Keeping Cool and Entertained in Summer’s Heat
Approaching Salisbury Beach by automobile about 1910. The beach’s prominent roller coaster visible near center of photo. (Postcard from ACM SPRRHS Collection.)
As the summer heat grips Amesbury and much of the nation, one might wonder how our ancestors survived the discomfort of hot weather in the days before air-conditioned homes, businesses and cars were common. There was always one way to get some relief from hot weather and enjoy entertainment at the same time: visit nearby Salisbury Beach.
Once at the beach, one could frolic in the surf and delight in a cooling sea breeze. And spirits could be lifted by the carnival atmosphere of a Ferris wheel, roller-coaster and exhibitions such as diving horses and hot air balloons. Dance halls, a roller skating rink, a bowling alley and seafood stands added even more to the appeal of this seaside resort just six miles down the road from Amesbury.
In the earliest days, people from around the region flocked to Salisbury Beach via horse-drawn carriages, trolley cars and even steamboats. Then came the automobile, and it soon became the favorite way to make a trip to “The Beach.”
Check out this recent report about Salisbury Beach by ACM Industrial History Survey Group volunteer Joyann Reynolds. Joyann uses postcards, newspaper advertisements, and photos to give us a glimpse of Salisbury Beach from its start the 1850’s and its glory days in the early 1900’s.