Atlantic City Free Public Library

Title: Atlantic City Beach Patrol Collection
Date: 1913 – 2005
Collection Number: H033

Extent: 1.25 cu. ft.

Repository: Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269.

Preferred Citation: Atlantic City Beach Patrol Collection, Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library.

Creator: Atlantic City Beach Patrol; digital files donated to the Atlantic City Free Public Library by Charles Draper in 2008.

Administrative History:
The Atlantic City Beach Patrol (ACBP) is the oldest, operational lifeguard organization in the United States. In 1855, the City Council appointed William Cazier to the position of “Constable of the Surf.” In response to the growing popularity of Atlantic City’s beaches, the ACBP expanded. By 1872, although it was an all-volunteer patrol, the ACBP had more than twenty lifeguards on its staff. The patrol was fully incorporated and joined the City payroll on June 12, 1892. Amongst the first lifeguards to be paid by the City were Jim Jeffries and Nick Headley. The first lifeguards oftentimes additionally worked on the police force. Victorian-era customs dictated that proper individuals not bathe in the late afternoon sun; the lifeguards remained on duty from 11 am until 1:30pm. Upon being relieved of their posts, most guards would simply switch from their lifeguard uniform to their police uniform. One of the most unique features of the early ACBP was its beach hospital tents. Instituted in 1904, and first headed by Dr. John T. Beckwith, the beach hospital tents provided on-site, medical triage services for the ACBP.

IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION

Scope and Content:
This collection contains documents that relate to the history and activities of the Atlantic City Beach Patrol. There are four ledgers: one which chronicles the results of the lifeguard test from 1929 through 1941; one which provides the names of serving lifeguards and statistics for rescues and medical cases from 1914-1955; one daily log from 1940 (May 25, 1940 – October 5th 1940) recording air and water temperatures, wind and water conditions, rescues and medical cases; and one daily log from 1941 (May 27, 1941 – October 12, 1941) recording air and water temperatures, wind and water conditions, rescues and medical cases. Absent from these records, though present elsewhere in the Heston archives, is information about Gaye Kelly Robinson, the first woman lifeguard and Gayle Mancuso, the first female Lieutenant. In August of 2008, author and Beach Patrol historian Charles Draper donated 1,882 digital files of photos, postcards, yearbooks. These files were transferred to a Library server for digital preservation. Annual group pictures for the years 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005 are not original to the collection. They were downloaded from the ACBP website and added to the ACBP collection in December of 2008 by archivist, Heather Perez.

Arrangements must be made to view the digital files. Contact the Heston Room staff for more information.

System of Arrangement:
Collection is organized according to the following series:

•    Series 1: Atlantic City Beach Patrol Business Records
•    Series 2: Awards and Ephemera
•    Series 3: Yearbooks
•    Series 4: Digital Files

OTHER INFORMATION FOR USERS OF THE COLLECTION

Access Points:

Lifeguards – New Jersey – Atlantic City
Atlantic City Beach Patrol
Beaches – New Jersey

Related Materials:
The Heston Collection has many resources related to the lifeguarding and the beaches in Atlantic City. These include books, vertical files and biographical clippings, and archival collections.

Books:
Fowler, Michael, Lifeguards of the Jersey Shore: A Story of Ocean Rescue in New Jersey (Atglen, PA: Schiffer                                          Publishers, 2010).

Garbutt, Robert, Sand in Their Shoes (Bloomington, In: 1st Books Library, 2003).

McMahon, William H., So Young, So Gay (Atlantic City, NJ: Atlantic City Press, 1970).

Vertical subject files:
Atlantic City Beach Patrol

Other archival collections:
H071.ACFPL Costume Collection – 1940s Atlantic City Beach Patrol Captain’s wool jacket. (Donated by Scott McKnight).

Processing Note: Finding aid written by Shannon O’Neill, archivist, March 201.

Copyright Notice: While the Atlantic City Free Public Library owns the collection, the Library may not own the copyright for the materials. Researchers wishing to reproduce materials are responsible for obtaining the proper permission.


ITEM LIST

Series 1: Atlantic City Beach Patrol Business Records
Box 1, Item 1: Beach Patrol Business Records. “Tests of Candidates for Atlantic City Beach Patrol,” 1929 – 1936.                           Physical Description: 1 bound ledger

Box 1, Item 2: Beach Patrol Business Records. Men’s Records Index, 1913-1951.
Physical Description: 1 bound ledger
Note: Lists of patrol members, years served.

Box 1, Item 3: Beach Patrol Business Records. Beach Patrol Diary, 1940.
Physical Description: 1 bound ledger
Note: Daily record of patrol members’ working, saves, deaths, medical emergencies, water temperature                                    and conditions, air temperature

Box 1, Item 4: Beach Patrol Business Records. Beach Patrol Diary, 1941.
Physical Description: 1 bound ledger
Note: Daily record of patrol members’ working, saves, deaths, medical emergencies, water temperature and                               conditions, air temperature

Series 2: Awards and Ephemera
Box 1, Item 5: Honorary Lifeguard Award presented to George McCabe, July 17, 1972.
Note: Includes one unsigned copy of the same award and souvenir miniature lifeguard uniform shirt

Box 1, Item 6: Unsigned, undated Outstanding Service Award
Note: Includes souvenir miniature lifeguard uniform shirt

Series 3: Yearbooks

Box 2:

1918 ACBP Yearbook

1946 ACBP Yearbook

1956 ACBP Yearbook
1960 ACBP Yearbook
1961 ACBP Yearbook
1962 ACBP Yearbook

1967 ACBP Yearbook

1968 ACBP Yearbook
1977 ACBP Yearbook
1978 ACBP Yearbook
1981 ACBP Yearbook
1998 ACBP Yearbook
2000 ACBP Yearbook
2001 ACBP Yearbook
2002 ACBP Yearbook
2004 ACBP Yearbook

2012 ACBP Yearbook

Series 4: Digital Files
Note: Digital files include images of the ACBP, scans of postcards and scans of several ACBP Yearbooks. The digital files were compiled, in jpeg format, by Charles Draper. File and folder names were assigned by Draper. Advance notice must be given in order to view these files. These files are stored on a server for digital preservation in the following folders:

1920
CD 2 Prints as 1 Atlantic City, Beach & Steel Pier 1898 by TW Ingersoll
CD 3 lifeguards in stand
CD 3 more lifeguards in stand
CD 1920 Fenton ACBP
CD 1937 AC Results of going out too far Postcard
CD 1939 ACBP
CD 1944 ACBP
CD 1949 ACBP
CD 1954 ACBP
CD 1964 ACBP
CD 1965 ACBP
CD 1966-65 Doubled Winners Charles Draper
CD 1967 3 lifeguards
CD 1968 Yearbook
CD 1972 Yearbook
CD 1974 Yearbook
CD 1980 Yearbook
CD 1982 Yearbook
CD 1983 Yearbook
CD 1984 Yearbook
CD 1986 Yearbook
CD 1987 Yearbook
CD 1989 Yearbook
CD 1990 Yearbook
CD Charles Draper receiving trophies
CD Newspaper clips of rescues ACBP
CD Penn & Teller Movie May 25, 1988
CD #1 Tent Picture 196?
CD Misc ACBP
CD ACBP 1899 Group shot Press of Atlantic City
CD ACBP 1904 Atlantic City Press 100
CD ACBP Float Miss America Parade 1953
CD Atlantic City Beach Rolled Up
CD Atlantic City Lifeguard 100th Anniversary
CD Author Rose Tom Myself (Floyd) 1921
CD Big Chief Summer 1947 Folder
CD Bob Bruser Levy
CD Bob Gorden and Floyd
CD Certificate Annual Two Man Boat Race ACBP Captain Detweiler Jr.August 27, 1943
CD Chalfonte-Haddon Hall, AC Postcard
CD Curran, Monie, Cecelia, Wagner
CD Dad Marilyn Cliff July 1954 plus Dad as superintendent
CD E5815 The Beach and Boardwalk from Steel Pier Postcard
CD Employment Application Charles Draper 1988
CD Family Group shot at Chelsea Ave
CD Floyd, Sol and Kids Summer 1936
CD Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper
CD Fred with head through donut
CD Layout B&W
CD Lifeboat in Atlantic City painting
CD Lifeguard Race in Atlantic City BW pic on CD
CD Lou Wopenheim Bow Starret Hill Stern August 1948
CD Louis Defeo pics 1958