Saturday, April 6, 2013

Flocking Together at the Beach: Stereoviews A-Z


This photo is a bit of a puzzle. Most of the children are wearing shorts, except for a few in yellow robes. Online, the same photo shows eight wearing robes, four in pink and four in blue. I pulled out my magnifying glass, and from what I can tell, they are all boys.



"Brighton Beach" (New York) (pre-1910)

History shows that Russian immigrants settled in Brighton Beach prior to 1910. It explains why many residents today speak Russian. Jewish holocaust survivors also settled there after World War II (estimated at 55,000), as well as Non-Jewish immigrants because of the Russian language (Armenians and Georgians). The ethnicity of Brighton Beach probably explains the children in yellow robes, but I have no idea which immigrant group they represent. Do you?  


[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighton_Beach]
[Gravseth family archive; American and foreign views, pre-1910]

17 comments:

  1. No but I'm intrigued. Hopefully one of your visitors may be able to shed some light on the mystery.

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  2. Hmm, that is curious. Hopefully someone will know why and can share it with you (and your readers).

    TaMara
    Tales of a Pee Dee Mama

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    1. DA and TaMara - I'm still waiting for someone to shed light! Afraid it will stay a curiosity.

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  3. I'd wear a robe at the beach too.
    Just say'n

    I am intrigued though.

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  4. This is interesting, Sharon! Sorry I can't help. Hopefully someone will know the answer!

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  5. I have no idea, but it is an interesting and somewhat strange picture.

    Lee
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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    1. Thanks for visiting my blog, Arlee. 'Strange picture' indeed.

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  6. It's hard to tell who the immigrants were, but the photo gives us a poignant glimpse into a moment in the lives of those immigrants.

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    1. It sure does. Good observation. Thanks Rosanna

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  7. I hope someone will come along and answer the question. These stereoview photos are very interesting as are the glimpses into history. Thanks. God bless, Maria from Delight Directed Living

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    1. Guess I need a stereoview expert or historian to stop by. There is a lot of interest in stereoviews online, but like this one, many remain a mystery. As a writer, I see their potential as settings in Victorian era books! Nice to hear from you, Maria.

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  8. Neil Simon wrote a fabulous play entitled Brighton Beach Memoirs. It was also made into a movie. These whimsical pictures reminded me of this fascinating story.

    Julie

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  9. Julie,this is great. I'm learning so much from other bloggers and have added this book to a growing list of things to do and buy.

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  10. I don't know the significance of yellow, but I did come across another pix today of Brighton bathers, and most are wearing the yellow robe.

    http://christianregency.com/blog/2013/05/22/a-bit-of-seabathing-would-set-me-up-forever-regency-seaside-resorts

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  11. Hey, thanks Cathy. Another clue to the mystery. I'll check out the link!

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You could call me an eternal optimist, but I'm really just a dreamer. l believe in dream fulfillment, because 'sometimes' dreams come true. This is a blog about my journey as a writer and things that inspire and motivate me.