New England Numbers: Summer Facts

2,710

summer camps in New England

2,481,000

children who attend New England summer camps

$7 million

cost to build Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s summer cottage (a.k.a. The Breakers) in Newport, RI, in 1893-95

31.7

height in feet of Ed Jarrett’s world-record sand castle, constructed in South Casco, Maine, in 2007

$160 million

The Breakers’ price tag in 2009 dollars

100

swimmers caught in a riptide on Cape Cod’s Nauset Beach in 1973, all rescued by lifeguards (the near-tragedy spawned the Cape Cod Lifesaving Competition)

35

years that lifeguards have displayed their skills in the annual contest (Aug. 7 this year in Wellfleet)

750,000

pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream made each day in Vermont

1,104

miles hiked by staff members stationed at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Galehead Hut in NH’s White Mountains from June through August

Ian Aldrich

Ian Aldrich is the executive editor at Yankee, where he has worked for more for two decades. As the magazine’s staff feature writer, he writes stories that delve deep into issues facing communities throughout New England. In 2019 he received gold in the reporting category at the annual City-Regional Magazine conference for his story on New England’s opioid crisis. Ian’s work has been recognized by both the Best American Sports and Best American Travel Writing anthologies. He lives with his family in Dublin, New Hampshire.

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