Boardwalk 1905

[rlk]

For full size:http://www.shorpy.com/node/8294?size=_original
Looks like Derbies were required, though a couple soft hats appear.

 

[carldelo]

Cool picture - I spy a couple of silk tophats in there, as well as some chauffeur-style caps. Check out the observer in the window in the extreme upper left....

 

[zetwal]

Lot's of neat details! There's even a guy in a cattleman style western hat. He's directly above the word Detroit at the bottom of the photo about half way up into the crowd.

 

[Joshbru3]

Unreal, look at the enless sea of Bowlers. I see a couple of tophats, and 2 white homburgs. One of the homburgs have a tall crown and the other a short crown, but both with 2 inch ribbons of course.

 

[Fletch]

Amazing how people didn't mind getting all kitted up in their finery, then being crushed in crowds.

Ah well, maybe it was worth it to be near the water. Many of them, I'm sure, never got to a seaside spot further away than A.C. in their lives.

 

[Qirrel]

Amazing photo. You dont see many of this size from that era.
Looks like a profitable place to be a pickpocket!

 

[rmrdaddy]

This is in Front of Captain John L. Young's Ocean Pier which he purchased in 1891. The boardwalk was rather susceptible to fire, there were at least 2 reported fires at the Ocean Pier, one on April 4th 1902 (possibly only about a year before this photo, see the dates on the sign on the far right) and again on March 29-30, 1912 when it was destroyed. The hotel building on the left does say "Young's" (Young did own hotels too) in the frieze under the fire escape, which was formerly the Mayflower Hotel.
In the far background on the right side is the famous Steel Pier (the pair of domed structures bracketed the entrance)

 

[Tango Yankee]

I like the woman in the foreground looking over her shoulder at the camera, apparently the only person in the entire photograph who is aware she's being photographed. It's like it's her private joke, somehow.

Above her is a gentleman whose hat stands out, a western hat with almost a pencil roll brim and a Montana peak.

The ladies' hats are interesting, as well. I wonder about the two that look something like beekeeper's gear, though!

Whoops, just spotted the trio of young men who seem to have noticed the camera as well.

All in all, a very cool photo!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Brad Bowers]

And just think, a percentage of those could be C&K Derbies! And not a Dobbs to be found...

Brad

 

[Tiller]

I wonder who the cigar chopper is doffing his hat towards.

 

[Matt Deckard]

What's interesting is seeing those high crowned derbies mostly worn really high in the back and dead straight with no tilt.

I'm guessing with such short brims they pushed them forward for sun protection.

 

[carldelo]

What's interesting is seeing those high crowned derbies mostly worn really high in the back and dead straight with no tilt.

I'm guessing with such short brims they pushed them forward for sun protection.

I think you're correct about the sun protection - the shadows on the faces tell the tale. I just now noticed the large number of human-pushed wicker cabs or rickshaws or whatever they are. Looks like a bunch of big babies in strollers on the boardwalk - but I guess you wouldn't get jostled as much.