Janet Page of Mt. Hermon Way gets ready to feed chocolate cake to her OG birthday party guests. Paul Goldfinger photos
By Paul Goldfinger (2013—-remember when. 2022 update today)
There was a time when Ocean Grove was a dreary place. I saw that myself around 1996 when I came to visit my son Michael who had rented an apartment in the Grove. He said, “Dad, you and Mom should buy a place here. The prices are terrific.”
We looked around. Across the street was a sort of boarding house. Next door, we saw a glassed-in porch where people in wheelchairs were wheeled out if it were sunny.
“Are you kidding?” we asked. I recall talking to someone in front of his house when a person walking across the street made reference to “Ocean Grave.”
But after some more visits over the next two years, we began to notice that changes were occurring and we finally realized that this town had potential. By 1998, despite the dreariness, it was a “sellers market.” There were few places to see.
We found a three-family house that was pretty crappy, although it was near the ocean. To be exact, it was a small one family that had been divided into a legal three family. We bought it and eagerly anticipated when we could get down for weekends.
We began to witness some obvious demographic changes. I noticed that the cars were getting nicer around town and that a lot of remodeling was going on. But even better, we saw children, teenagers, young families, bikinis, and signs of vibrant life all over the place.
The New York Times was disappearing each day at the news-stand, and fathers pulling red wagons with kids were crowding the counter at the bakery on Sunday mornings.
There was poetry at Auditorium Park, Ray Charles at the Great Auditorium, art shows on the boards, violin ensembles downtown, dancing in the streets, a brilliant 4th of July parade, and massive flea markets by the ocean, among a wide variety of other signs of life. We moved here year-round in 2001.
Meet the neighbors at an OG house party.
After our arrival we attended an array of mostly neighborhood parties which underlined the evolving spirit of the place.
One time Eileen and I attended a party where I was the only male—not that it did me any good. We’ve been to block parties and house parties. We witnessed the archetypal OG house party where thirty people would be crammed into two rooms—practically hanging from the chandeliers if they had any. But nobody minds about that–in fact it’s quite charming. And, to make matters more encouraging, things get better every year.
If you get to go to a good party in the Grove, please send us a photo. We need you Bloogers, Grovers, Southenders, Northenders, Downtowners, Commenters and Kvetchers to send reports to Blogfinger@verizon.net. And read the comments below.
Margie and Cousin Brucie.
Eddie Chesler-Holmes enjoys the festivities
May, 2022: Our hopes for continued improvements in our small town lives have been dashed lately. As you know from our recent posts, the secular residential community has been ignored; neighborhood parties are less (at least where we live;) the CMA has been expanding its religious “mission” instead of looking to be one part of a diverse community; organizations in town look inward and often disappoint (like the Home Groaners;)
OG continues to be widely known as a “religious town,” we have one party rule in Neptune—OG has no representation at the Mother Ship, the urbanized North End will become a reality, and other trends suggest a failure to move upward.
Some of you seem to believe that life styles in the Grove add up to a wonderful place, and so it is. But it could be better if enough of you agree that it’s important.
How about sharing: Tell us if you feel that the town is moving in the right direction. Send us a note with specifics. (Blogfinger@verizon.net or comment below.)
KEN PEPLOWSKI AND FRIENDS. “All the Things You Are.”
blogfinger.net 
Despite great progress, the evolution of this town needs to continue. Still a lot of homes that need to be fixed up. Still a lot of multi-family houses that need to be restored to single famiily homes. Still rooming houses and hotels that need to be replaced by single family homes. Still many homes that could use some substantial renovation/painting/rotten wood replacement/etc.
As reasonable a vision as this is, I now expect at least 5 old timers to write blistering retorts…….
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Jason: Are you in a bad mood today? Please put on a happy face. And what’s wrong with “old timers?” Are you a young timer?
C’mon Jason—throw a party and invite some senior citizens.
Paul
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Great soundtrack for a vibrant community that everyone can enjoy!
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Jason———-no “blistering retort” here! Well, that said, I don’t know what you consider an “old timer”, that I might take issue with!
My family have been Ocean Grovers since the early 1930’s. I have seen many many changes in our town, some good, some not so good. What I can tell you is——most things come in time, and change is always a constant.
There are homes that need help, I would love to see the mulit-family homes be restored to (once again), single family homes.
Just a thought—-knowing the cost to have a home in NJ, and in Ocean Grove, money can be a big issue when it comes to repair and or renovations.
Perhaps some of our neighbors would be willing to help their neighbors with some of the smaller projects—painting, general fixing up around the properity. Just lending a helping hand…. That to me is part of the sense of community.
One last word from the “older person” here——-When I see and walk on or over the slate sidewalks that still exist on some properities—-when I still see the stores on Main, the Pathway Market, Days, Nagles, our home on Broadway and the other 2 we lived in when I was a child on Mt. Hermon and one on Embury———-I see my life in Ocean Grove….. I don’t see so much the decay or lack of paint or rotten wood———-I see a life time of memories, and my heart smiles…..
PS, I’d be willing to give anyone a hand with helping out, and I know my old Grovers friends would too.. Thanks for writing Jason, you’ve reminded me what is important… Helping your neighbor, watching out for your neighbor, lending that “helping hand”.
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Now if only OGCMA would allow bonfires on the beach or solstice ceremonies or paintball on the beach or at least BBQ’s on the beach then we could have a really good olde tyme party.
P.S. – I agree with Paul. Lighten up Jason. Your “reasonable vision” is not mine. I do not want to see a homogeneous town. I prefer variety & diversity.
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Gail—What a great suggestion that volunteers help fix up some homes that “old timers” have been unable to keep up with. Perhaps the OG Home Owners Assn., a group with a vested interest in OGs homes, could call upon its members to form such a group and help. Maybe one of their own could use the help.
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Wouldn’t a nighttime winter bonfire on the beach with hot apple cider just be wonderful? “CMA winter community gatherings.” Ten dollars, free snacks and cider.
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By doing some digging I have found out that the boarding house where my grandparents stayed for Camp Meeting and I stayed for one memorable summer while working at the Homestead Restaurant has been turned into apartments. It was a lovely Victorian owned by Linda Clare (think that’s how it was spelled). The address is 72 Asbury Avenue. Does anyone know anything about it?
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In the 90’s, the Star Ledger sent a reporter who had never been to OG to do a story. This was at the height of problems the community was having with Neptune and the State, doing great harm to the community that was so disheartening to those working to change it around.
The reporter reported on the business district with its benches long gone, it’s parks and atmosphere, and all the other little things that added to its charm.
What the story did for me, was make me see beyond the problems and understand what each new visitor to the Grove saw then: a unique marvelous place; and therefore it must be what each new visitor sees now: a wonderful community.
A second story: A neighbor of mine, whose family had lived in OG since 1870, was complaining that OG wasn’t what it use to be. I told him that probably his father and grandfather and great grandfather and great, great grandfather probably sat on this very same porch saying the same thing and yet, Ocean Grove really still hasn’t changed for what brought each of his generations down to this wonderful community. And I believe it hasn’t.
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We have lived here since 1998 and we have been gratified to see the decline in numbers of derelict houses.
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