Are you still unsure of where to go for summer vacation? The Medical Trade Ephemera Collection at The Historical Medical Library may have some suggestions for you! Enjoy our suggestions over the next few months!
This month we are going to look at the New Jersey shore destination, Avon-by-the-Sea, often called simply “Avon” by locals. The Jersey Shore became a popular Victorian vacation spot for visitors from both Philadelphia and New York City. By 1878, Long Branch, Asbury Park, and Ocean Grove drew people to the beach every summer.
One summer while visiting these locations, a wealthy tobacco manufacturer from Philadelphia, Edward Batchelor, bought land in between Sylvan Lark, Shark River, and the Atlantic Ocean in 1879 for $45,000 and began selling lots for homes. He erected the Avon Inn, the Berwick Hotel (now the Columns), and other cottages along the ocean. Avon quickly became a popular destination because of its large bodies of water and dense forests nearby.
In 1897, Batchelor lost the Avon Inn and it eventually fell into the hands of S. Thomas Penna, who revived the inn and built additions, totaling 149 rooms. By the early 1970s, the inn closed, and it was destroyed by a fire on July 20, 1978. It took 547 fire fighters from 23 companies to extinguish the large fire and they even resorted to drawing water from the Atlantic Ocean.
Our pieces of ephemera date from 1884 and advertise Avon’s prime location of piney woods and ocean front properties for relaxation. Some activities and entertainment offered are music of “superior character,” stables, billiards, bowling, skating, fishing, and sailing. Like other ephemera in our collection, the resort was recommended by Fellows of the College for relaxation, especially in the winter months. Look at some pictures below and join us next month for #TravelTuesday.
Sources:
Gensch, Delores Musante. Avon-by-the-Sea (NJ) (Images of America). Arcadia Publishing, 2000.
Coleford, Paul. “Shore Hotels: Past Glory No Help Now.” The New York Times. June 20, 1976: 199.
Avon Inn. Medical Trade Ephemera Collection, Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
I enjoyed seeing the sketch images and reading the descriptions of the Avon Inn in your recent post entitled Avon-by-the -Sea. My grandfather, Joseph P. Flood, met my grandmother, Mary Collins, at the Avon Inn in 1913. The Sylvan Lake and Key East (Avon-by-the-Sea) beach images are also appreciated.