Ocean Grove, New Jersey. Blogfinger photo © Re-posted from 2014.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger (We are constantly talking about the Grove and how it is evolving. This historical review evoked some interesting comments, but now we are 4 years later, and you can bring us up to date if you wish by clicking in comments.)
Ocean Grove, NJ. July 12, 2014: We have had some commenters in the last few days bring up the subject of who gets credit for the 1990’s turnaround that brought this neglected, rundown shore town back from the abyss to become the trendy, diverse, and popular place that it is today.
The comments were triggered by the Jersey Shore Arts Center’s misunderstanding with the Camp Meeting Association. Herb Herbst, the President of the JSAC, is a town hero because of his leadership of the HOA in the ’90’s.
I.M. Radar (a pseudonym) brought it up twice in the last two days when he made reference to “the dramatic influx of professional gay homeowners [who] have created the highly valued enclave we live in today. ” I have heard that claim made on a number of occasions in the past.
But Radar and others offer no evidence to bolster their contentions. The issue is, if credit is due, then who gets the credit? As a Grover with an interest in Ocean Grove history, demographics, and social matters, I have found that there has been no scholarly interest in these topics other than one:
In 2002, Karen Schmelzkopf, a professor at Monmouth University, wrote a paper called “Landscape, Ideology, and Religion: a Geography of Ocean Grove, New Jersey.”
Her 20 page paper with nearly 100 references appeared in the Journal of Historical Geography, 28, 4 (2002) 589 +- 608. * She paid great attention to every detail regarding the turnaround of Ocean Grove in the late 1990’s. She gave full credit to Herb Herbst and his Home Owners Association. He was President of that group during most of the ’90’s. Prof. Schmelzkopf attributes the rescue of Ocean Grove entirely to that organization.
I am not going to recite all the details of her study. You can read her paper yourself on-line.* However, here are some quotes :
“This, then, was the situation in Ocean Grove by the mid-1980’s: decrepit infrastructure, a meager tourist trade, a year round population made up of predominantly low to moderate income elderly folks and former mental patients, and the diffusion of crime from Asbury Park”
“In response to that challenge, the OGHOA, led by a group of “charismatic leaders” from the community, became an activist “quasi-government.”
“By 1995 the OGHOA became the largest community association in New Jersey and probably the most influential.”
The HOA had over 1,000 members. There were many politically connected people helping Herb including corporate presidents and others who lived in the Grove. The HOA worked with the Chamber of Commerce, the State of New jersey, Neptune Township, and the Camp Meeting Association to accomplish certain goals such as dealing with miserable boarding houses and trying to bring secular and religious tourists back.
Prof. Schmelzkopf said, “By the end of the 1990’s, the OGHOA had fulfilled many of their goals: property values had risen, the number of deinstitutionalized had been dramatically decreased, crime had dropped, and tourists were flocking back to the Grove. Financially comfortable empty-nesters and retirees, along with professionals, academics, and artists in their twenties and thirties including a growing gay population were moving in.”
I urge all of you to read her paper. You can download it by clicking on this link: (You will have to check your downloads folder to open it.)
Journal of Historical Geography *
The purpose of this article on Blogfinger is to try to tell an accurate and documented story of how the OG turnaround occurred in the ’90’s. The facts indicate that a number of diverse segments of the OG community participated then.
The issue today on Blogfinger is historical truth. So let’s try to keep undocumented assertions out of our community discussions regarding Ocean Grove’s fascinating history. We welcome comments from knowledgeable Grovers and, in particular, from the Historical Society of Ocean Grove regarding the facts about OG history.
Editor’s note October, 2018. There is no doubt about the contribution of OG’s gay community. Dr. Schmelzkopf acknowledged that during a conversation I had with her at Monmouth University when she spoke to a group of interested Grovers.
But the history of that time suggests that there are multiple factions and people which deserve credit for the turn-around.
Xerxes A hero of his time. This piece is by George Frederic Handel
The “turnaround in the 90s” came about simply because Ocean Grove had hit the bottom. In the early 1990s (when we bought) houses were cheap because especially the north part of OG was undesirable (near AP = crime). Moreover, there were literally hundreds of deinstitutionalized psychiatric patients living in SROs that had once been decent hotels.
Shore towns always come back simply because of the ocean. It’s just a matter of time.
The north end of OG really began to boom about a decade ago due to the AP renaissance. It especially attracted/attracts New Yorkers for their second/summer homes. They can walk from the AP train station, eat and play in AP, and sleep in OG.
We liked it better years ago.
As a person who has lived here their whole life and whose parents were born here, I would say that now Ocean Grove is in a downward trend. Growing up here was magical. Everyone knew everybody and there was a real sense of community. Yes, there were down times but a sense of community helped us muddle through along with newcomers in the 90s who moved here because of what the town was.
In the past several years Ocean Grove has become a mecca for flippers and real estate speculators. A friend of mine who is a local realtor told me the first question the majority of potential buyers ask is, “What is the income potential on this property?”
While property values may have gone up, in my opinion the quality of life has gone down. Oh, and by the way, my friends and neighbors in the 80’s were not predominantly low to moderate income elderly folks and former mental patients. Although I have to say that I preferred the latter to many of the people I see coming here today.
That must have been such a great time to live in. Unfortunately, the governments of the world refuse to understand nature has the final word, and now the only thing we have to remember those towns along the coast are these modest stone markers that might be seen when the tide recedes that shows where such a town once existed.
I definitely remember my grandfather, Herb, telling stories about the old days in Ocean Grove, specifically the issue of the HOA. The Grove really has changed and it seems as though the camp meeting is losing some of their footing.
According to Ted David’s book, The Other Side of Ocean Grove, (2002). Tina Skokos was the first lady of restoration in Ocean Grove.” It was her vision many years ago that Grove would, in fact, come back.”
She moved her store, Gifts by Tina, from Asbury Park in 1984 to 73 Main Avenue, the old C.C. Clayton Homestead, which after her passing in 2012, is still there today, operated by her daughter-in-law Susan Skokos and her granddaughter Tina Martelloni.
In talking about Ocean Grove’s recovery in the 90’s one thing is missing—-the religious aspect of the recovery. When I moved into Ocean Grove in the middle of the Dec. 10/11th 1992 nor’easter there was no Grove Hall, no Youth Temple, the book store was disorganized, and there was no contemporary church service for the younger generation.
Thanks to the leadership of Doc Stoll who took me under his wing, we went thru Grove Hall with it’s leaky roof, water soaked mattresses and junk piled everywhere, to measure each room and make a preliminary floor plan for it’s future rehabilitation.
We went to Barnes & Noble and copied book shelf designs so I could make new plastic book shelves for the book store, which have now been replaced.
The Youth Temple was built.
St. Paul’s Church now has a contemporary church service every Sunday for those desiring that type of religious experience.
I am sure other people can add more things that have re-vitalized Ocean Grove’s religious side, which is what it’s all about anyway.
Best Regards
Claude Allen
BF. The is my subjective opinion. On my block, nothing has changed (the two run down homes are still in terrible condition). As I walk around, there have been very few changes. Yes, that horrible house on Embury is gone (rebuilt) and a new house was built on a tear down over on Abbott. But not much else.
I checked Zillow, and home values have not gone up ( down a bit, actually). I would be interested in arguments or anecdotes for how OG is measurably better than 5 years ago.
My belief is that, relative to what old timers say was the rate of improvement back 10-15 years ago, we are at a standstill.
Devo: What exactly are the parameters that you are “measuring” to conclude that the town hasn’t improved in five years?
Let’s keep in mind that OG still has a ways to go. There are still many run-down structures, poorly maintained sidewalks, untrimmed trees, fetid lakes, etc.
Why did the oghoa take their foot off the accelerator of improvement? We have lived here for 5 years and I would say the town has not improved in any measurable way in this time. Don’t get me wrong…it’s a great place, but it should be much more. Imagine a friendly, safe, pristine Victorian seaside resort.
Credit is due to all parties mentioned. But the greatest reason as to why Ocean Grove made a comeback is due to the gay community. I am a witness to the growth. Myself and many of my friends and acquaintances have personally purchased homes, brought our families here to visit and sang the praises of the Grove and it’s possibilities to all who would listen.
If we the gay community and all of our great Gay friendly neighbors who love to live amongst one another in this unique little place didn’t take a chance back then, who knows if it would ever have turned the corner.
I attended many meetings in the 1990’s spearheaded by Herb Herbst. He was a force to be reckoned with and held the state agencies responsible for “dumping” the mentally ill in the run down rooming houses. Too, he organized bus rides to Trenton in order to bring pressure to bear on the politicians. There were others who assisted, but none as effective as Mr. Herbst, for rejuvenating our gem of a town. Kudos and thankes to Herb Herbst.