No. 57 

Here’s yet another undated Stone Harbor snapshot most likely capturing another grand Fourth of July holiday or some other special occasion judging from all the American Flags in evidence.  The area featured is the Stone Harbor Yacht Club.  No pertinent information was provided with this image that resides at the Stone Harbor Museum archives.

This second image is just one of many scenes derived from a very old photo “folio” showing the Stone Harbor Yacht Club from the same perspective as the previous snapshot.  The “folio” was a precursor to what later in the era of linen post cards of the 1940s and 50s would be called “Souvenir Folders” that consisted of some 12 to 20 different Stone Harbor scenes that one would literally unfold and expand for easy viewing.  The assortment of images could then be refolded and become a single mailable folder or piece that could be addressed, properly stamped (usually for a penny more than the standard single post card postage rate at the time of mailing) and deposited for delivery in the mailstream by the U.S. Post Office Department.  Creating, publishing and marketing these so-called folios and souvenir folders was a clever way to share and show many different scenes to the folks back home about just what was special about a place, in this case, called Stone Harbor. 

Judging from the vintage 1920 automobiles depicted in this scene, we know that during this time period an automotive culture was clearly emerging, as the car shifted from a frivolous plaything to a virtual necessity.  Stone Harbor would be no exception: as the automobile became more commonplace in American society, more and more people including families and vacationers would flock to the South Jersey resort that was aptly characterized as “The Seashore At Its Best”.