Some Grovers are investing huge sums to create authentic Victorian restorations like this gorgeous newly redone Main Avenue showplace, but that alone does not define us. Paul Goldfinger photo May 2, 2017.
Another ambitious Victorian restoration. Note the original siding being brought back to life at great expense . Blogfinger photo © Ocean Grove at Main Avenue.
Ocean Grove July 4 parade, 2015. A truly unique community event. Paul Goldfinger photograph
Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger–updated and re-posted from 2017.
In 2019, on its 150th birthday, Ocean Grove is a small town without a clear sense of identity. It has a local government that treats us like an appendage to be milked, but otherwise there is no love emanating from Neptune Township. We may be part of Neptune officially, but we are clearly NOT part of Neptune in our hearts. Most towns have a continuous thread of history that has resulted in a strong sense of identity, but not Ocean Grove.
Citizens say that they “love” the town, but the definition of that love remains undefined. Many just like being here at the beach. Is the Grove just a collection of old houses interspersed in another cozy shore town? Or maybe it is the perception of the town as a place with an unusual and special culture that attracts people to live here.
Many like the urban feel, the friendly neighborhoods, the comfortable sidewalks for walking, the porch culture, and the magic of summer evenings on the boards or fun at the beach. And for some it is the closest nicest shore town to NYC.
Those who say they “love the town” often have little knowledge of the town’s history as a religious enclave. They have no interest in it as a historic place recognized by State and Federal historic registries. So, to what extent is OG an authentic and serious historic district—a very special place for that reason?
A related question is whether this town was conceived as a tourist attraction? The answer to that is an emphatic no. Sure, in the late 1800’s, religious tourists came here in droves, mostly by train, and that identity persists to a lesser extent today, but the CMA community is no longer as central to life in Ocean Grove as it once was. OG evolved into a residential community with cottages and boarding houses. The Victorian buildings were less valued than they are today and many had gone into decline. Its census population was more than it is today.
Forty years ago, the downtown was not a tourist place to have a burger, buy a T shirt, take a tour, go to a massive craft show on the Pathway, or close down Main Avenue to sell Thai food or sell shlocky art or display old British cars.
Instead the downtown had a serious grocery/butcher shop, several doctors’ offices, a video store,a flower shop, a cleaners, a cafeteria, a newsstand, a newspaper, a drug store, a barber shop, a fishing club, a seashell shop, and a town pool. In other words it was a town that was largely for the residents. So many towns at the shore are not primarily for tourists, for example Atlantic Highlands, Avon-by-the Sea, Long Beach Island, Spring Lake, Deal, Avalon, and Allenhurst.
But now Ocean Grove has become a mish-mash—a combination of all of the above; but for those who actually live here (year round or part-time), or want to live here, we need to define our situation more clearly: what is the heart and soul of this town? Or maybe those attributes don’t even exist. Maybe it will never be that sort of town.
Elected officials do not really represent the Grove’s citizens. So democracy doesn’t exist as defined by representative government. The Neptunite governing operation is like a secret foreign occupying power that has undercover agents and contacts who live among us, but has underlying agendas based upon self interest.
A local government is supposed to represent its community of residents and try to make their lives better, but our situation now is the opposite. Witness the efforts to bring large numbers of tourists to town to the consternation of those who live here, and the failure to solve problems like zoning abuses, over-building, and the invasion of the parking snatchers.
The Camp Meeting Association ran the town for 111 years. During that time, until 1980, they had reason to believe that the unique religious culture which prevailed till then, as odd as it was in America, would last forever. They certainly did not envision the town becoming a historic site. They had no problem letting many of the early houses deteriorate. And it is unclear if stores during those years sold T shirts, surf boards, jewelry or pizza.
But when Ocean Grove was handed over to Neptune Township in 1980, and with the CMA giving up governance and most blue laws, it was like a child who lost his parents and was given to someone for foster care—for money.
The town, which was becoming quite diverse by 1980, went forward without a clear sense of who or what it was, and today, what is its character and purpose?
The result is a place with a variety of power centers, all self interested and largely propelled by an active real-estate market; and all without the will to find a framework, a common identity, and direction for the town as a whole.
So the town of Ocean Grove, lacking leadership and a sense of town-wide community, is adrift and thus what goes on here is helter-skelter and out of focus. That is why no progress is made in solidifying the town as a real place with its own sense of being. If it weren’t for the homeowners who have brought to life historic homes that had been on life-support, this would be a pretty disheveled and much less desirable place.
The vision of an authentic historic town, defined by its historic designations, is currently fraudulent because most citizens don’t give a rat’s tail about its history. Even the “Historic Preservation Commission” has gone dark and has seemingly slipped into the shadows, never to be trusted again.
It is rare to find a historical event here such as re-enactments, poetry readings, vintage music concerts, classical street musicians, jazz, and educational programs about the town’s history for those who actually live here. Instead we shut down Main Avenue for car shows and we crowd the town with huge numbers of strangers (ie tourists) to have giant retail events of no value to the town itself while the residents struggle to find a parking place and to share our streets with the free parkers heading to Asbury.
We have had a major Walt Whitman Poetry Festival and a Blogfinger Film Festival (for collegiate film students.) And we had arts in the parks, People’s Garden Tours, classical street musicians, and other community cultural events, but most of them died on the vine.
The Ocean Grove Homeowners Association has no idea what it should be doing, and its leadership has no idea what its mandate is. It is not only essentially worthless in terms of bringing this town together and forward, but it has actually become a force working against the people—a subversive presence.
Jack Bredin is correct that the only workable solution is to become our own town again (it actually happened for one year in 1925, but the church vs state dilemma caused it to collapse on itself.) Perhaps it is possible once again, but not in a place where the citizens are apathetic and don’t seem to care about a vision for the town.
So Ocean Grove, despite some wonderful attributes, is poorly defined, and the citizens are seemingly satisfied to ride the waves, sleep on the beach and enjoy being here, much like so many other Jersey Shore towns, although many of those towns actually have their acts together and know who they are or what they want to be. For example Belmar has only one mega-event each year. Its mayor says that his main concern are the town’s residents. The beach scene is a given in all Shore towns.
Bradley Beach , our neighbor to the south, which lacks the history that we have, knows what it is. Go there to experience a true Jersey Shore town. Forget the architecture, just view it as a fine place to enjoy the shore. Take a deep breath and smell the ocean. Go on Main Street on a summer night and have some Thai food or terrific Italian delicacies. Sit outside at a real coffee shop and watch the young people walking by or heading towards the boardwalk. Bradley Beach has a heart and soul which goes all the way back to its founding. It knows what it is, and that’s a good thing.
And here’s a song for the kids in town, especially the teenagers who breathe life into the town no longer known as “Ocean Grave.”
THE CRESTS:
Attention BlogZinger-
OG today is amazingly better than the ‘90’s when you, BlogZinger arrived which obviously you do not realize as a ‘newcomer’. My humble advice as a 3rd generation OG’er: stick to your awesome stories on the history of the town, the people, current events, houses/architecture and Eileen’s recipes.
Since you don’t love OG, might I suggest you move to Bradley Beach which you write is the ideal town to live in. As you most likely will stay and not change your negative position, may I suggest you learn and use the right names for areas of our town: it is Tent City and South End.
It would be more positive for the town and our people if you write like someone who appreciates the many, many great things about our town and the numerous positive changes this town has experienced over the years.
Good question. Ocean Grove (OG) was granted a State Charter in 1869 to operate a Camp Meeting Ground. Contrary to local historians, OG was never a municipality; it just acted as one until 1980 when the Court put a stop to it. If you think it was a municipality at any time, please name the first mayor of the Borough of Ocean Grove.
50 years after OG was established as a corporation to operate a Camp Meeting Ground for summer tents “to provide opportunities for spiritual birth, growth, growth and renewal,” the Camp Meeting Association (CMA) opened the “gates” in 1909 to a “slippery slope” toward evolving the mission statement into “providing opportunities for real-estate investment,” when the CMA developed the 1910 North End Hotel Complex. Many visitors at the time thought the North End of Ocean Grove was part of Asbury’s honky-tonk boardwalk.
In 1980 OG was at a “cross-roads” after Neptune was ordered by the Court to take back municipal responsibility and after Asbury Park destroyed itself. Both Neptune and the CMA agreed that OG would return to its historic roots as a single family town.
But greed is motivating, and in 2008, the 1909 goal of quick real-estate profits was dusted off and put back on the fast-track when Neptune Township tossed OG’s Master Plan and zoning ordinance into Wesley Lake and approved the North End Redevelopment Plan and changed the name or the lake to Wesley Detention/Retention Basin.
If this is progress, then I am against progress.
I do not think OGCMA ever wanted diversity. OGCMA continued to rule OG even after 1980. Their power, however, has decreased significantly in the past 39 years.
When I purchased my home in 1991, I needed OGCMA approval before closing. Submit three letters of recommendation, one should be from your clergyman. I submitted three letters, but none from any clergyman.
Then appear at OGCMA headquarters for an interview. As I had no minister’s recommendation, I was asked at the interview what religion I followed. I said that at the time I was not practicing any organized religion. That did not go over well. Then, I was asked what faith I had been raised in. When I answered Presbyterian, their eyes lit up: “Well you know that Presbyterian and Methodist are very close” one man said. They spoke about their mission.
They told me, “We want people to move into OG who are going to serve the community” and then they proceeded to list ways (donating time and/or money) that I might serve OGCMA (not OG).
Then I was asked how I planned to serve. I replied that I would think it over.
I am still thinking it over.
Shelley: This is what I said in my essay, “The town, which was becoming quite diverse by 1980,….”
Surely you don’t think I was referring to racial diversity? I meant that this town was historically monolithic–namely entirely Methodist, by design, and then gradually different religions came in and other varying demographics… such as retirees, immigrants, artists, gays, lawyers, contractors, musicians, show business people, celebrities, real estate investors, etc etc.
And there are people of color in the Grove, although they are a minority.
As I said in my 2017 comment, “As for the definition of diversity in the Grove, that will not be on our current agenda. Maybe Frank wants to submit a letter to the editor at which time we might take up this subject. Demographics in OG are pretty interesting.”
But that conversation never happened.
I can tell you one story. A socially conscious neighbor here bemoaned the lack of racial diversity in the Grove–not that it prevented her from moving here. I said that she needed to be more observant, because two doors down was a Chinese family who owned a home and had tenants. She was shocked and embarrassed to find that out. —-Paul
I agree with Frank S. Ocean Grove is lilly white. It has become very affluent. It is white collar not a mecca for diversity.
I have lived in OG most of my life. I am a nurse working beyond retirement and my husband is an artist. We are struggling to stay in our home given the “new” ever increasing taxes.
The “new comers” with whom I’ve had contact do not take an active interest in the town. OG is not their primary residence. The trend appears to be second home owners who rent to vacationers on a daily and/or weekly basis.
Editor’s note: Sorry for any confusion, but Frank S. made his comment in 2017. This is a re–post. Nevertheless, Shelley can certainly speak to what he said two years ago.
Aggravated Curmudgeon: OG is now diverse? It is lilly white. It is very affluent. It is white collar. Not my idea of diversity .
RM : OG is not the most inexpensive beach town on the shore . Asbury Park west side is less expensive.
Blogfinger: ” Hopefully the “new comers” will take an active interest in the town.” But they don’t. OG is not their primary residence, and as Curmudgeon says, eventually OG might become more populated by second home owners.
Editor’s note: There are many beautiful and expensive houses on the A. Park west side. Just drive on 5th Avenue, 4th Avenue, and Sunset Avenue, and you will see something special. But Frank is correct if he is thinking of the the AP “inner city” which also is on the west side of the tracks.
However, Ocean Grove real estate remains a relative bargain–but prices are going up, and do we really need to debate whether the OG prices are the most inexpensive or just somewhat inexpensive?
As for the definition of diversity in the Grove, that will not be on our current agenda. Maybe Frank wants to submit a letter to the editor at which time we might take up this subject. Demographics in OG are pretty interesting.
And the newcomers? All it might take are a few of them to arouse the semi-comatose OGHOA.
Just out of curiosity, what happened here in 1925? Was it an attempt to return to its roots as a religious retreat?
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Peter: Beginning early in OG’s history, there were those in town who were unhappy with the “religious resort” called Ocean Grove. That group was called the Civic Betterment League in 1920 and it fought for a “borough bill” in the State legislature. The CMA went along with that bill in the interest of good will and as long as the gate closures and other blue laws would be retained. In 1920, the legislature approved the bill , and the governor signed it.
In town, the lines were drawn regarding this idea. A referendum was held, and it passed overwhelmingly in favor of the Borough. There was an election (no women voted) and a mayor with 5 councilmen were chosen and took office. In 1920, the town began its new life as a borough with a State charter.
According to Gibbons History of Ocean Grove, “The atmosphere in Ocean Grove was extremely tense.” This was called, “the Famous Borough Fight.” Those who opposed the Borough of Ocean Grove appealed to the Attorney General saying that the establishment of the Borough of Ocean Grove was unconstitutional.
The Attorney General of NJ passed the issue along to the NJ Supreme Court to test the constitutionality of the Borough Bill. Finally it was found to be unconstitutional because of those pesky gate closures and other religious based rules.
Gibbons said that there were 6 prior attempts to break OG off into its own town, but the Borough Bill of 1921 came the closest to success.
After that ruling, the pro-Borough forces fizzled out. Neptune was able to continue its rule over Ocean Grove, with the CMA actually running the show as before.
Here is a Blogfinger.net link that discusses this history: (The 1925 date was wrong. The Borough of Ocean Grove lasted for one year, from 1920 to 1921.)
https://blogfinger.net/2016/07/25/unchained-memories-opening-the-gates-in-ocean-grove/
RM: I totally agree with you. Hopefully the “new comers” will take an active interest in the town. It is actually, in many ways, in their best interest to do so.
When we first moved here (part time newcomers) in 1998, I hated the idea that there were no children in sight. But now we have kids and teenagers, and that makes the lifestyle here so much better, and it makes me happy to see it: Wiffle ball in the park, kids with puppies, kids on bikes, and young parents with energy and enthusiasm, running alongside a child on (temporarily) training wheels. —Paul
—Paul
Great article. Hey Frank – Ocean Grove is STILL the most inexpensive beach town on the shore. If it weren’t for people with money coming in, all these beautiful old historic homes would have collapsed in on themselves by now. The issue here is not the “new comers,” the issue is what’s at the heart of this town.
Anyone want to see The Beach Boys (again..like EVERY year)? No. How about some obscure Christian rock band? Yeah…me neither. Otherwise…I’m still in the process of confirming whether Neil Sedaka is actually still alive. Ironically, the “new comers” will likely be the ones who finally breathe some life back into this place.
P.S.: It’s actually a treat to see children running around and laughing on our sidewalks. It’s proof that some people still know how to have fun in this town. (Yeah honey…I’ll have another Margarita…thanks!)
Historically and even up to about 20 years ago OG did indeed have a vision . It saw itself as a “Christian” town .
OG used to be an inexpensive town . So we used to have a more diverse population : Artists, writers, etc. etc.
That all changed when the real estate boom hit . Prices went up dramatically. Folks were displaced . A new population came in.
They are pretty much bland rich folks with 2nd homes here . Sorry if I just insulted anyone but this is my opinion .
No focus ? No vision ? Are the kids back from the beach yet ? Hand me a margarita dear . How’s the traffic going north?