By Paul Goldfinger, M.D. Editor @Blogfinger (Re-posted from 2013)
In the early 1860’s, Lt. Col. Richard Delafield developed a new cannon for the army artillery which had some technical advances and which fired a 13 pound shell. It’s not clear if those Delafield cannons actually saw action in the Civil War, but an Ocean Grover, 1st Lt. George Potts, managed to acquire one, probably as war surplus, and he brought it back to the Grove .
He had a small house on the shore of Wesley Lake, and, c. 1880, he placed the cannon there as an Ocean Grove Civil War Memorial. The cannon was in a “strategic location” (all quotes are by Phil May) because when tourists got off the train in Asbury Park, they took a ferry ride costing one cent to cross the Lake, and when they got to the other side, they saw the cannon.
The cannon remained in that location for about 120 years. It was neglected, and no one paid much attention to it after tourists found more convenient ways to get across the Lake. Lt. Tubbs had died, and others owned the little house, and it still exists.
One day, c. 1999, Phil May received a call from a woman who lived near the cannon. She reported that the cannon had been wrapped.
Phil, who was one of the original organizers of the HSOG, knew little about the cannon, so he made some calls and could find nothing out about the situation. The next day, the woman called back and said, “The cannon is gone. ” Phil suddenly found himself having to deal with a missing cannon.
He decided that this was a “bizarre situation” and that the OGCMA (Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association) needed to get involved because the cannon probably belonged to them, since they owned the land. Dave Shotwell Sr. of the OGCMA agreed that the cannon belonged to them.
For one year Phil “pestered” Dave to get the cannon back, but nothing happened. In the meanwhile, somehow Phil and Dave learned that a neighbor had taken the cannon to his uptown house in Long Branch. “He just took it. It was illegal.” The cannon was held hostage in a garage just a short distance north of the Grove.
There was reason to believe that the cannon was valuable, and the Long Brancher planned to sell it. The identity of that man is currently under wraps.
Phil and Dave also learned that a Civil War museum in Pennsylvania was interested in it, so Phil, who was President of the HSOG, became more worried and more persistent, and finally Dave had enough after the CMA was getting nowhere pursuing a law suit for one year.
Dave offered to give the cannon to the HSOG if they took over the fight to get it back. The CMA board agreed, and now, the HSOG, which was a fledgling organization at the time, had the ball in their court.
A lawyer from OG, Bill Jeremiah, agreed to do the legal work pro bono. The struggle to get the cannon back stretched over the next two years. A second lawyer, Mark Blunda, took over. Meanwhile, some State civil war groups were “chewing me out” for not doing enough to regain the cannon. Phil, never a shy person, asked them why they don’t come to the Grove to help, but they never did.
Then, in 2002, just when the cannon was at risk of being sold to a group in California for $50,000-$75,000, the case was scheduled in the Freehold Court House. Phil organized a vocal group of Grovers to create an intimidating presence in court, and that tactic worked, because the Branchers caved in, and we got our cannon back on April 15, 2002.
After that, Phil and his fellow OG historians had the cannon restored and refinished at no cost by metal workers in Neptune (Joe Troppoli Co.). Phil also mentioned Joe Shafto who volunteered to make sure that the cannon was transported home.
Money was raised for the permanent installation, and finally the cannon was paraded through town in the 4th of July Parade in 2002. The sign said, “The Eagle has landed in Ocean Grove.” Phil says that it was a “community effort.”
July 4, 2002. Main Avenue, OG. HSOG photo.
The cannon was placed permanently in Founders Park along the edge of Wesley Lake. It was aimed toward Asbury Park, because “that was the only solution that made sense,” according to Phil. He smiled slightly as he said that he takes “full responsibility ” for that decision.
There are two plaques. One tells a bit about the cannon’s early history, while the other names all those who took part in bringing this historic treasure back where it belongs.
That same year, Phil May was named “Man of the Year” by a New Jersey Civil War association.
Phil May. Ocean Grove, NJ. September 2013. Paul Goldfinger photo taken on our porch on Mt. Hermon Way where he agreed to be interviewed by Blogfinger.
Editor’s Note: Phil May was an important figure in the Grove.
He lived in Ocean Grove on and off for over 50 years. He had been a school teacher, a union official, a hotel owner, a property owner, and the proprietor of an antique shop. But his intimate knowledge of all the important events in the Grove for at least 40 years made him a valuable historical asset.
He had been at the center of the formation of the Chamber of Commerce and the HSOG. He also was witness to many significant changes in town including the opening of the gates in 1979, the town’s deterioration and then its restoration through the ’80’s and 90’s.
—PG
TOM GLAZER from his Treasury of Civil War Songs. This is “Tenting on the Old Camp Ground.” This song is ironic, because there used to be a yearly re-enactment of a famous Civil War battle, and the Union soldiers would set up tents on Ocean Pathway. It’s a shame that this wonderful event was cancelled because the soldiers would set up small campfires, and visitors could walk through that “village”.
Evidently the Fire Department felt that the campfires were dangerous, but now the CMA sets up bonfires on the beach each summer, and flying sparks could also be risky.
Grovers like to find out about the history of their homes. The most interesting houses are those that were built from the time of the founding (1869) up to the turn of the last century. When work is done on an old house in town, some fascinating findings can turn up.
When we gutted our 1880 kitchen, we found a hidden winding staircase. It seems that the way to get to the second floor was to climb that staircase which began in the kitchen. Then that part of the stair case was buried when the home was turned into a duplex, and the front door was relocated. You can still see a turning portion of the stairs if you look up while walking down to the basement. As most of you know, the HPC has no interest in the interior of our homes (thank goodness.)
One of the most common findings relates to the siding. The original siding was wood shingles or clapboard which was later often covered over with asbestos shingles or, even later, with vinyl or aluminum. Evidently, some of that wood siding was in good condition, and it was buried, much like the treasures in Tut’s Tomb.
Now, as new owners seek to restore an authentic historic look, there is great interest in the original siding as it is unveiled by workmen. The HPC encourages that sort of archeology, and sometimes the old siding is still very beautiful and useful.
Today, some workmen showed up from New Egypt. They are specialists in asbestos removal. I asked the foreman about his long commute to work from Africa, but evidently there is a NJ town with that name near Fort Dix. They worked very carefully to remove the asbestos-laden shingles. The workers spread large black plastic sheets all over and they wore special suits and ventilator masks. He said that the most worrisome aspect of the removal process is not the shingle removal, but the dust under the shingles. The crew was very careful because they understand the risks and the historic significance of protecting the wood underneath.
We shut the windows adjacent to the alley and front walls where they were working and we decided to use the back door exclusively for now. This process should take a few days. They did not recommend any respiratory protection for us, because the asbestos is trapped within the shingles which they remove in one piece as much as possible. The foreman said that only about 15% of the shingle material is actually asbestos.
One of the workmen was smoking a cigarette while taking a break. Asbestos and cigarettes are a lethal combination.
I can remember Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City during my medical residency in the late “60’s where I met Dr. Irving Selikoff whose pioneering work on the health risks of asbestos helped turn the tide of that material’s use in construction. He used to show us chest xray’s of asbestos workers who had heavy exposures, for example in ship yards. Asbestos is a carcinogen, and the biggest risk is for lung cancer (mesothelioma.) Many law suits ensued over the years after that discovery. Below is a quote from the Mt. Sinai web site:
“Because of its hazards to human health, virtually all new use of asbestos has ceased in the United States. A combination of government regulation and market pressures brought about the end of asbestos. These actions stemmed in large part from the landmark studies on asbestos conducted at Icahn School of Medicine (Mt. Sinai) by the late Dr. Irving J. Selikoff and his colleagues.”
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net. BF post 9/18/2016
The QSpot story may have aroused your curiosity regarding the story of the building which now houses the Jersey Shore Arts Center. Here is the timeline which we wrote. I have never seen the written agreement between the JSAC and the OG Camp Meeting Association.
1. 1897: The CMA offers a leasehold agreement to the Neptune Twp. Board of Education to make use of the property for education.
2. 1898 : Neptune High School is built on the property at Main Street and Main Avenue in Ocean Grove, New Jersey.
3. 1980: Neptune High School closes its doors. Building progressively decays into the 1990’s.
4. 1994: The idea of turning the building into an arts center was developed by Herb Herbst with the help of State Sen. Joe Palaia. The Ocean Grove Historical Preservation Commission was formed to implement the arts project, and they knew that the building had to be used for education.
According to Herbst, the group received its non-profit tax exempt status by partnering for one month with the OG Fishing Club. He said that certain Ocean Grove organizations refused to help him. He credits the Chamber of Commerce and the Camp Meeting Association with being supportive.
5. 1996: The JSAC took title to the building in 1996. Here is a quote (9/16 FIOS 1 News) from Herb Herbst regarding that agreement:
“Herbst says he has to operate under a 1896 agreement when the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association provided Neptune Township Board of Education the land to be used for purposes regarding education and arts.
“For any reason if I fail to stay within the arts category, there’s a clause that would revert everything back to the previous owners,” Herbst said.
6. 2009: In an interview, Herbst told Blogfinger that he was aware of the revert clause.
Herbst is the President and CEO of the arts center. There is a board of trustees and a ladies’ auxiliary.
7. Over the years a great deal of money was raised along with the sweat equity provided by many volunteer workers. The building was in terrible condition in 1994, but it has now been restored, adding millions of dollars to its value.
8. In 2014, the JSAC leadership became worried because it thought that the CMA wanted to reclaim the building. After further discussion, the CMA made it clear that it did not want the building back.
9. Sept. 2016, the JSAC reported that it would not renew the lease to a gay group QSpot because the required arts/entertainment functions were not being offered and that the group was mostly a service organization.
10. Currently, 2016, the JSAC is busy offering crafts, art classes, dance lessons, serious theater events, Broadway style shows, concerts and a culinary school.
This article was originally published on Blogfinger in August 2009, only two months after the blog’s e-birth. Needless to say, we had few visitors back then. The story of the Ocean Grove “gates” is pivotal in the history of this town and should be re-told occasionally so that those who are unfamiliar with the details can gain some perspective as they view life in the Grove now. We re-posted it in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2020. and then again now in 2025, with some updates along the way.
By Paul Goldfinger, M.D. Editor, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA.
The year is 1875, and the Camp Meeting Association’s first President, Rev. E.H. Stokes said, regarding the gate closure on Sunday, “There is no human probability that these rules will ever be revoked.”
That same year, the President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, came to Ocean Grove on a Sunday. A wooden picket fence with a swing gate blocked his way at the entrance to town, and he had to leave his horses and carriage and walk one half mile to his sister’s house on Wesley Lake. Then he went on to the open air auditorium, where 5,000 adults, children, and Civil War veterans waited for his arrival.
Of all the “blue laws,” the ban on parking of all-wheeled vehicles and the ban on driving such vehicles into town, from midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday, was the one that seemed to best define the spirit of those Christians who came to Ocean Grove each summer for the chance to relax with their families and to praise God in a most unique environment. Only police, fire, doctors’ cars, and ambulance units could enter and leave.
In 1916 two stone pillars were erected, and a chain was used to prevent access into the town’s two entrances. A policeman would be in charge of opening and closing the “gates” and he would remain stationed in a little gate house at the Main Avenue entrance. That little house still stands. On Sunday nights, before midnight, a festive atmosphere would prevail, until the officer on duty allowed the folks to drive back into the Grove.
Some people moved to town just because of those Sunday rules, and, for most of those who lived in Ocean Grove, part time or full time, they totally supported the idea of Sundays free of noise, clutter, and secular distractions. They didn’t care that they could not go to the beach, play ball, garden, smoke, play cards, drink alcohol, dance, buy food, mow the lawn, hammer a nail or even ride a bike. To them it was unthinkable that this rule might be abolished, because they thought that if it ever happened, Ocean Grove would never be the same.
Ocean Grove had received a charter from the State of New Jersey in 1870, which allowed the Camp Meeting Association to govern the town, including making laws (ordinances) and enforcing those laws with their own police department and municipal court. The CMA governed in Ocean Grove, while the homeowners paid property taxes to Neptune Township.
Ocean Grove received some services from Neptune, but Neptune considered the Grove to be a sort of private estate or gated community and thus they expected Ocean Grove to be somewhat self sufficient, even though Grovers paid full taxes. This tension between Neptune and Ocean Grove regarding taxes and obligations would be a point of recurrent stress for many years to the present.
As time went by, it became apparent that there were those in town who were not so enamored with the blue laws or by the CMA governance. Periodically there would be arguments about this, and in 1921, there actually was a secular Borough of Ocean Grove that lasted one year. After that, there was a suit, and the courts returned the town to the CMA over the issue of the “blue laws.”
In 1975, a lawsuit emerged and eventually made its way to the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1977. It was brought by The Ocean Grove News Service which wanted to be able to enter the town for one hour each Sunday at 2 am in order to deliver the Asbury Park Press. For years, the CMA had made an exception for those deliveries, but they tightened the rules so the deliveries were blocked, and the News Service sued.
The NJ Supreme Court went beyond the suit and considered the question of how a religious organization could govern a town, but they eventually decided to avoid church vs. state issues and, instead, they made a narrow ruling, based on “freedom of the press,” that allowed the newspaper deliveries to take place. The vote was 4-3. The three in the minority would have taken governance away from the CMA. The ruling did not abolish the chains or change the authority of the CMA, other than in a one hour lowering of the barrier, once per week.
Just as that controversy quieted, another storm blew into town. A man named Louis Celmer, Jr., of Belmar, was arrested by the Ocean Grove Police for drunk driving. He was convicted in the Ocean Grove Court, but he sued in 1977 on the grounds that the court was illegal. The judge in the Monmouth County Court agreed that the OG court was unconstitutional and reversed the Celmer conviction and the Sunday closings.
The chains were temporarily taken down pending appeals, causing confrontations at the gates that summer, with people blocking traffic and setting up lawn chairs in the streets. At one point, according to a police officer who was there, a near riot ensued.
Since the judge had thrown out the CMA rules, Neptune Township tried to help the CMA by approving an ordinance which banned parking in Ocean Grove on Sundays. So you could drive into town, but since you couldn’t park, you had to keep driving, or leave. This pseudo-partnership with Neptune and the CMA continues to this day providing advantages to both sides, with We-The People swept to the side.
Blogfinger has complained about these advantages since we were founded in 2009, and the North End Redevelopment plan of 2025 can be traced back to that partnership.
In 1978, The New Jersey Superior Court ruled that the OG Court was constitutional and they reversed the Monmouth County decision. The chains were now lawful once again. Many people became interested in the issues at stake. Letters to the editors of the APP from ministers, priests and even a rabbi encouraged support for the Sunday rules. It was said that 90% of Ocean Grovers wanted the ban to continue.
In 1979, the Celmer case was appealed again and went to the New Jersey Supreme Court. This time the composition of the court was different compared to the 1977 case.
On June 21, 1979, the situation in Ocean Grove was changed forever. The court voted 7-0 and said, “The 1870 charter is unconstitutional and of no force and effect.” The ruling stated, “The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association of the United Methodist Church can be delegated neither the power to manage public highways or other public property, the power to make laws, nor the power to enforce Board rules through establishment of a police department and municipal court. These functions must hence forth be exercised by the governing body of Neptune Township, of which Ocean Grove forms a part.”
The court expressed its admiration for the CMA and its goals in Ocean Grove. The ruling said, “This way of life need not be abandoned on account of today’s decision. The Association may continue to adopt rules which it deems necessary to protect Ocean Grove’s unique cultural and spiritual characteristics. The inhabitants of Ocean Grove and indeed all others who so choose, remain free to voluntarily abide by those rules.”
Rev. Harold Flood, President of the CMA, said on June 28, 1979, in the Ocean Grove Record, that the CMA ordinances were no longer enforceable. He referred to the “former ban on Sunday driving and parking” and he asked that Ocean Grovers cooperate. He said, “The best we can do is to obey the law, and the law says our gates are open.” The CMA Board then voted to take down the chains permanently.
But in the Asbury Park Press, Rev. Flood was quoted as saying that the parking ban would continue, because it is enforced as a Neptune ordinance approved by the State. So the CMA, in collaboration with Neptune Township, tried to continue the Sunday ban by disguising it as a parking ordinance. The plan was to keep the “gates” open, but have the Neptune Police enforce the Sunday parking ordinance.*
That strategy would not work, because a group of Ocean Grove citizens, led by Mr. Joseph Krimko (subsequently the Mayor of Neptune Township) and Mr. Art Liotti, raised money and sued on the grounds that the Neptune ordinance was illegal. The case was decided in appellate court, and the ordinance was thrown out “three zip” as Mr. Krimko described it in a recent interview with Blogfinger. When asked why he and his colleagues brought the suit, he said, “It was the right thing to do.”
So the chains came down permanently, and Ocean Grove did not fall into the sea. It did not wind up like other religious towns, including Ocean Grove, Australia, which was founded by the same Rev. Osborn who founded Ocean Grove, New Jersey. The Australian town no longer attracts Methodists. It is now a magnet for surfers.
Today, in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, some people still come because they love the spirituality of the town. It still is a traditional place, especially on Sunday, and the Camp Meeting Association continues its religious mission with great vigor. The CMA activities, the Victorian architecture and the town’s history all add to that special “flavor” which is still present and which suggests a place from over 100 years ago.
The entrance to OG is now largely a symbol of freedom as seen in this photograph of Dec. 2017. Paul Goldfinger photo .
Changing demographics have recently contributed considerable diversity and a secular tone which add zest to the mix.
Now (2025), in the town’s 156th year, it remains a one-of-a-kind special place to live in and visit, with elements of both the old and the new complementing each other influencing the essence of the Grove.
However, controversies persist stemming from church vs state concerns and other issues that no other Jersey Shore towns have to contend with. Blogfinger continues to report on such matters.
Acknowledgments: Mr. Ted Bell (Ocean Grove historian and author), Mr. Joseph Krimko (former Ocean Grove Police officer and Neptune Mayor), Mr. Joseph Bennett (former Neptune Township Clerk), staff at Asbury Park Library and Neptune Township Library, and “The Other Side of Ocean Grove” by Mr. Ted David.
Historical note: We had some difficulty establishing the exact date in 1979 or 1980, when the chains came down permanently. The written materials and oral histories were unclear on this point. My best guess would be June 1979, after the Supreme Court ruling, but there were some indications that the chains were up and down a few more times into 1980, before they permanently left town. —-PG
Blogfinger Editor’s note: 2018. Regarding that peculiar collaboration between Neptune Township and the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association in 1980, a collaboration designed to ignore the freedom ruling of the N.J. Supreme Court and constrain the citizens and visitors in OG.
It reminds me of the current collaboration of the CMA and Neptune Township regarding the plan to turn the North End of OG into Asbury Park South using an illegal zoning change that called the property a “zone in need of redevelopment”—something that was not in the best interest of the citizens of this town and violated the Township Master Plan regarding the Grove.
What else has that partnership accomplished in the past for the “benefit” of those who live here?
That list includes the condoization of the Grove producing over 300 condo units, mostly without parking and the obscene granting of a use variance without justification and outside the NJ land use laws to allow a developer to turn the famously historic Aurora Hotel into 4 condominiums in a single family zone. This arrogant action was delivered by the Neptune Township Zoning Board of Adjustment in 2018 in plain sight and without any apologies to the citizens of Ocean Grove. I was present when the developer basically thumbed his nose at us and walked out of the meeting.
And now, the Township is failing to prevent the plan by the North End developers (OGNED) to bypass the Historic Preservation Commission.
Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor Blogfinger.net. Updated January 2025.
BROADWAY CAST OF HAMILTON “Raise a Glass to Freedom—The Story of Tonight”
Lane Villa–63 Cookman Avenue, Ocean Grove, NJ. Owners and staff pose out front c. 1905. Jacob Lane is seated with his wife Sarah to his left. Photo courtesy of Les Lane
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net
We enjoy hearing personal accounts of Ocean Grove history. Recently we were contacted by Les Lane who lives in Georgia. He has been tracing the history of his family whose roots go back to Amsterdam (Netherlands), emigrating to New Amsterdam, New York in 1663.
In 1905, his great-great grandparents moved to Ocean Grove— 63 Cookman Avenue, at the corner of Pilgrim Pathway. Les doesn’t know anything about the building prior to his family’s purchase. The property remained in the Lane family for about 35 years.
Mr and Mrs Lane celebrate their 50th in the Grove.
Mr. Lane says that his family surname was Laenen van Pelt. His GGGF Jacob Lane was born in New Jersey in 1830, while Jacob’s wife Sarah Ann Middlesworth was born in 1836. Jacob had a tailor shop in Newark. He evidently retired because of health reasons and purchased the property on Cookman to be run as a boarding house. He did not choose Ocean Grove because of religious reasons; he saw it as a business opportunity. We don’t know if the family were Methodists.
The Lane daughters: Mae Lillian and Laura Anna in Ocean Grove
Sarah and their two daughters, Laura Anna Lane and Mae Lillian Lane ran the day-to-day operations at Lane Villa.
Les Lane has no family letters to give any insight into their lifestyle, but he does have his GG-grandfather’s old tailor tools, a pair of opera glasses, and a coffee grinder that was used in the kitchen.
The 1910 census shows the four of them living there. Sarah died in 1911, while Jacob died in 1915. The two daughters continued to operate the Villa until the 1930’s. The 1930 census shows them still living there, but by 1940 they were living on Broadway. According to family lore, the sisters lost the Villa sometime in the 1930’s “to a shady lawyer.”
Les shared his genealogy research with us and commented on the current condition of the property, “It’s truly sad how much the Lane’s boarding house has changed since the early 1900’s”
The property today is much different. It consists of multiple apartments. Too bad the HPC wasn’t around back when. Thanks to Les Lane for sharing his research about his family in Ocean Grove.
The former Lane Villa: June, 2013. Blogfinger photo
“Thanks for the Memory”– This song won an Academy Award in 1938. The recording is by Regis and Joy Philbin. The album is “Just you, Just me.”
By Paul Goldfinger (Editor @Blogfinger and owner of a Sousa fan fan)
Prior to the orchestral concert on July 29, 2010 in the GA, Mr. John Shaw, the Hope-Jones organ curator, stood before the audience to offer a prayer and to introduce the program. He also mentioned something that was potentially intriguing to those who are interested in music and Ocean Grove history. He said, and I paraphrase, “Exactly one hundred years ago, John Phillip Sousa and Enrico Caruso appeared together on this stage.” But Mr. Shaw did not elaborate.
John Phillip Sousa
Enrico Caruso
So, here is the Blogfinger Historical Fiction Contest springing to life. Send us a brief (no more that 4 sentences) account of what those two musical giants were doing on the stage of the GA in 1910. The top three winners will receive an original Ocean Grove car magnet. (For those of you who want a magnet but do not want to participate, you can buy them at News ‘n Such on Main Avenue)
Here is the first entry by P Goldfinger who is not eligible for a prize:
1910: Enrico Caruso, the great tenor, hit a high note last week at the Met and hurt his groin. He came to the Grove for some R and R, staying at the Abbott House. His old buddy J.P. Sousa was playing a concert in the Great Auditorium and he called Caruso up to the stage to take a bow and to sit in the piccolo section for the playing of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” Caruso, who could not play the piccolo, was content to hum along.
Joy Adase in 2014 when she joined the garden tour. Paul Goldfinger photo
Since Christmas is such a happy holiday, we decided to re-post this article from August, 2018, in Ocean Grove. Ultimately, for those of us who live here, the main focus becomes our homes and life-styles in this historic town.
Here is the story of a Heck Avenue family showing off the home of their dreams. By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net 2018:
Four years ago (2014), Joy and Mike Adase found their OG home on Heck Avenue. They sold their 5 bedroom house in Howell, downsized their stuff, and moved into a historic (1885) two-story, 2 bedroom, 1200 square foot Ocean Grove cottage at #97 What-the-Heck Avenue.
Here is a link to an article we posted about the Adases in 2014 when they were newcomers:
Since they have been here full time, they have been “in love” with the town of Ocean Grove and with their unique home.
So this year, the Adases decided to join the house tour, sponsored by the Historical Society of OG, which was held on Friday, August 3, 2018. During the tour, Mike and Joy got out of the way and visited one of their favorite spots: New Hope, Pa.
Joy said that it was a lot of work to get their home just right for the tour, but she is happy to “share” her home with visitors; the more, the merrier.
“I feel blessed to live in this beautiful town and in this home,” said Joy. Now that the tour is over, she says, “I’m glad we did it.”
Docent Joanne greets visitors on the porch. Note the original metal awning. 8/3/18. All photographs by Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net.
There were 8 homes on the tour, and many visitors, mostly women in groups of 2-4, were happily making the rounds.
The house was on display with five docents providing a lively tour. Joanne, a neighbor, was greeting visitors on the porch. She pointed out the original metal awning overhead, which is rare in the Grove. The original doorbell is rung by twisting a knob.
Docent Mike explains the front parlor. Blogfinger photos 8/3/18
Inside was another neighbor Mike who says he loves to chat, so being a docent is right up his alley, and this is the third year he is doing it. He used the joke-of-the-day with every visitor, pointing out the “one butt staircase” heading to the master bedroom.
Visiting the living room. Blogfinger is seen in the mirror photographing.
Docent Colleen at the top of the staircase (room enough for one tush at a time)
Having neighbors conduct the tour offered an extra dimension of enthusiasm as Colleen allowed visitors to poke their heads into the bathroom.
Of course, the whole house was lovely and spotless. We met some visitors from out of town including: Pennsylvania, Ramsey and Midland Park. Visitors to the Grove are well familiar with the exteriors of our homes, but to tour the interiors is quite a special experience especially for house voyeurs.
Outside was Marty who was enjoying showing the Serenity Garden. This is another of those OG gardens that are quite special in small spaces. She pointed out the grape vines growing on the side fence and the popcorn plant along the edge of the house. Pick a piece and smell it to experience the Jersey Shore popcorn aroma.
The next day Joy relaxed on her porch, sipping from her Christmas cup, happily reviewing the tour with Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net. 8/4/18
I have a question about how the HPC does its job. Is it normal that homeowners have a difficult time getting their architectural plans approved in a timely manner?
My architect and I are trying to figure out why this process has turned in to a game of “we need more details and we think you should reconsider this or that.”
Has anyone else felt that it is not really about the guidelines as much as how they want it to look and the power they are able to exercise?
I am starting to feel like it would be better to just sell the house and move. If the family had not been in Ocean Grove since the 1800’s, I guess we would already be gone.
DUCHESS A song dedicated to the HPC as seen through the eyes of some applicants
What happens when a property in Ocean Grove gets “tired beyond it’s useful life?” And how about when a property that has housed citizens of Ocean Grove for over 134 years has “outlived its economic usefulness and no longer has any historic or architectural significance?” And what about when it “contributes nothing to the historic district; has no style; is a nightmare to maintain; is broken down with sagging buckling floors and water damage; and when it has significant structural problems?”
Well, all that and more was said last night at a special Historic Preservation Commission demolition hearing regarding 18-20 Surf Avenue, aka the Whitfield Hotel, located at Surf Ave., Beach Ave.,Bath Ave., and Lonely Street.
The old 54 room hotel was diagnosed by experts as being “a very large box with no style.” Grovers in the audience could be heard murmuring, “Tear it down.'”
Yet, sitting there and thinking of the building as a home rather than a house, made it seem so sad. But clearly, it is time to sound the death knell. No one would ever buy that building and sink the amount of money into it that would be needed to preserve it for the future.
If the Whitfield were a patient, it would be a candidate for euthanasia, and that is exactly what was in the air last night at the HPC meeting held in the municipal building. Quite a few Grovers were present at the meeting.
The Ocean Grove architect who testified for the owners was Stephen Carlidge, AIA. He and historian Wayne T. Bell were in complete agreement about the insignificance of that property, and, for the most part, the HPC members seemed satisfied that the building is a useless mess.
It was acknowledged that the building is currently safe to use, but its near-future prognosis suggests a bad ending unless a major remodeling were done.
The history of the Whitfield is fascinating. There were only two pieces of actual evidence regarding that history. A Sanborn map of 1889 was reviewed and revealed three wood frame buildings on that 4 lot property. There were two small units—maybe even two tents. The other building was perhaps a two story single family Victorian house. All three structures were certainly residential. There are no old photographs.
Sanborn maps were used to assess real estate until the advent of aerial photography. This one from 1889 was used to evaluate the Hotel Whitfield property.
The next piece of evidence was a postcard from around 1930 when the big box looked as it does today. A history of Ocean Grove in 1939 listed all the hotels in town. The Whitfield was on that list. It offered an “American Plan” for dining, and the proprietor was Charles M. Herman.
Bath Avenue rear view. Historic brackets can be seen near the roof line.
The best explanation of the building’s history is that the three units gradually got larger and eventually “morphed” into one structure, sometime between 1910-1920.
Kevin Chambers, the former President of the Historical Society of Ocean Grove made a surprise appearance at the microphone. He said that he and his colleagues had been watching that property years ago as it became degraded by owners who took out original features such as windows, put in aluminum siding and left no sign of the original architecture. Only a small number of decorative brackets remain. Mr. Chambers said that the building was stripped so much that it “is no longer a contributing structure to the community. ” He recommended demolition as being the best decision for the town.
Mr. Ted Bell said that if we were to grade large historic buildings in Ocean Grove, the Aurora would get the highest rating. That building on Surf Avenue is “one of the best examples of Victorian architecture in New Jersey, and perhaps in America. But the Whitfield would get a zero.”
Janice Green, a resident of Surf Avenue, pleaded with the Commission to approve the demolition.
Mr. Carlidge said that the demo would help the “economic base” of the neighborhood and would allow “something more appropriate on the site.” He then went over the 14 criteria needed to satisfy the demolition ordinance, and this proposal satisfied all 14.
The social aspects of the situation regarding the current occupants were not discussed. That is really not the concern of the HPC, nor are the future plans for the property—at least not at this time.
The only mention of the future was to say that the building must be maintained with all systems working until such time as a demolition were to occur . The fate of the building seems clear now, although an official ruling about the demo cannot be declared until at least 90 days go by (i.e. on Dec 10, 2013) The reason for the 90 days is to give some preservationists the chance to show up and save the Whitfield. Any odds on that happening?
It seems clear as to what the fate of the Whitfield will be, and that will be a correct decision, but it is sort of sad—isn’t it?
So many voices over the years have performed at the Great Auditorium. On August 12, 1908, Ocean Grove welcomed a performance of an American operatic contralto star named Louise Homer. She had an active international career in concert halls and opera houses from 1895 until her retirement in 1932. She was also a member of the Metropolitan Opera in the years 1900-1919. I put together the attachment above that has a photo of her plus various priced tickets.
Wonder if she sung a short tune at Days afterwards?
From Rich Amole, Blogfinger staff.
Editor’s note: During the years of Ocean Grove’s famed music director Tali Esen Morgan, many great names appeared in the Great Auditorium. He built a grand house on Abbott Avenue in 1906, and around 1910, he entertained Enrico Caruso who put on a bit of a concert in Morgan’s front parlor. We wrote about that house and about that impromptu concert. Here is the link:
It’s interesting that Rich Amole sent us these tickets which provide for seating in the gallery and the main floor. Curiously, the brochure above refers to the “Grand Auditorium.” That must have been a goofy misunderstanding, because the Auditorium, which was built in 1894, was just called the “Auditorium” at first and for many years. Then a big sign on the roof said “Ocean Grove Auditorium,” and it remained up there until it was falling apart and was removed, but not replaced, in 1979.
According to Wayne T. Bell, Jr, Cindy L. Bell, and Darrell A. Dufresne, authors of The Great Auditorium—Ocean Grove’s Architectural Treasure (2012,) “It took awhile” for the name “Great Auditorium” to take hold. The authors reviewed many sources dating back over 100 years to find out that it was in recent times, perhaps the 1970’s, that the name “Great Auditorium” became official, especially after the PR people got hold of it.
As for Louise Homer, she was a huge star in the opera world, making her debut at the Met. in 1900, performing in Aida. For 19 consecutive seasons she played the “Met” opposite Caruso and other greats of the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Here is an old recording of Louise Homer singing with Enrico Caruso and Marcel Journet in the opera Samson et Dalila. The year was around 1920. They are singing in French about celebrating a victory. I hope it’s not the scene where she cuts off his hair—–so sad; I hate that part. Rich Amole owns these tickets now, having acquired them on Ebay from some Grovers, but if he thinks he can go to the concert, sorry Rich, but you are a little late. —-Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.
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.
