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[REV 25-NOV-2014]

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Children's Delight (Young's Pier in background)." 5x7 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size.
Since several people seem interested in the bathing costumes I thought I would have Gemini make a colour version of the black and white photo.

I just noticed that Wikipedia states that Young's Million Dollar Pier was built in 1906 and opened on July 26, 1906. Pretty quick work if the dates are right.
[Young's Ocean Pier was built around 1891. His Million Dollar Pier came a million dollars later. -- Dave ]
That girl looking at the camera does NOT like having her personal beach space invaded.
These pictures of beach scenes from the early 1900s are striking because of the extent to which the attire is a monoculture. Everyone in dark colors - I am guessing navy. The kids all wearing sailor suits with white stripes or stars, the men with a white color around their necks and pants down to the knees. Women (but not men) wearing giant hats.
In that crowd, the two kids in light colors stand out: the one in the right foreground and the one in just above and to the left of the center of the frame. I wonder, were they being punished for something?
blue swimming outfits that is for everyone except for a couple of those kids.
"Where the heck did all these Kooks come from???!!!" Viola, the Girl with the 1000 Yard Stare
I wonder if they quote Buddy from Scrooged: "Why am I beset by these sea urchins!"
She is definitely not delighted.
None of those children looks the slightest bit happy, much less delighted. Perhaps the person who titled the photo was very cynical, or didn't know or like children ...
Ah well.
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