Ocean Grove, Broadway, 1915. Submitted by Rich Amole, Blogfinger reporter and historian. (see our “about” page above to read about Rich.)Hi Paul:
This post card image is post marked 1915 and shows Broadway (looking west) at Ocean Avenue (or ? Beach Ave.) There appears to be a poster sign on the sidewalk with an image of an ice cream cone, and beside it, could be part of the Lillagore pavilion shops that extended off the boards to Broadway. The Lillagore Hotel owner built a bathing pavilion at the south end of Ocean Grove for his guests. That is not to be confused with the Lillagaard Hotel on Abbott which was built in 1919.
The remainder of the scene on Broadway shows the shuffle board courts, the traffic coming up Broadway and all the pedestrians gathered at this timeless turn in the road in Ocean Grove. The car may be a Model T Ford (“The Tin Lizzie”) first made in 1908 and manufactured by the millions.
Rich
Editor’s Note: Rich Amole is the author of the definitive history of the Shawmont Hotel at 17 Ocean Avenue. The OG Chamber of Commerce will be having another wonderful Victorian Holiday Festival and House Tour on December. 13 and 14. Rich will be the tour guide for the Shawmont. He has prepared a souvenir handout for that tour which includes photographs. Rich wants the Shawmont visitors to “take a piece of history with them.” His original project is available for viewing at the Hotel. It is comprehensive at 78 pages long.
In 1925, Paul Robeson appeared in the Great Auditorium. It was one of the most important events in the history of Ocean Grove. Gospel music was very big in the Grove back in the early 20th century. Here is a link to that article.
PAUL ROBESON “Go Down Moses.” A song that is especially fitting today.
That’s Broadway and Ocean, definitely. And that is Lillagore’s Bathing Pavilion on the left. Not just built for his Lillagore Hotel guests; it was a public facility. Building on the farthest right is still there, not much changed. Big building third from right was the Hotel Eldorado—–demolished, I believe, in the ’50’s. Wish I could have seen that one…