Summer in America in 33 vintage photos

Beaches and boardwalks have been central to American summers for well over a century. The first boardwalk in the US was built in Atlantic City five years after the Civil War; it was constructed "as a means of keeping sand out of the railroad cars and hotels." Coney Island later grew into a major 20th-century attraction.

Simple pleasures — picnics, swimming, and seaside games — have long endured. Picnic baskets with compartments for dishes appeared around the dawn of the 20th century, beach volleyball began in Hawaii in 1915, and the inflatable beach ball was invented in 1938. Swimwear evolved from knee-length wool dresses to tighter nylon and Lastex suits in the 1930s, with two-pieces and modern bikinis common by the 1960s.

People found creative ways to cool off before air conditioning was widespread. Families stood by giant blocks of ice, children opened fire hydrants to run through the spray, and Theodore Roosevelt handed out ice during an 1896 heatwave.

United States, Atlantic City; Coney Island

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