combination postcard/portrait is a souvenir of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall’s excursion to West Haven with some friends. The photographer’s studio on the pier at Savin Rock was a popular place to have ones picture taken.

Man and Woman in Front of
a Painted Backdrop
Photograph by Giles Bishop
New London, 1925
Photo CD: 4202 img0059.jpg

< Although the painted backdrop of a beach scene could be anywhere, this photograph was probably taken to commemorate an outing to Ocean Beach. The couple in their bathing suits probably stepped off the boardwalk into the photographer’s studio.

Link to other essays in this Journey:

>> Introduction: Connecticut Goes to the Beach
>> Getting There
>> Resort Hotels and Seaside Cottages
>> Gathering with Friends and Family
>> Attractions and Amusements

>> Guideposts
>> Suggestions for further reading