Cold Spring Harbor and Long Island Postcard Collection

Cover Image:
A view of Cold Spring Harbor, 20th Century
A view of Cold Spring Harbor, 20th Century

Collection Facts

Extent:
104

Historical Context

Following the decline of whaling, Cold Spring Harbor was revived in the late 19th century as a destination for day trippers and vacationists. This era of prosperity and renown lasted into the early 20th century.

Cold Spring Harbor has been a host to many regional and foreign visitors since the whaling days, when whalers and sailors frequented local inns between voyages. Later in the 19th century, according to local historian Robert C. Hughes, Cold Spring Harbor became popular with residents of New York City before local hotels started closing in the early 20th century.

Although the Cold Spring Post Office added “Harbor” to the town’s name in 1826 to avoid confusion with the upstate New York town of Cold Spring, the residents of Cold Spring Harbor referred to the town as “Cold Spring” for the majority of the nineteenth century.

Scope of Collection

These postcards represent images of scenic and iconic locations in and around Cold Spring Harbor. Postcards range from the late 1800s to early 2000s. While many of the dated postcards span a period between 1900 and 1920 a bulk of the material comes from 1900 to 1950. Some are blank, but many of the postcards include correspondences between the sender and recipient on a variety of topics from local to personal concerns.