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.
Wesley Lake postcard. Undated. Click these postcards for more detail.
This Blogfinger article was originally posted in 2017 with the help of OG historian and naturalist the late Ted Bell.
Notice how rural the Asbury side appears. There are many trees there which are mostly all gone now. There are boats at both shores, but especially on the Ocean Grove side. Lake Avenue appears to be a boardwalk , and clearly it was not intended to be a street. There is no bulkhead back then.
View of Ocean Grove from Asbury Park ? date
From Ted Bell:
In the early 1800’s there were seven coastal bodies of water from Avon to Long Branch draining into the Atlantic Ocean. By size Deal Lake was the largest with Long Pond (later, Wesley Lake) as the smallest. Years passed, and Wesley Lake became more of a recreational area with over 300 boats available for pleasure and transfer of people from and to the camp meeting grounds of Ocean Grove.
Eventually bridges were built connecting Ocean Grove to Asbury Park. Tolls were collected and shared by the two communities, until the cost of the bridge was paid from the tolls collected.
As a coastal lake Wesley Lake had a natural opening to the ocean. Tides occurred every 12 hours as there was no natural barrier to the flow of sea water into and out of the Lake. Early pictures show a debris line along with some vegetation along the lake shore with a band of sand/silt further up on the sides. This is an indication of tidal action.
Several dams were constructed at the ocean end, turning the Lake into a fresh water lake. The tidal line disappeared. The Lake, over the years, became a silt basin with occasional overflows from heavy rain storms. The question of State Riparian Rights is not addressed in the Annual Reports of the Camp Meeting. The area around Fairly Island was also filled.
At some time the Lake was bulk-headed. The two level terraces from Pilgrim Pathway to the ocean were filled , and a cement wall was constructed (? PA project.) The rest of the lake was bulk-headed. The bulkhead eliminated most of the pleasure boats due to docking problems of the passengers embarking/disembarking from the boats.
ANNIE LENNOX from her album Nostalgia: Ted Bell covered the waterfront in OceanGrove. We miss him at Blogfinger.
Feb. 12, 2017. Theresa Deckenbach of Ocean Grove alerted us to an impressive and fascinating connection to tonight’s Grammy Awards. It seems that one of the nominees, a CD collection of historic performances called “Waxing the Gospel,” represents the culmination of some remarkable music history research that is based on recordings made from 1890-1900 on wax cylinders by an optician from New Y0rk who obtained many of his tracks in the Great Auditorium of Ocean Grove during the annual Camp Meeting week of 1897.
His name was Harry A. Heath and he created the wax cylinders at a time when that was the only technology possible for recording musical events. In this case, he documented early work by important pioneers of gospel music. The roots of the gospel genre are documented here, and it has gospel music lovers very excited. Many of the performers are known to historians, and now they can be heard, quite clearly, over 100 years later.
The result of some extraordinary research resulted in a 3 CD collection and a 400 page book of liner notes. The quality of the CD’s is said to have been enhanced to a significant degree by digital applications.
NJ.com reported on this story yesterday, February 11, 2017, and it is best if you read the article itself, linked below. You can also hear some recorded samples, so don’t miss looking at this NJ.com coup. The article is excellent, written by Bobby Olivier of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com.
In the piece, Olivier said, “As Heath bounced around the meeting, which also welcomed famed hymn writers and star evangelists, what he captured on his phonograph were among the earliest professional gospel recordings ever produced in the United States.”
He also says, “These recordings form a large portion of “Waxing The Gospel: Mass Evangelism and The Phonograph, 1890-1900,” which not only re-illuminates the most devoutly Christian community at the Jersey Shore at the height of its notoriety, but uncovers just how integral the neighborhood was to worldwide gospel music and the advent of its reproduction and distribution.
“It’s a project that has been greeted rapturously: “Waxing” is nominated for two Grammy Awards Sunday night, for Best Historical Album and Best Liner Notes.
“Heath’s recordings, “Waxing the Gospel” co-producer Richard Martin describes, are “the stuff that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.”
Regarding the Grammy situation, NJ.com says, “The project faces some stiff competition: “bootleg” recordings from Bob Dylan, the “Music of Morocco,” even the album notes for Kris Kristofferson’s complete Monument and Columbia albums collection. Still, none of these other nominees expose more wholly the beginnings of an entire genre: the drama and voluminous quality many associate with gospel music today was defined in part at the Ocean Grove meetings.”
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @ Blogfinger.net Re-post 2011.
Several weeks ago we received a flyer about a flea market sponsored by the Old Corlies Preservation Association (OCPA). It seemed innocuous enough when we posted it, until we read to the bottom where it said, “Hamilton—the birthplace of Neptune and Ocean Grove.” Hamilton is the site of an early settlement near Old Corlies Road. Its earliest name was Shark River Village, then Greenville and then it was called Hamilton in 1875, after the founding of OG. There was a church there, but it burned down in 1940 along with all its historic records.
Their claim was surprising, because it did not agree with the history of OG’s founding as we knew it. I contacted the OCPA and received an unsigned email linking to a YouTube video. Their claim is based on the assertion that Ocean Grove’s founding father Reverend William B. Osborn was working for the Hamilton church when he went off to start the community of OG. This seemed like a pretty flimsy linkage, so I hit the books.
Thanks to Ms. Marion Bauman, director at the Neptune Library, I was introduced to a pile of history books including the voluminous History of Monmouth County, a fat book that could give you a hernia if you didn’t lift it with both hands. I also had a history of Neptune Township, Gibbons History of Ocean Grove, and, best of all, I had, in my personal collection, a history of the founding of Ocean Grove written by Mrs. W.B. Osborn, the founder’s wife.
Since this blog posting is not an academic treatise, I will simply tell you that the OCPA’s claim is frivolous. Rev. Osborn singlehandedly promoted the camp meeting concept in New Jersey and it was his energy, commitment, and enthusiasm which resulted eventually in the founding of Ocean Grove
The idea was first presented in 1867 at a national camp meeting conference in Vineland, and the group appointed Rev. Osborn as their official agent to find a suitable site in New Jersey. After an extensive search up and down the Jersey coast, the site now known as Ocean Grove was chosen in 1868. Rev. Osborn named the town and he recruited a team of supporters from places like Farmingdale, Philadelphia and Long Branch.
A group of them set up tents in the summer of 1869 and had the first prayer meeting on July 31, 1869, amongst the bushes, trees, briars, and dunes at a location now known as Founders’ Park. In December 1869, the founders met in Trenton and set up the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.
Rev Osborn was put in charge, although he was assigned a part time job, to help support his family, performing Sunday services at the church in Greenville (later known as the Hamilton Methodist Church).
None of my sources give credit to anyone or any church or any organization other than Rev. William B. Osborn himself as the founder of OG. The claim by the OCPA has the effect of diminishing Rev. Osborn’s role. I believe that the claim should be formally challenged by the Ocean Grove Historical Society and the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, in order to set the record straight.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Subsequently the OCPA gave up its paternity claim regarding Ocean Grove.–PG
RIVKA ZOHAR. “The Road to the Village” In Hebrew from a collection of Israeli folk songs.
CREDITS:
1. History of Neptune Township. “Four Score and Five”. 1964
2. History of Ocean Grove. Gibbons. 1944
3. History of Monmouth County, 1964
4. Pioneer Days of Ocean Grove. Mrs. W.B. Osborn c1910.
The assault on Fort Wagner near Charleston. Ocean Grove beach reenactment. c.2002. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click to enlarge
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, NJ, USA
During the Civil War there were few African-American regiments, but one, the 54th Massachusetts, was honored by the people of Boston, and a movie called “Glory” was made to tell the story of that courageous unit.
Col. Robert Shaw. From the Civil War Trust.
Robert Gould Shaw , an idealistic white officer, came from an abolitionist Boston family. He took charge of that black unit and was determined to prove that they could be as courageous as any white unit. They didn’t have the chance to fight early on, but finally in 1863, they were ordered to leave Boston and head to South Carolina.
There they were given the opportunity to attack one of the Charleston defenses which was held by the Confederates. The 54th took the lead and led the charge. The 25 year old Colonel Shaw was killed in the battle.
An African-American reenactment unit used to be featured in Ocean Grove, NJ each year when the battle of Fort Wagner was reproduced on the OG beach. The soldiers would camp overnight on the Pathway and they would chat with Grovers and other visitors who came by.
It was wonderful and very authentic—-living history. We need more of such events in this historic town.
Unfortunately, the reenactments in OG were ended because of fire risks due to the camp- fires.
Honoring the men of the 54th Massachusetts in Boston.
JAY UNGAR AND MOLLY MASON “Marching Through Georgia” from Civil War Classics:
Front parlor: Tali Esen sat at his grand piano (left side, by the windows) while Caruso stood in front of the fireplace. All photos by Paul Goldfinger
By Paul Goldfinger and Eileen Goldfinger (home, garden and food editor at Blogfinger.net). Re-post by popular request:
1906 was a marvelous year for Ocean Grove and the Camp Meeting Association. The town attracted huge crowds to the summer events. Photographs of the era showed wall to wall people at the beaches and bathing pavilions. The Great Auditorium, with its 10,000 seat capacity, was one of the first mega-churches, but it also was the home of incredible musical events, with spectacular performances by stars such as John Phillip Sousa and Enrico Caruso.
A well known impresario named Tali Esen Morgan was the man responsible for these ambitious programs which included a children’s chorus of 1000 voices and a 63 piece orchestra. He also was in the process of having the Hope-Jones organ installed in the Auditorium— an important event in the town’s history. The organ made its debut in 1908.
Tali Essen Morgan was a man with big ideas who loved to entertain, and it was in 1906 that he built his magnificent home at 51 Abbott Avenue on a double lot. The design reflected his grandiose personality. It was one of the largest and most beautifully appointed homes in OG, with a layout that was perfect for receiving guests.
Oral history tells us that in c. 1910, Enrico Caruso, the famous tenor, was in town for a concert at the GA. Prior to the event, a group of people gathered in the Morgan front parlor for a recital. Morgan sat at the grand piano while Caruso sang in front of the fireplace. Tali Esen Morgan knew many celebrities and, undoubtedly, many visited his OG summer mansion. He was music director in the Grove from 1901-1918.
Over the years, the house became a convalescent home and a guest house before reverting back to a single family . In the 1930’s Helen Hayes stayed in one of the second floor rooms while she appeared on Broadway in “Victoria Regina” with Vincent Price.
In 2000, the home was purchased by Gayle and Ted Aanensen who filled the house with art, antiques and Gayle’s extensive collections, especially of Beatrix Potter memorabilia. Ted was born in Ocean Grove, and the couple is active in the Historical Society. Gayle is the secretary of the organization and she has written two children’s books about OG history. She says that her writing is “inspired” by the history of her home: “I feel the energy in this house.”
Ted says, “Part of our joy is to save the house for the next generation.” He and Gayle plan to continue their ongoing restoration.
We are featuring the downstairs which consists of the parlor, living room, dining room and kitchen. Pocket doors separate the living room from the parlor. There is a butler’s pantry made of cypress. All the windows, floors, moldings, stained glass and built-ins are original. The kitchen was re-done by prior owners.
Mr. W. Ted Bell, Ocean Grove historian, says, “This home comes complete with a story and an exceptional design—outstanding for its form and function.” He admires the furnishings with “many wonderful things of the period.” Mr. W. T. Bell says that the house has characteristics of several periods including Victorian, Queen Ann and Craftsman.
View from the front parlor into the living room. To the left is a grand curved staircase with antique stained glass windows at the first level.
Coming down the stairs is the front door with this stained glass.
Living room
Dining room with original built-ins. Gayle’s collection of red glass souvenirs from Asbury and the Grove (not shown) reflects the light flowing into the DR.
Butler’s pantry connects the LR and the DR. Cypress woodwork has been stripped to its natural color.
We don’t know what Caruso sang during his recital in the Tali Esen Morgan front parlor, but here is Caruso as he might have sounded that day about one hundred years ago. From the “Pearl Fishers” (Les Pecheurs de Perles: “Mi par d’udir ancor.”) It was composed by Georges Bizet.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger. 2015 Re-post
Around 1912 Teddy Roosevelt was a hero in Ocean Grove. He had visited the Grove in 1899 and 1905. “He epitomized the ideal of muscular Christianity….someone who became a skilled leader and protector of the nation.” * As President he spoke in the Great Auditorium, and he appeared on parade with his Rough Riders on the Ocean Pathway.
There was a major youth movement in the Grove back then including a militaristic version for boys called the Young Rough Riders. Boys in the Grove received militaristic training from the age of eight.
Regarding the photograph above, Troy Messenger *said, “A boy innocently playing soldier on the beach actually represented an important performance of gender identity within the perfectionism of Ocean Grove.”
Many of those boys went on to serve in the US Army during WW I.
* From Troy Messenger’s book “Holy Leisure: Recreation and Religion in God’s Square Mile.” University of Minnesota Press, 1999.
Camp Ground c. 1870. Rev. Stokes is in black. Rev. Cookman is in white. Why is no street named after Stokes? Photo courtesy of W. T. Bell* Reposted from June, 2013 on Blogfinger.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
In an article in the New York Times, published on July 12, 1873, their “special correspondent” said,” On the eastern coast of New Jersey, from Sandy Hook to Cape May, there is not a more lovely spot, nor one better adapted for a Summer’s resort than Ocean Grove. The grove proper is situated six miles south of Long Branch, and contains 300 acres of forest land, bounded on the north by Wesley Lake, on the south by Fletcher Lake, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by the turnpike road to Long Branch.”
Even though Ocean Grove was only four years old then, there were already 300 cottages built or under construction. That week of July 11, 1873, there was a beehive of activity getting ready for the week long “Union Seaside Convention” which was being held for the dedication of the Tabernacle, which was a “monmouth tent” open on the sides and able to seat thousands. The event was not only for Methodists. It was clearly for Christians, but a variety of sects were welcomed and were in attendance including Presbyterians, Baptists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Friends and Methodists.
“Crowds” were pouring into the Grove from Philadelphia and New York by train. “By noon the place was fairly overrun.” The tourists had to be resourceful in finding a place to stay. There were to be 250 tents erected, and workmen were rushing about trying to get them finished.
The article mentioned that 1,500 people lived in OG for the summer season, and 600 of those lived in tents. The tents were set up all over town—there were no special tent places. It was noted that there was a “bare strip of grassland” running near the beach, and many tents were erected there. Setting up was a family affair, and the process was considered great “fun” as people were moving furnishings and supplies around all over town.
In the Grove were a few boarding houses and “several very good hotels.” You could stay for a week in an “excellent” place for $10.00. The “season” extended from June through September, but the huge camp meeting week was held in August. People would come from the train and go to the post office to find out where they could get a room.
The Times observed that “there is no hurry about anything. Everybody takes his time.” No intoxicating beverages could be sold in the Grove or for 3 miles around. The main activities were “boating, bathing and fishing.” Some of the “boys” played baseball. Others played croquet, although it’s not clear if girls could join in.
Most visitors and townies showed up for the dedication of the Tabernacle where there were prayers and speeches. Note that the Bishop Janes Tabernacle was constructed in 1877.
A couple of interesting items were mentioned in the article. One stated that homeowners received a 99 year lease, but at the end of that term, the family heirs could “buy the lot unconditionally.” That sounds like something to look into.
Finally, a very special event was to happen that week. Rev. Osborn, the founder of OG, was to be presented with a $3,000.00 cottage on Wesley Lake.
It sounds like Ocean Grove became quite famous very quickly after the Founders first got together in a park over by Long Pond (later, Wesley Lake) in 1869.
JOAN MORRIS:
CREDIT: Photo from Images of America: Ocean Grove.* Thanks for permission from Wayne T. Bell, author.
See the Blogfinger article about the birth of Ocean Grove: ” Who’s Your Daddy?” The true story of the founding of Ocean Grove. (Scroll down a short distance) link:
Ted Bell conducts his annual Sunday historical walking tour. Here he demonstrates the size of a finial. Paul Goldfinger photo. 2013 in Ocean Grove, NJ.
By Paul Goldfinger, guided tour editor @Blogfinger. Re-posted from 2013 and 2015, but it never gets old.
You can always learn something about Ocean Grove history when you join the late historian Ted Bell on his annual HSOG tour of Beersheba award winners. But Ted didn’t exactly stick to the script, so the group got to hear some unusual factoids. Here is a sampling of Ted Bellisms:
1. Ocean Grove is 350 square acres. 640 square acres equals a square mile. But if you take into consideration that Ocean Grove extends 1,000 feet into the ocean, you come up with “God’s Square Mile.”
2. Neptune Township controls the streets from curb to curb, whereas the Camp Meeting controls the edge of the roads beyond the curbs. Thus, Neptune Twp. could not have parking meters without the cooperation of the CMA.
3. There are about 200 Sears and Roebuck prefabricated houses in the Grove. You ordered your house from a catalogue, and it came in pieces on a big truck, with instructions included.
4. 5 tents have bathtubs.
5. Each OG lot is 30 feet wide x 60 feet deep. Some houses are built on two lots, while others are build on half lots.
6. The “perfect” Victorian cottage can be found at 29 Bath avenue. The light in front is from the original bridge that connected OG to Asbury Park.
The “perfect Victorian cottage” 29 Bath Avenue . Note that there are no railings around the ground floor porch. Paul Goldfinger photograph
24 1/2 Atlantic Ave. Beersheba award winner for new construction. Replaced an identical home destroyed by a recent fire. On half lot. PG photo
I miss Ted Bell. He was a wonderful Grover and American, and he laughed at my jokes and helped us get the historic Grove story told correctly . PG
