'Surf Bathing, Sakonnet, RI' Vintage 1919 Postcard - Warren's Point, Little Compton

 

1919 postcard showing swimmers cooling off at Warren's Point Beach Club, Little Compton, RI.
Swimming at Warren's Point with 'Onadune' and other cottages in the background.

This 1919 postcard depicts a glorious summer day on the beach in Little Compton, RI. Although the postcard describes the beach as "Sakonnet," locals will know this stretch of sand is Warren's Point. The beach is noticeably empty, with only a few swimmers braving the surf just where the waves are breaking. The Warren's Point Beach Club bathhouses had yet to be constructed, and amenities such as showers, restrooms, or a sandwich shop were mere pipe dreams. One can only wonder if umbrellas and backboards—though out of view—had yet made their debut on the beach.

Beachgoers didn't have bodyboards, masks, or snorkels; simply relaxing in the refreshing ocean water was the activity of the day. Although LC's beaches have gotten busier over the years, it's reassuring to know that much also remains the same. The rock formations and summer houses in the background provide a comforting sense of familiarity. And the view from atop the rocks? It still can't be beat.

Short and to the point, a postcard message sent from Little Compton to Charlton Depot, MA.
Little Compton sunburns were an issue even in 1919.

Miss Phyllis Khingele was the lucky recipient of this Sakonnet, RI postcard. While Charlton Depot, MA and Little Compton, RI are an hour and a half away by car today, the trek must have been considerably longer and more arduous back in 1919. The postcard's image of surf and sand was a world away from central Massachusetts, but Miss Khingele surely got a sense of what a Little Compton summer was like.

The sender, B.C.S., writes: "Swimming is great, but oh! You sunburn."

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