Today, Tuesday, May 19, 2015, was the 31st Annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service in the Ocean Grove Great Auditorium. It is the oldest event of its kind in the U.S. Five officers who lost their lives in the line of duty this past year were honored along with others who were previously lost. The youngest one was only 22 years old, and he died just five months ago.
Many dignitaries including Gov. Chris Christie, were present to offer prayers, gratitude, remembrances and condolences.
Over a thousand law enforcement personnel were present in dress uniforms including large groups from the New Jersey State Police, Newark and Jersey City PD’s.
Neptune Township Police Chief James Hunt and his police were there along with representatives of PD’s from around the state, plus federal, county and state agencies.
Jack Bredin at art show in Auditorium Square Park, 2012. Note the Ocean Grove themes. Photo By Paul Goldfinger . Note that Jack passed in 2025.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor, Blogfinger.net. 2012
In case you think that Jack Bredin spends all his time researching Municipal Land Use Law, Jack’s true passion is with art. He works at home, although he does have a private area that is his studio. His paintings are on permanent exhibit around town including over at the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association’s national headquarters on Pitman Avenue. Lately he has been focusing on some of the scenery on Main Avenue.
“The Neighborhood.” By Jack Bredin. Ocean Grove artist.. Photo by Rob Bredin. Click to enlarge. 2018. Please read the comments.
Jack Bredin artist. Paul Goldfinger photo.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net. RE-POST:
On Saturday, October 14, there will be a Harvest Festival in town. But there will also be an important fine arts event to celebrate one of Ocean Grove’s great artists— Jack Bredin.
Jack has been featuring scenes of Ocean Grove and surrounding areas for many years and his work was shown in an Asbury gallery.
But now Jack is thrilled to announce a new venue to show his work: The Tumblety-Howell Gallery at 45 Pilgrim Pathway in Ocean Grove. We spoke to Terry Howell at the gallery, and he is calling the exhibit “Jack is Back.” And he is excited to display Jack’s wonderful oils. After all, what could be better to help decorate an OG home?
Jack’s paintings are treasures and sell regularly, so don’t miss the chance to buy a Bredin.
The show will take place on Saturday from 10 am-4 pm, but those who are interested in Jack’s work will be able to view and purchase his paintings there in the future.
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net and photographer.
Outside seating along the rear wall of the Boardwalk Pavilion with view forward through the audience towards the beach. The session was well attended. Paul Goldfinger photos. 8/16/26. Click once to enlarge. Choral music, prayers, speeches and announcements are featured.
Back view showing outside seating facing forward into the Pavilion.
On the north (Asbury) side of the Pavilion. Blogfinger photo.
Pedestrians stroll by, north and south. Mom is resolute in her summer clothes.
In reading some of the lyrics, I enjoyed hearing the names of Abraham, Jacob and Moses. They also mentioned “Same God.”
And the other part I saw is:
“You give life You are love
“You bring light to the darkness
“You give hope You restore ev’ry heart that is broken
“And great are You Lord.”
And that is why I support the International Conference of Christians and Jews and the OG Camp Meeting Association
From Morris Daniels “Story of Ocean Grove. 1869-1919.” It is our source for all quotes here. Our 1880 home can be seen at the left edge of this photo. It’s called the “Beagle House” for the walking tour. Rev. Beagle once lived there, but we now call it the “Bagel House.”
By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net
The historic Woodlawn Park became the Ocean Grove park where John Alday MD was honored in 1915. According to Daniels History of Ocean Grove, “One of the most beautiful of the enduring recognitions with which Ocean Grove has begun to honor some of those who have signally helped in the making of her character and fame is the John H. Alday Memorial Fountain.”
“This graceful tribute of affection and remembrance was erected in 1915 and was most appropriately placed in the center of Woodlawn Park, the prettiest of Ocean Grove’s little green parks and close to the home (for many years) of him whose name and work it commemorates.”
But now the historic fountain is gone, replaced by a big bell honoring OG firemen and surrounded by a concentration camp decor iron fence with spikes and plantings with dangerous sharp thorns. If they were going to get rid of the Alday Founain, at least they might have made that park welcoming and beautiful. Instead they keep the fence locked with an intimidating iron chain and padlock.
Somehow Dr. John Alday, who was important in town, had gotten bumped with just a little grave-like plaque in the ground. At around 2002, the park looked crappy. The benches were uninhabitable, and we paid to restore them. And about 6 neighbors , including us, bought trees which are now mature. The grass is actually a weed farm, and one would have to be very careful to sit down for a picnic. Flowers and planters were purchased and maintained by neighbors who live along Delaware Ave. and Mt. Hermon Way at the park.
Some of the huge old trees are dangerous and not well maintained. And now we need a landscape architect.
Firemen’s Park is a terrific place for dog walkers, people walkers, and for children to play. But it is disgraceful. Except for Santa on Christmas Eve, the Township and the CMA offer no events there. It is perfect for the kind of small town happenings which we need for those non-tourists who actually live here. These could include children’s events, yard sales, small flea markets for the locals, small concerts, art shows, plays, craft events—juried, poetry readings, and history lectures like the Walt Whitman Festival which Kevin Chambers organized in town, etc.
A rare event for the locals at Firemen’s Park. Halloween. Oct. 26, 2019. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net.
It has been our observation that the Camp Meeting Association has little interest in the historic element of this town which is on two historic registers. They are the founders, but they do not have an official historian in their organization. Even the so called Historical Society takes little or no interest in the bigger picture of our historic town, for example regarding restoration of deteriorating houses and fighting the take-over of the North End by ersatz designs and functions.
They did see to the restoration of the Fitzgerald Fountain at Founders’ Park, led by historian Ted Bell. But the CMA trailed along and then had an unannounced religious service at the dedication.
This is what should be done: In keeping with historic precedent, the park should be re-dedicated to all the heroes from OG who have served for over 150 years: fire, police, military, emergency services, etc. Let’s call it ” Heroes Park.”
The big bell should be placed somewhere else without any fences. Most towns around here have bells, but none have fences, ugly or otherwise. Many are surrounded by flowers in season. Go see the bells in Asbury Park and Bradley Beach.
A fund drive should be initiated to restore a fountain in the middle with a plaque to honor Dr. Alday whose magnificent home is beautifulyl restored next to the park by Steve Mandeville and Victor Aluise, businessmen in town who own the Alday mansion at Delaware and Main.
HARRY NILSSON: “Make Believe”. A beautiful park is a terrific place to make believe.
And, if it’s romance in a lovely place, you can take her to “Heros Park” and grab a private bench by the flowers and then:
By PAUL GOLDFINGER, MD, FACC, Editor of Blogfinger. net, Ocean Grove, NJ.
The Victorian house at 115 Main Avenue (at Delaware) was built by physician Dr John Alday.
The current owners tell us that Dr. Alday had a smaller house on the property until this one was built in 1896. The waiting room was in the rear of the current house. Mr. Ted Bell, Ocean Grove historian, had kindly provided us with a profile of the doctor:
The John Alday house. Built 1896. Blogfinger photo. Steve and Victor are Masters of this Victorian house today . The home is across from the park now known as Firemen’s Park. (Main Avenue at Delaware)
Sacha Baron Cohen from Les Mis: “Master of the House”
“Dr. Alday. was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1828. A practicing physician until 1851 when he became a minister in the Methodist church.
In 1874 he became a Trustee of the OCGMA and continued until his death in his Ocean Grove home in 1911 at the age of 83.
An original fountain was placed in the park in 1894, but in 1915 the Alday fountain/memorial replaced it.*
“A bronze fountain/memorial* was placed in Woodlawn Park (1915) in his memory in graceful tribute for his work in Ocean Grove. The park was known as “Alday Park” until 1959 when the Fireman’s Memorial bell was place in the center of the park—the park is now known as “Fireman’s Park. “
Editors note: We have no information regarding the whereabouts of the fountain, but there are old postcards of Woodlawn Park that show a beautiful bronze figure of a woman. And Grover Lee Morgan has provided us with a clear copy 1915 photo. (below)
Gibbons’ History of Ocean Grove says that the fountain* was called “The John H. Alday Memorial Fountain” and that it was “erected” in 1915 and placed in Woodlawn Park. It’s not clear when the park’s name was officially changed to “Alday Park,” but it seems likely to have occurred when the statue was placed there.
Our house is at the corner on left (built 1880). Another version of this photo appears below.
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Civil War era surgical instruments
Medical history: by Paul Goldfinger, MD, Blogfinger.net.
Nineteenth century physicians had to contend with diphtheria, whooping cough, rheumatic fever, TB, polio, chicken pox, cholera, rabies, tetanus, maybe a rare case of malaria or yellow fever in travelers, and typhoid.
Dr. Alday did get to see the discovery of XRAYS in 1895, the germ theory of Pasteur and Koch in 1870, and the development of sterile technique by Lister in 1867. He saw vaccines appear in 1879 for cholera, 1882 for rabies, and in 1890 for tetanus and diphtheria. Dr. Alday saw aspirin invented in 1899 and blood typing in 1901.
He never saw the development of penicillin, Vitamin D for rickets, or insulin, but he probably knew about the first blood transfusion in 1907.
He probably did not have an early ECG machine, because the earliest models, around 1900, were the size of a small house. His main tools were his stethoscope (likely a monaural model) and some crude surgical instruments. He probably made housecalls in a horse and buggy and he would have dispensed his own medications, what few existed at that time. He was a religious man, and his faith and compassion were likely very useful to him in the practice of medicine back then. –Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor@Blogfinger
Caprese salad by EILEEN GOLDFINGER in her Ocean Grove kitchen.
By Eileen Goldfinger, food editor @Blogfinger.net and Paul Goldfinger (right hand man). Re-post 2022.
We had family over for a chicken dinner last night, but the stars of the show were the Jersey tomatoes done up by Eileen who prepared her Caprese (Capri style) salad with slices of tomato alternating with sliced fresh mozzarella; See the actual recipe below.
The chicken thighs and wings. (thicken chis) were prepared with a dry rub and then finished with Wegmans’ organic sweet chili sauce.
In addition we served fresh yellow Jersey corn from Wegmans. (4 for $2.00)
The crop of Jersey tomatoes is at its prime, now, and you can get them all over. They have ripened quickly due to the heat wave; $2.49 per pound and they are wonderful. We have purchased them at Matts in Belmar, ($3.50 per pound 8/14/26). And also Asbury Sunset Avenue market on Saturdays, and Wegmans Ocean. We love the Asbury Sunset market, and there is parking.
Delicious Orchards will ship them for you.
Remember to look for the fruits where the red reaches the stem and don’t buy if they are too mushy to the touch.
They should have a slight give when gently squeezed, and that is a fine life lesson for guys on a date.
Here is Eileen’s Caprese salad recipe:
Ingredients:
NJ beefsteak tomatoes
Handmade mozzarella*
Fresh basil
Fig flavored balsamic vinegar
Tuscan extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Assembling the salad:
Cut four quarter inch slices of beefsteak tomato
Place the slices on a plate and sprinkle with salt
Place a slice of mozzarella on top of each tomato slice and place one or two large basil leaves on each slice of cheese.
Drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar over each stack and then drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over each stack.
Repeat the above steps creating four stacks of 2-layers each.
Use smaller basil leaves as garnish on the plate.
Serves two.
*The wonderful homemade mozzarella came from Antonio’s Gourmet at 2201 Sunset Avenue, Wanamassa. Their balls are very big, but you can get smaller ones at Wegman’s. Ask Mario about it.
Fill the night with song… Music, family and good food—-a fine recipe for a family gathering.
Here is FRANK SINATRA regarding a tomato he found in Italy:
