The Rise of Tourism on Martha's Vineyard by Dresser Thomas;Gardella Nancy;

Author:Dresser, Thomas;Gardella, Nancy;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Published: 2020-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

7

TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY TOURISM (1900)

[A tourist guide’s purpose was] first, to aid the tourist and stranger and direct him quickly to the special points of interest in the famous summer places mentioned; to entertain him and help enliven his way on his journeyings.58

—Illustrated Travel Guide

In 1937, the Vineyard Gazette reprised an account of a week-long summer activity held in Edgartown in August 1893. The Gazette interviewed some of the original participants to get their perspectives on that long-lost summer.59

The annual summer social witnessed “one round of events after another at Edgartown, afloat and ashore. There were races and field sports and socials of one kind or another.” A tub race off the bathing beach drew a crowd of some four hundred people. First prize was a three-dollar silk umbrella.

The baseball game played near the jail drew another crowd. The Harbor Views defeated the town team. Catcher Philip Pent of the hotel observed, “The town team was pretty sore at me because I helped with the game for the summer people.” The hotel guests gave Pent ten dollars for his services. Henry Jernigan played shortstop without a glove. Forty years later, he recalled few memories of that game from all those years ago.

The rowboat race “was one of the most enjoyable of the series of entertainments…with enthusiastic spectators” all about. Both single and double rowboats participated. The Harbor View hop proved popular. And there was a whist party that evening.

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