Blogfinger

By Kathy Arlt,  contributing writer    @Blogfinger

Here, in all its glory, is the Osborn House, most likely after William Jimeson moved the building to its location at the corner of Pitman and Central Avenues.

Imagine running a hotel this size, with a restaurant that served three meals a day AND a general store. It’s no wonder that William Jimeson was “prostrated from over-work” halfway through the 1875 summer season. So perhaps Mr. Jimeson had a change of heart before the 1876 season began and didn’t re-open the Osborn House—or perhaps it had developed such a loyal clientele during its first year of operation that it didn’t need to advertise—because the Ocean Grove Record doesn’t show a listing for the hotel again until 1882.

Notice the subtle name change from Osborn to Osborne? This wasn’t an attempt to artificially age the name, like changing “old” to “olde” or “shop” to “shoppe.” The 1875 Osborn House was named for William Osborn, one of the founders of Ocean Grove; the 1882 Osborne House was named for John A. Osborne, who may have owned it at some point between 1875 and 1882. (John Osborne, it’s worth noting, provided the money for the Great Auditorium’s cornerstone.)

Over the years, the hotel’s owners and proprietors changed many times. In 1883, for example, Charles Hornor was out, and the new proprietor was J.H. Goodwin. Yet it remained a hotel well into the 20^th century.

But 20^th century guests began demanding 20^th century accommodations, like en suite bathrooms, closets and air conditioning. So the Osborne House went the way of so many other grand hotels in Ocean Grove, and the corner of Pitman and Central is now the site of the Allenhurst apartments.