Atlantic City ~ The World's Playground

Not only is my husband from the Atlantic City area, where his parents have lived for almost 60 years, but in my research, I've found photographs from different branches of my family who have vacationed there over the years.

My great grandparents, (grandmother Elizabeth Adsit's parents) were Charles Chapin Adsit and Mary Bowman (Ashby) Adsit. They lived in Chicago, Illinois. The picture postcard below is from Atlantic City and is of Mary Bowman (Ashby) Adsit. She is about 50 years old in this picture.

Mary Bowman (Ashby) Adsit

I know it's from Atlantic City because the back of the postcard has a message written on it.

Postcard from the Dittrich Studios at 1107 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

[in Elizabeth Adsit (Pyle) (Rust) handwriting]:
1913 I think
[and sideways]:
M. B. A.
[which stands for Mary Bowman Adsit, which is how Libby referred to her mother in photographs and other family materials.]

[in Mary Bowman (Ashby) Adsit's handwriting]:
Nov 25
Just a reminder of an Atlantic City post card. We expect to return here Friday[?], after Elizabeth goes back to school and stay a few days longer.

My grandmother attended a Miss Porter's School in Connecticut from 1913 - 1916, so perhaps she was on a fall break with her mother in Atlantic City.

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In 1921, my paternal grandparents, Charles Pyle and Elizabeth (Adsit) Pyle were a young married couple, having married in 1919. They are living in Manhattan in the 1920 census.

From left: Charles McAlpin Pyle, Elizabeth (Adsit) Pyle

Unfortunately, the people in the photograph are not identified; I recognize my grandparents as the couple on the left. I am grateful that someone (Libby, my grandmother, I think, from the handwriting) noted the date in the upper right hand corner of this photograph. The banner across the front of the rolling chair where the ladies are seated says "Atlantic City." You can still hire someone to push you in a rolling chair on the Atlantic City boardwalk today.

Interestingly, Libby's father, Charles Chapin Adsit, died in Atlantic City on July 3, 1931, at the age of 77.

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On my mother's side of the family, my great-grandparents (grandmother Helen Lysle Hunter's parents), Percy Earl Hunter and Marguerite (Lysle) Hunter vacationed in Atlantic City at least twice. They were both born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and lived there for their entire lives.

Percy Earl Hunter and Marguerite (Lysle) Hunter

I'm guessing this was taken in the late 1910's. Great-grandfather Percy was born in October 1873 and great-grandmother Marguerite was born in August 1876. Again, I know this was taken in Atlantic City because of the photographer's imprint on the back side. These kinds of photographic postcards were most popular between 1905 and 1920.

Postcard from The Palace Studios at 1235 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

 Later on (possibly the early 1930's?), they had their photograph taken on the Boardwalk:

Percy Earl Hunter and Marguerite (Lysle) Hunter

This would have been before May 1937, which is when Percy died. The back of the photograph shows the photographer's name:

Photograph from Miller Art Photo. Shop at 2511 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Too bad no one put the date on the backs of these last two photos.

Here's to vacation!