10/18/2026
Harlan's History Of The Week: A sampling of messages on Stone Harbor, N.J. postcards, 1910–1943
There are some who claim that postcards are about storytelling. In fact, postcards have been printed, sold, mailed and received on a scale that makes them the largest class of artifacts that humankind has ever exchanged. With such tremendous popularity worldwide, think of postcards, many of them bearing handwritten messages, as a mass medium in and of themselves.
Interestingly, historians have estimated that during just the period from 1900 to 1920, something like 200 billion postcards were in global circulation. What an incredible number of pieces of mail for just two decades at a time more than 100 years ago.
Spending time on the beach, bathing in the ocean and having a fun time were the primary reasons why so many ventured to the seashore. In the absence of telephones, the penny postcard was the sure way to stay in touch with the folks back home and let them know just what was going on. Those simple notes indelibly recorded their authors’ splendid moments while vacationing at Stone Harbor.
Reading those simple missives today, we realize that messages about kids digging and playing in the sand, bathers swimming and riding the waves, taking family photos, and even complaints about mosquitoes are not terribly different than those one might post today on the Meta/Facebook platform. In fact, postcards could even be likened to being the first, or at least an early, worldwide social network.
In keeping with the theme of this written/illustrated account, I will present a sampling of messages along with dates that have been discovered on the message/address sides of some vintage Stone Harbor postcards that were once placed in the mailstream.
Aug. 19, 1922 — “Boys are having a fine time. Uncle Eugene Mildred went fishing today. Expect fish for supper. Everybody is well. Boys dig deep holes in the sand. Bathe every day. Aunt Alice”
Aug. 6, 1923 — “I am here over this weekend and I am certainly having a fine time. I have been in the ocean. I was in bathing and I got my eyes and mouth full of salt water. I came down by machine with relations and it was certainly a fine ride. I am going to Christiana next Sunday I think. Sincerely, Helen Morton”
Aug. 18, 1920 — “Dear Sister, This is our house. We would have room for you yet. Wish you were here. We were bathing today. It’s great only it’s too cold. The nights are so very cool. We went to Wildwood this afternoon in a boat. The kiddies think it’s fine. Anna”
Aug. 18, 1941 — “Dear Friends. This is Monday morning and our last week. Time is going fast. We are having a very good time. The weather has been beautiful. I was only in bathing 3 times. But I am going in today. We were to Wildwood and Ocean City. Would like to spend a day at Atlantic City. Hope you are all well. Martins”
1917 — “Stone Harbor’s boardwalk built by the Borough at a cost of $35,000 is a mile and a quarter long and fully illuminated electric lights. Dedicated July 4, 1916. A Pier, amusement and Business places are being rapidly built on the new Esplanade.”
Sept. 1943 — “Tony has been having a grand time in waves and playing in sand. Susan is happier with her kiddie car so she can move around.”
June 29, 1910 — “Dear Florence, When I arrived down here I spent about half a hour fighting with the skeeters. Carrie”
Aug. 15, 1918 — “Eight of us are here in two bungalows. Are having a fine time. Spent yesterday at Wildwood. It is delightfully cool this morning. Hope you are both well. Lovingly, Laura Pierce”
Aug. 8, 1922 — “Having a fine time in bathing. Gloria”
Aug. 6, 1919 — “Dear Friend, We arrived safely and we are enjoying the bathing although it is cool. We are going by boat to Wildwood tomorrow. Mabel”
Aug. 12, 1915 — “I am in the water almost all the time. Having a nice time. George”
Aug. 4, 1919 — “Stone Harbor’s matchless bathing beach, is absolutely safe, lifelines being unnecessary.”
Aug. 19, 1942 — “Greetings Marjorie, It is lovely down here. If you wish you could have come with me. Maybe you will next time? Gertrude”
Remember, you just never know what kind of personal messages might appear on the backs of Stone Harbor postcards. So be sure to flip them over and see what you can learn and discover about the life and times of another era at our favorite seashore resort, Stone Harbor, New Jersey.
In closing, here is just one more very old photographic image of three women having a good time sitting in the surf with the iconic Stone Harbor boardwalk in the background. This photo resides in the Stone Harbor Museum archives section.
