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Archive for the ‘From the archives of the Historical Society’ Category

From the Archives of the Historical Society of OG: It Wasn’t Just a Hotel (Part 1)

Posted in From the archives of the Historical Society, tagged on October 1, 2011|

By Kathy Arlt, Contributing Writer    @Blogfinger

 

Here we are, back at the North End Hotel in 1911:

 

 

See that arched entrance in the middle of the photo? That was the “Scenario.”

 

 

“Wholesome” was, indeed, the by-word for the films shown at the Scenario. (And as for the “orchestra of competent musicians,” don’t forget: it’s 1911, so we’re talking—no pun intended—about silent films.) Mrs. Lauretta Hughson, shown below, reported that the Camp Meeting Association reviewed—and approved—all the films the Scenario presented. Her family took over the Scenario in 1916 and renamed it the Strand.

 

 

Whether it was the Scenario or the Strand, it’s obvious that it was a popular attraction. The Scenario was open 13 hours a day! And look at that sign on the Strand’s ticket booth: any place that advertises the time the doors open is a place that anticipates lines—even for “The World’s Greatest Athlete,” a film that received only 5.4 stars (out of a possible 10) from the Internet Movie Data Base.

 

But, if the theatre was full when you arrived, there were plenty of other things to do at the North End Hotel…as you’ll see in Part 2.

 

 

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From The Archives of the Historical Society of OG: North End Hotel Opens

Posted in From the archives of the Historical Society, tagged , on September 21, 2011| 2 Comments »

By Kathy Arlt, Contributing Writer  @Blogfinger

It’s impossible for me, in 2011, to improve on the Ocean Grove Times account of the North End Hotel’s opening in 1911, so most of this post will be a reprint from that newspaper. But first, a photo of the north side of the completed hotel, with Wesley Lake in the foreground:

And here is the front-page headline that announced the opening:

Sadly (for all the foodies reading this), the Times didn’t record any specifics about the elaborate menu the 150 invited guests enjoyed, but it was reported that there were nine courses which “embraced about all that was needed to please the palates of the banquetters.” Vocal and instrumental “quartettes” entertained the diners, who were not subjected to “speechmaking.” I imagine the guests also examined the hotel’s rooms and facilities, which were described in detail.

At 10 p.m. the festivities were over, and the grand opening guests departed “with a feeling that they had spent a most pleasant evening enjoying to the full the hospitality of the North End Hotel Company, and wishing for that body unlimited prosperity in their new enterprise.”

The Times account ends by listing the first two guests to register at the hotel: Mrs. Matilda Applegate and Miss Dorothy Applegate. They didn’t travel far to experience the luxurious surroundings of the North End Hotel; they came from Asbury Park.

Next time: It Wasn’t Just a Hotel

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From the Archives of the Historical Society of OG: “South End Bathing”

Posted in From the archives of the Historical Society, tagged , on August 1, 2011| 8 Comments »

By Kathy Arlt, contributing writer  @Blogfinger

In 2011 it’s not uncommon to see Ocean Grove visitors (and residents) walking to the beach in their bathing suits, but this was completely unacceptable behavior in the 1800s—even though an 1800’s bathing suit covered one’s body from head to toe. So Victorian beach-goers must have been thrilled to read this announcement in the May 12, 1877 issue of the Ocean Grove Record:

The builder and operator of these bathing houses was Theodore W. Lillagore of Philadelphia, through a lease agreement with the Camp Meeting Association. (Another entrepreneur, Joseph Ross, was awarded the same concession for the North End beach. More about this in my next post.) This 1878 Woolman and Rose engraving shows the finished product:

It’s difficult to say how long the bathing grounds looked like this. Year after year, winter storms took their toll on every structure built near the beach. But that fact only seemed to stoke a desire to rebuild even bigger and better. In fact, in 1904, when the second “Auditorium” (the Great Auditorium we know today is actually the third Auditorium) was torn down, many of its elements were incorporated into a grand “Lillagore’s Pavilion” at the South End beach. Sadly, however, in 1915, the pavilion fell victim to the Grove’s other nemesis: fire.

Despite this tragedy, when visitors arrived in 1916, they were greeted by this new South End Pavilion.

This grand structure, too, fell victim to the ravages of Mother Nature. I’m thinking it was destroyed in the Great Hurricane of 1944…but if anyone out there has better information, please share it with a comment.

(Note: Kathy Arlt is no longer associated with Blogfinger.)

 

 

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From the Archives of the Historical Society of Ocean Grove: “Cures for What Ails You”

Posted in From the archives of the Historical Society, tagged on July 19, 2011| 2 Comments »

 

By Kathy Arlt, Blogfinger contributing writer

The Ocean Grove Record didn’t have a regular medical column, but articles about physical health appeared occasionally. One, titled “Shut Your Mouth,” warned about the dangers of not breathing through your nose:

This was probably good advice in 1877, when homes were often lit with gas lights (although it’s worth noting that natural gas was odorless until the 1930s), heat was provided by burning coal or wood, transportation was by horse, and modern sewage systems were a recent development.

But if you couldn’t get much health information from the Record, you could buy medicine.

And if you really needed a doctor while you were summering in Ocean Grove, the advertising section of the Record could help you find one.

I wonder what kinds of treatment un-“Special Cases” were offered.

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From the Archives of the Historical Society of Ocean Grove: “The more things change…”

Posted in From the archives of the Historical Society, tagged on June 30, 2011| 4 Comments »

By Kathy Arlt,  contributing writer    @Blogfinger

Here, in all its glory, is the Osborn House, most likely after William Jimeson moved the building to its location at the corner of Pitman and Central Avenues.

Imagine running a hotel this size, with a restaurant that served three meals a day AND a general store. It’s no wonder that William Jimeson was “prostrated from over-work” halfway through the 1875 summer season. So perhaps Mr. Jimeson had a change of heart before the 1876 season began and didn’t re-open the Osborn House—or perhaps it had developed such a loyal clientele during its first year of operation that it didn’t need to advertise—because the Ocean Grove Record doesn’t show a listing for the hotel again until 1882.

Notice the subtle name change from Osborn to Osborne? This wasn’t an attempt to artificially age the name, like changing “old” to “olde” or “shop” to “shoppe.” The 1875 Osborn House was named for William Osborn, one of the founders of Ocean Grove; the 1882 Osborne House was named for John A. Osborne, who may have owned it at some point between 1875 and 1882. (John Osborne, it’s worth noting, provided the money for the Great Auditorium’s cornerstone.)

Over the years, the hotel’s owners and proprietors changed many times. In 1883, for example, Charles Hornor was out, and the new proprietor was J.H. Goodwin. Yet it remained a hotel well into the 20th century.

But 20th century guests began demanding 20th century accommodations, like en suite bathrooms, closets and air conditioning. So the Osborne House went the way of so many other grand hotels in Ocean Grove, and the corner of Pitman and Central is now the site of the Allenhurst apartments.

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