Postcard. Courtesy of Rich Amole, Shawmont Hotel historian.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net, Ocean Grove, NJ, USA. Re-post: 11/14/25
Notice that there were no lights on the OG Boardwalk in 1890. Edison invented the lightbulb in 1870. But, that summer in Ocean Grove, you could walk the boards at night, shuffle off to the beach, spread a blanket and count every star. And while you are at it, you could also count every firefly.
THE RIVIERAS
EDITOR’S NOTE: We have had some debate in the comments section about the pier in this postcard. We are told that the scene is from 1890, but that is not certain. We know from history that the North End pier came after the South End pier (constructed in 1891), so if this is the North End pier, where is the South End pier?
We also have a photo (below) from Rich Amole which shows both piers, and that image is dated 1904. It shows a large pavilion (? the Ross Pavilion) at the North End which isn’t visible in the postcard above. It seems like the North End pier was built between 1891 and 1904.
1904
Both piers were built in relationship to boardwalk pavilions: the Ross at the North End, and the Lillegard at the South End. The photo below shows the relationship of the north Pavilion to the north pier . It is looking south, and you can see the Embury Ave. pier in the distance.
OGrover. If the people in that postcard are standing in Ocean Grove, then that pier cannot be the original South End fishing pier, because, in 1891, that South End pier was placed at Embury Avenue. So the people in the postcard would have to be way back on the Bradley boardwalk for that pier to be at the South End at Embury. We may not be able to name that pier.
Note: Blogfinger 101 Some time ago the editors at Blogfinger decided that the south end and the north end are actually places and not just directions. So we have tried to maintain a convention that refers to them as the North End and the South End. I have adopted the same approach with Middle Beach, especially since that name reminds me of Middle Earth from Lord of the Rings.
It probably is what is know today as the fishing pier (Embury Ave/South End.) Perspective is everything, I suppose. No fishing shack at the end, tip is just out of frame may give the illusion of it being longer. Future storms lobbed off some of the length as well. Plus the boardwalk may have been in a different location and it also juts out at that spot. The other thing might be that the beach looks somewhat narrower. Just love the older pics!
If that is not the North End pier, what is it?
We know that the North End Pavilion (Ross Pavilion) was built before 1910 (no definite date) and that is because it was rebuilt in 1910. (according to Gibbons History of OG) We have no date for the South End Pavilion.
We do know that the North End pier was built some time after the South End Pier which was constructed in 1891. So the postcard depicts a scene sometime after 1891. Unless we know when the North End pier was built, that could be the North End pier in the postcard.
I’m not sure what knowing when the postcard was invented helps us, and we will ask Rich Amole if he is sure of the date of the scene depicted in the postcard.
Another issue: The pier in the postcard appears quite long, but the photo of the north end pier shows something shorter.
See link:http://blogfinger.net/2013/05/07/whats-with-the-fishing-pier-a-citizens-guide-to-the-2nd-oldest-structure-in-the-grove/
Definitely not the North End pier. The North End Pavilion was built in 1910, and had no pier to begin with. It was added later, on the north side of the pavilion. And destroyed in the 1938 Labor Day hurricane. Original South End fishing pier was built 1891 or so.
So, I make this view between 1891 and 1910. Probably the card was published between 1900 and 1910, since postcards didn’t really become popular until 1900 or so. My guess….
It does look like a tinted photograph. I doubt it is the North Pier. Asbury Park development looks quite ‘distant’. Then again, who knows? Doubt there were many 1890 aerial shots to give much perspective. 🙂
This card may be based on a photograph. If that pier is not the fanciful imaginings of an artist, it would have to be the North End pier. At one time there were two piers, but the north end pier was not rebuilt after a bad storm in 1938.
Hear is a link to our piece on the history of the OG fishing pier:
http://blogfinger.net/2013/05/07/whats-with-the-fishing-pier-a-citizens-guide-to-the-2nd-oldest-structure-in-the-grove/
The one thing that stands out to me is how long the pier looks!
That is a terrific rendering of those very early days walking the “plankboard”.
It is the first depiction I used in that Project and the observation and question remains as to what that “Chimney like” structure is in the photo. It appears that there is smoke coming out and could that be a lady in a wedding dress just off the left side of the boards near the pavilion? No lights…. does that mean there where no IPhones too? What would everyone look at on there stroll?