THE TEMPOS:
Posted in Ocean Grove Gallery, Ocean Grove history, Photography by Paul Goldfinger, Photography in New Jersey, Photography: Black and White gallery, Postcards From Ocean Grove, tagged Founders Park and fountain, Ocean Grove prayer meeting founding on March 8, 2026| 1 Comment »

Ocean Grove. Silver gelatin darkroom print. By Paul Goldfinger © 2016. This is the Fitzgerald Fountain before it was refurbished in 2019. Click to enlarge.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger Re-post from 2016.
The Story of Ocean Grove, 1869-1919 by Morris S Daniels. Published in 1919 by the Methodist Book Concern in New York City:
“In a little old dingy tent, one of ten erected on the sand drifts of what was later to be known in Ocean Grove as Thompson Park but now called Founders’ Park, there occurred on the night of July 31, 1869 an event of immense significance.
“What happened was not unusual of itself, and the surroundings were not such as to impress one that history was making within the confines of the poor little tent, illumined, as it was, by a few tallow candles; but ‘Great oaks from little acorns grow.'”
Morris Daniels tells us that about 12 people gathered in the tent which belonged to Mrs. Joseph Thornley. They all had arrived the day before and pitched their tents there. There were no chairs, so they all sat on rough pine boards.
Daniels says, “The night was dark, save for the stars which twinkled brightly from overhead, while the few candles within cast a weird shadow upon the scene.
“Some had come directly from their own tents while others had preferred to wander over the yielding sands to the edge of the dune overlooking the sea to watch the moon rise from her briny bed.
“But shortly after nine o’clock all had gathered in the little dimly lighted tent for Ocean Grove’s first religious service—–a prayer meeting.”
WARREN VACHE´ “Stardust”. (He performed in the Great Auditorium.)
Posted in Music from the movies, Ocean Grove Gallery, tagged Party time in Ocean Grove on February 26, 2026|

Mt. Hermon Way. Ocean Grove, New Jersey. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click once.
STEPHANE WREMBEL. “Bistro Fada” from Midnight in Paris:
Posted in Ocean Grove Gallery, Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, Photography at The Jersey Shore, Photography by Paul Goldfinger, Photography Nights in Ocean Grove, tagged Nagle's Apothecary Café in Ocean Grove on February 2, 2026|

Nagel’s Apothecary Cafe. Main Avenue in Ocean Grove. July, 2014. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net
Nagle’s is scheduled to reopen in April 2026. The new owner is a restaurateur . We expect that Nagle’s will return embellished with fond memories and plans for a glorious eatery. And let there be live music! We do need that in the Grove.
THE BOBBETTES:
Posted in Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association Activity, Ocean Grove Christmas, Ocean Grove Gallery, Ocean Grove lifestyles, Ocean Grove magic moments, tagged Ocean Grove lifestyles on January 17, 2026|
RAY WATERS AND HIS ORCHESTRA:
Posted in Ocean Grove fire 3/11/11, Ocean Grove fires, Ocean Grove Gallery, Ocean Grove history by Blogfinger, Photograph by Ted Aanensen, tagged A tribute to firefighters on Blogfinger on December 29, 2025|
STUART MATTHEWMAN: “Amapola.”
Posted in Ocean Grove Gallery, Ocean Grove weather, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, Photographic Gallery: New Jersey, Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, Photography at The Jersey Shore, tagged Snowy morning in Ocean Grove on December 14, 2025| 2 Comments »
Posted in Ocean Grove Gallery, tagged Fine stores everywhere on September 17, 2025|
Posted in Ocean Grove beachfront, Ocean Grove Gallery, tagged An Ocean Grove beach day, Photo: Ocean Grove south beach on September 8, 2025|
KATE AND ANNA McGARRIGLE with CHAIM TANNENBAUM AND LILY LANKEN
Posted in Ocean Grove Gallery, tagged music by the Bee Gees, Photo: Saturday Night Fever in the Grove on August 21, 2025|

Corner of Main and Central (by Nagle’s). Saturday night August 18, 2012. Click once to enlarge. Paul Goldfinger photo Blogfinger.net
By Paul Goldfinger MD, Editor, Blogfinger.net
BEE GEES: “Staying Alive.”
Photo of Ms Kelly Ryan is from the Tri-City-News front page, adjusted for content and quality by Blogfinger.net. 8/21/25.
In today’s Tri -City News, August 21, 2025, we learn that a Red Bank restaurateur (“Boondocks Fishery”) named Kelly Ryan is the new owner of Nagle’s on Main Avenue in beautiful downtown Ocean Grove, NJ. According to the TCN she says that she will try to keep Nagle’s as it was in the past.
This free newspaper specializes in high brow advertising and articles about Asbury Park’s “revival.” Sometimes they talk about Red Bank and Long Branch.
Now they call themselves “Monmouth’s News and Arts Weekly.” This paper is a source of gossip, high end topics, arts, local politics, and LGBT interests. They never mention Ocean Grove, even though they should since A. Park and OG sometimes share important issues.
Some years ago I asked their editor why they don’t report about Ocean Grove, after all, we are a “sister city.” He denied that they ignore us, but that fact was obvious. They also had a vendetta against the APP because the paper left town.
So why is the Tri City News so interested in Nagle’s? Well, the publisher of the TCN wants to take credit for finding a new person, a friend of his, to buy Nagle’s. In his front page article about Nagle’s, they mention Ocean Grove only three times. The piece acts as if our town isn’t part of this story about a major OG landmark which in the past had contributed mightily to the spirit and life styles of the Grove.
Anyone who would read today’s Tri City piece who was unaware of Ocean Grove would know nothing about us from that article even though the topic is about a place that most Grovers and OG fans love. They wouldn’t even know about our location or anything about what OG shares with A. Park including tourism, geography, controversies, parking, a lake, history, arts, and even views across the Wesley Mud Puddle.
In addition the piece broke all rules of decorum, decency, and journalism when the publisher disclosed sensitive information about the two prior owners’ personal health issues.
And they left out the apostrophe in Nagle’s name.
The only thing I can say about the new owner Kelly Ryan is that she says that she “loves” Ocean Grove and that her Red Bank restaurant “Boondocks Fishery” is considered to be excellent.
The article lacks important information about the future of Nagle’s , so if you read it you will find very little of substance; only the publisher of TCN ‘s. narcissistic bragging about his relationship with the new owner and the prior owners of Nagle’s. You can pick up the TCN at Franks restaurant in Asbury and some other places.
We will have to wait for the new owner to communicate details about her plans for Nagle’s. Not even the Coastericans got a piece of the information action.
Nagle’s has been missed since 2019, and people mention it all the time. We recently posted a piece about it, and we are still getting hits on a daily basis.
Here are some Blogfinger posts—others or pictures will follow:
Posted in Ocean Grove Gallery, tagged It's not a flounder or a fluke or a flat foot floozie on July 31, 2025| 2 Comments »
ANNIE LENOX:
Posted in Ocean Grove Gallery, Ocean Grove Great Auditorium, Photograph by Paul Goldfinger, tagged The Rainbow Connection on June 14, 2025|
Posted in Ocean Grove Gallery, Photography at The Jersey Shore, Photography: Jersey Shore Gallery, Photography: Ocean Grove Gallery, tagged Wesley Lake Bridge on May 17, 2025|