Being a kid on the boardwalk in Atlantic City in 1935

In this imaginary journey, inspired by an image that I found on the Duke site yesterday, I'm going to time-travel back to 1935 and be a kid walking on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

I would guess that I'm about thirteen, although I could be younger and tall for my height, or older and have a baby face. Since this is New Jersey, I'm going to turn around and say, "Hey! What a you looking at?" If you're a girl, or a woman, you may be admiring my thick hair, or maybe you're wondering if I'm wearing a tie, and a sweater vest! I'm definitely wearing knickerbockers, and how about those socks!

Let's look around a bit. Like most young men, I'm looking for girls. But I don't see any! I'll bet those guys there on the right are doing the same thing. I wonder if that old guy adjusting his tie is doing it because some good-lookin' dame just gave him the glad-eye?


I suppose I could go over and take a look at the diving horses, never seen them before! Maybe there'll be some sweet honeys over there! I don't see any around here. Guess I'll keep walking, seems a shame for the girls to not be able to see my stylish Argyles!

Images from the Duke University Library Digital Collections.

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