Rehoboth Beach Delaware Boat Surf 1907 Real Photo Postcard

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, established in 1873 as a Methodist camp meeting site, rapidly transformed into a prominent seaside resort by the turn of the 20th century. Catering to visitors from Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Baltimore, it became a popular summer destination for East Coast families seeking coastal recreation. The year 1907 falls within its early boom period as a developed tourist town.

This beach scene from 1907 illustrates typical leisure activities of the era, with individuals wading in the ocean and a small boat offshore. Bathing costumes of the period, often modest and made of wool, were common for both men and women engaged in swimming and other aquatic pastimes, reflecting the nascent American leisure culture.