This is the Aurora in Ocean Grove in 2014. It is a former hotel, and later a single family (albeit a big one) home, and now on its way to becoming 4 condos. (This post is 2019.)
Many have photographed this scene, but no one produces a unique image like Bob Bowné. Bob, a professional fine art photographer and a Grover, is a regular contributor to Blogfinger. Re-post from July 4, 2014.
The Aurora by Bob Bowné of Ocean Grove. © Special to Blogfinger. 2014.
RUBY BRAFF (trumpet) AND DICK HYMAN (organ.) From their album America the Beautiful.
David: There are other large historic buildings in the Grove which have been kept as single family; eg the home on Main and Ocean which has been for sale for $4 million.
The Aurora could have retained its most recent zoning as single family. Someone could have eventually bought it and made the “repairs” that you refer to.
As a historian, wouldn’t you prefer that it continue as a single family?
The condoization of Ocean Grove has to stop or it will ruin this town. Neptune Township zoners don’t care about their “historic district.” They have other priorities. And the Historical Society of OG was MIA. The few Grovers who have stepped up to defend our laws and history have now given up.
A new movement to save OG is needed, as occurred 40 years ago, but so far there are no activist rescuers in sight.
This hotel opened in 1881 as the Thorne House. There were hotel operators in those days who would lease a property for the summer, name it, and use the same name for whatever place they occupied. With the departure of Mrs. Thorne, it was renamed the Aurora by the Bull sisters in 1884.
The building was erected by Benjamin Albertson, who did a number of projects in OG and possibly Beersheba Well. The specification, accommodating 100 persons, was drawn up by the lot holder, Thomas Gallagher of NYC.
OG had a number of large buildings in this Swiss Gothic Chalet style, but most were denuded in the early 20th century when Colonial Revival became popular and when the old ornament had likely decayed.
The Aurora is a rare survivor and we can be thankful for the repairs that took place in its conversion.
So Beautiful it reminds me of my old neighborhood of Queens NY
Reblogged this on Blogfinger and commented:
This is a repeat from 2014. It suggests how important the historic Aurora has been. Now the Township has allowed it to be turned into 4 condos. It could have remained with its original zoning—single family house. A disgrace!
Thanks TCos, I thought it was me……..I have a 49 star flag. Now THAT looks a lot like a 50!
I count 50 stars. 5 rows of 6 (30) with 4 rows of 5 (20) in between. The 48 star flag would have 6 rows of 8.
Beautiful picture. God bless America.
The flag is a representation of our country. It does not have to be the most current version, unless it is flown over the capital or for some official purpose. Did you ever see flags flown on July 4 that go back to the 1700’s? My neighbor flies one.—Paul
New Kid: If you go to an art gallery or a museum, art is shown as a finished work. There are no discussions of the technology that produced the work. That includes how the paint was formulated by Vermeer or how digital software was used for contemporary photography. It’s the same on Blogfinger unless the artist wants to comment on it. Thanks, Paul
Did you notice it’s a 48 star flag? I counted the stars to confirm my hunch.
~mrw
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. A process used in photography to reproduce more luminosity by capturing and combining different exposures of the same image.
New Kid: What is an HDR? Please explain. —Paul
Lovely photo Bob. Is it an HDR?