Bathing in the Hudson

Bathing in the Hudson. . , This photograph was taken here at “Bloomer’s Beach” in the summer of 1932. From the Park’s Annual Report for that year:, “The bathing beaches and bath houses were open to the public from the latter part of May until Labor Day. It is estimated that about 130,000 persons used the pavilions at Hazards Beach and Undercliff and that, in addition to these, about 210,000 made use of the smaller dressing rooms provided at Bloomer’s, Alpine and Quinn’s Beaches. Besides these, there were many persons who did not use the bath houses, but who came to the Park in bathing suits and removed their outer wraps upon arrival.”, Most of the people using these beaches came from across the Hudson by ferry from New York. Competition from the George Washington Bridge, which opened in late 1931, began to put the ferries out of business – and the Palisades beaches followed. By 1943, only Alpine Beach remained open. Then from the Annual Report for 1944:, “The Alpine bathing area was closed for bathing for the duration, because of river pollution caused by war conditions.”, While the Park no longer operates beaches in New Jersey, the water quality of the Hudson today may be better than it was when this photograph was taken.