Illustration by Marty Nislick
 

To me, Edgemere will always smell and taste like Teaberry Chewing Gum! At the southwest corner of Beach 35th Street - attached to a telephone pole, was a vending machine located at child's height. I would deposit a penny, select the appropriate product lever, pull it down and I was rewarded with a small packet of gum. The selections were varied - two paddies of Chicklets (peppermint or spearmint) packed together in a small cardboard box, just to cite an example of some of the many offerings. My very favorite was Teaberry - it was 1950, I was eight years old.

Social-Climate Statement, Edgemere -- circa 1900

"...a resort in the near vicinity of New York City - which would cater exclusively to a class of patronage, refined as well as congenial - a resort where it would be impossible for an undesirable element to creep in, and where each guest would take a pardonable pride in keeping it so.... That the problem has been solved is demonstrated in the unprecedented success of this particular resort as compared with others where this plan has not been adopted. " {Edgemere Club Hotel brochure - 1920}.

Although this advertisement indicates a date of 1907, the ad continued to "run" under the section "summer resorts" in many of the tri-state newspapers and magazines throughout the first two decades of the 20th Century. The actual drawing was done in 1905 by a newspaper illustrator.

Edgemere Club Hotel - This brochure was available to potential interested and qualifying candidates/guests at the inception of each summer (renting) season . Although the text and the general embossed design of the pamphlet survived from the period of around 1900, the black and white assorted photographs contained within this bulletin reflect a time period of about 1920 -which might indicate that this same general format was employed over a period of many seasons - with only minor revisions and additions, incorporating names of general managers and for providing up-dated traffic directions out to the village of Edgemere on Long Island. Click on the image to view the brochure.

 

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