Description
This early 20th-century real photo postcard captures a tranquil boating scene at Sunken Meadow in Kings Park, Long Island. The image shows four canoes, each occupied by figures enjoying a calm moment on the water-likely along the Nissequogue River or a nearby inlet. Published by T.J. McCarthy, a known local issuer of RPPCs, this postcard is a striking example of pre-WWI Long Island leisure culture and regional photography.
Real photo postcards like this were produced in limited quantities and not mass printed, making them rare and historically significant. Sunken Meadow, now part of a state park, was once a highly popular retreat for those traveling east from New York City. Canoeing was a common activity and part of a broader movement encouraging outdoor recreation during the Progressive Era.
The card is printed on photographic paper with a divided back and reads: “Pub. by T.J. McCarthy, Kings Park L.I.” Though unused, it has a pronounced crease through the center and a bent corner. These flaws are reflected in the pricing but do not diminish its historical value.
This is a desirable piece for collectors of real photo postcards, Long Island history, or early American recreational scenes.
