Air Grove. Submitted by Rich Amole, Blogfinger staff.
Paul,
Judging by the looks of the airplane used, it predates the Wright brothers 1903 plane, placing the photograph in the late 1890’s or so. “I’m looking for you in Ocean Grove NJ” is typed in across the top of the photo. An interesting find referencing the town for whatever the reason.
The moon looks like one of those right out of a silent movie.
Rich
GLENN MILLER and his orchestra with “Moonlight Serenade.” This is from the soundtrack of Woody Allen’s Stardust Memories, filmed in Ocean Grove.
A number of streets in Ocean Grove are named for 18th century preachers who brought Methodism to America from England. The founders of Ocean Grove wanted to honor some of these individuals including Phillip Embury, Francis Asbury and Barbara Heck.
But the most controversial has got to be the “soldier-preacher” Captain Thomas Webb, quartermaster of the 48th British Regiment of Foot which arrived in North America in 1758 to help fight the French in the Seven Years War.
Capt. Webb (1725-1796) lost an eye at the 1759 battle of Montmorency in Quebec. That year he wrote a book on warfare strategies in the “New World.” George Washington owned that book 15 years later and used the lessons against the British in the Revolutionary War.
In 1764, at the age of 40, Captain Webb returned to England where he joined the Methodist movement. He returned to New York City in 1766 where he was one of the earliest Methodist lay preachers involved in establishing the church in America. He was known for preaching in his red regimental uniform and his green eye patch.
On one occasion, shortly after his arrival in New York, he went to a Methodist meeting , in uniform, where he caused a stir. Evidently some British soldiers in England had busted up some Methodist rallies back there. But Webb gained the locals’ confidence and, soon after that, he laid his sword on a bible and proclaimed himself a “soldier of the cross.” He preached throughout the northeast, including New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Some say that he was the father of Methodism in New Jersey, because he travelled all over the state, establishing prayer groups.
In 1773, acting on intelligence from an American agent, Thomas Webb was arrested as a British spy. He was sent to a prisoner of war camp in Bethlehem, Pa. Later he was returned to England as part of a prisoner of war exchange arranged by George Washington, after pleading by Webb’s wife. In England he continued his work for the church until he died.
ELVIS COSTELLO (So why did Rev. Webb misbehave? A woman perhaps)
Centennial Cottage is maintained as a historical museum by the Historical Society of Ocean Grove. It is at Central Avenue and McClintock Street. Tours are given in-season; just contact the HSOG.
The cottage was built in 1874 and is of the “carpenter’s gothic style.” It was donated to the OGCMA by the Robert Skold family.
A Victorian garden adjoins the cottage.
Credit: All the information above is courtesy of Wayne T. Bell of Ocean Grove. He is the author of Images of America: Ocean Grove, published in 2000.
Image courtesy of Ted Bell’s book “Images of America–Ocean Grove.” This 1878 view is of the OG side of Wesley Lake. Two ferry boats carried people to and fro.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger Re-post now from April, 2013.
We have reported on a recent north-south clash where the Asbury Park Council would not initially support the Ocean Grove bid for a FEMA appeal to help pay for the Grove’s oceanfront renewal following the Sandy destruction . Later the Council changed its mind, but some lingering bitterness exists on both sides of the Casino, especially after a councilman called Ocean Grovers “riff raff.”
However, this clash has provided a small opportunity to consider the relationship between the two towns and it provoked some debate by Blogfinger commenters. The basics are that the two towns are geographically neighbors, but are not “sister cities” in the true sense of the word. Instead, the two towns are as opposite as you can get. Maybe “complimentary” would be a good adjective, but there is much at stake in this relationship, which we will cover later.
Ocean Grove, founded in 1869 by Methodist ministers from the Holiness movement, developed as a summer religious community. Asbury Park, founded in 1871, by James A Bradley, named their town after a Methodist bishop, but went on to become a very secular place with a gay community going back to 1950 and a popular summer boardwalk and music scene going back to the turn of the 20th century.
In 1888, James Bradley, recognizing the growing population in AP, entered into an agreement with the OG Camp Meeting Association to provide a way for large numbers of summer visitors to cross Wesley Lake and get to the campgrounds. Up to that point, there were ferries and boats which would carry people back and forth for one cent per ride.
The two towns agreed that two iron bridges would be constructed. One at the foot of New Jersey Avenue and the other at the foot of Pilgrim Pathway. Little toll houses at the OG side would collect the one cent toll, and a policeman would be stationed there. AP borrowed $10,000 from the CMA to help build the bridges, and the two communities shared the income. Interestingly, both sides agreed to post signs that said, “This bridge is private property and is not dedicated to the public.” The reason for that proviso is unclear. Maybe it is to justify the toll.
Two iron bridges were built in 1888. This is the view from the AP side. Click left for larger view. Courtesy Ted Bell.
In 1899, a group of Ocean Grove residents and business owners petitioned the CMA to construct a “drive bridge” across Wesley Lake and Fletcher Lake as a way to help the commercial interests in town drive their wagons back and forth. The goal was to have these bridges near the ocean. In retrospect, the CMA saved the day when they would not allow those bridges to be built—for religious reasons.
In 1932, the iron foot bridges were replaced by the two concrete structures that we see today. The bridges across Wesely Lake have provided a way to get across the water from one town to the other and have benefitted both sides for nearly 125 years. Asbury Park has especially enjoyed these bridges because their boardwalk scene has been hugely popular for years. In the late 1800’s, about 600,000 people visited AP each summer. Of course it went into decline for many years and is now making an impressive comeback.
About 15 years ago, a decision was made to lock those bridges on the OG side at midnight each evening as a crime-fighting measure. That is done at midnight by the Neptune Twp. Police Department. It was a big success in that regard, but some controversy has now surfaced regarding the continued locking practices. In Part II we will talk amongst ourselves about this issue. Stay tuned.
March, 2013. view of Wesley Lake from the OG side. By Moe Demby, Blogfinger.net. Click for larger view
SOUNDTRACK “THE BRIDGES OF MONMOUTH COUNTY.” Oh, sorry, The Bridges of Madison County. It’s Johnny Hartman whose voice is deeper than the water in Wesley Lake.
Clint Eastwood did a fabulous job with the jazz soundtrack for that movie which starred Clint and Meryl.
By the way, Clint and Meryl will be at the Blogfinger Film Festival, so get your tickets. Here is Johnny with “It Was Almost Like a Song.” (Is this about Springsteen?)
CREDITS:
WAYNE T. BELL (“TED”) gave us permission to publish the two top images from his book , one of the Images of America series, Ocean Grove. This is a wonderful history of the Grove which everyone who lives here should own. It is full of terrific photographs, magazine images, postcards, and documents. Ted’s book is still in print and can be purchased on line or at the Historical Society of Ocean Grove for $19.99. Ted also wrote a similar book with vintage postcards of the Grove—also available at the HSOG.
GIBBONS : History of Ocean Grove 1869-1939
MICHAEL GOLDFINGER, photographer: Lives in Tampa, but he used to live in the Grove and he visits here often. (He looks in on his parents in case he has to drive us to the home.) Michael is a former staff photographer at the Asbury Park Press. We have occasionally published his photos on BF (the family business.)
APP, June 22, 1980: “Neptune—–Voters rejected a proposal to create a separate borough of Ocean Grove. Ocean Grove residents favored the idea, but the rest of the Township defeated the proposition.
“Voters approved the question in Ocean Grove 970 to 769, with 59% of the 2,928 registered voters going to the polls. The question carried in four of the five election districts in OG losing by 20 votes in the 3rd District.
“The question needed approval in both Ocean Grove and the remaining portions of the Township. it was rejected in all 19 election districts in the remainder of the Township.
“The defeat means that the Ocean Grove governing body, the Camp Meeting Association, must surrender its municipal functions within 30 days in accordance with a court-ordered plan.”
Editor’s Note: This referendum in Neptune Township in 1980 was held in the wake of the New Jersey Supreme Court decision to force the CMA to turn over governance of the Grove to Neptune Township.
I had heard, in the past, that it was the citizenry of Neptune Township that had power over wishes in the Grove for a separate borough, although it’s not clear why Ocean Grove would have been forbidden to decide for itself to secede. If any of you know, please explain.
This would be a good opportunity for the Historical Society to help us out on Blogfinger.net
Looking further back in time, here is a section of the BlogfingerOG Timeline which documents the actual existence of the Borough of Ocean Grove which lasted only one year 1920-1921:
1920. The Lessee Board is dissolved, and the Civic Betterment League is formed. Its goal is the creation of an independent Ocean Grove Borough. The CMA supports the idea, and the NJ Legislature passes an Ocean Grove Borough bill which creates an incorporated borough, apart from Neptune. Governor Edwards signs it into law, a referendum in town receives wide support, and local elections are held. The new Borough of Ocean Grove operates for one year, but they retain the CMA “blue laws”. Opponents in town want things the old way and they form the “Lessees Association” They sue in State Supreme Court.
2. 1921: The NJ Court of Errors and Appeals finds the Borough bill to be unconstitutional, because the Borough has allowed religious ordinances to stand. The Borough bill might have been upheld if the “blue laws” were discarded, but the CMA and its supporters refuse. The Borough is dissolved, and governance goes back to Neptune and the CMA. This was not the first attempt to gain secular control of OG, but this one came the closest.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net. Re-post from Blogfinger 2012. From our Department of Historical Perspective and Gesticulating Grovers:
In the newspaper article above, from the August 28, 1905New York Times, we get an idea about how wild it could get at the old camp ground in Ocean Grove, only 36 years after the town’s founding. The event was called a “love feast,” and the article clearly describes what that term means. You might have imagined that services in the GA in 1905 were pretty staid affairs, but now we know that they were anything but.
Some parts of the description seem peculiar like singing three hymns all at once. I wonder what the orchestra did with that situation.
Amanda Berry Smith was a former slave who became an evangelical preacher. She was known for her beautiful voice. We don’t have any recordings of her, but here is a Sam Cooke recording (with the Soul Stirrers) of “I’m So Glad (Trouble don’t last always):”
And if you think that church services were all they did in the Great Auditorium in 1905, one month before the Love Feast, President Theodore Roosevelt spoke to the Convention of the National Education Association on July 7, 1905. A photo shows a full house. Not only was the place packed, but there were “throngs’ outside including soldiers and military bands.
The President gave the closing speech. Behind him were the massed Festival Chorus and the Ocean Grove Orchestra. After he finished, they performed the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s “Messiah”.
This was originally posted in June, 2015 on BF. But each year we pay attention to girls in their summer clothes. It is a tradition for our seashore community and for Blogfinger.net.
The June day in 2015 (below) started out rainy and chilly, but later in the day it became Sunny and Cher; it warmed up a bit, but it was still windy.
I went on the boardwalk and saw lifeguards at their stations. A green flag was flying along with “Old Glory.” But no one was swimming. In fact no one was in the water.
I walked up to one of the lifeguard stands and joked with the guards who stayed at their post, like soldiers guarding a “no-man’s land.” An older guard, “Cowboy Dave” was sitting in the rescue boat, 10 gallon hat on and blue sunglasses, but he was facing the water. He is either the first or the last in the lifeboat. He said that he is from OG and that this is his 16th summer as a lifeguard. He reminds me of Robert Duvall smelling napalm in the morning. (Apocalypse Now)
I asked him if he saw any bathing beauties go by, because all that was out there was the surf. He pointed to some young ladies about 100 yards away who were the only ones on the beach, to the north. Clearly this was not a “no-woman’s land.”
They wore some pretty small bathing suits, so it seemed like a good public interest news photo- op for Blogfinger.
When I walked to their location, it seemed like I should ask them why they are in Ocean Grove on such a bleak day. I was thinking that they looked like they should be in Asbury Park. I did not comment on their attire, but you can’t help but notice that this is much different than 1880.
As it turns out, they are coeds who are camping at Allaire State Park where they are renting a yurt. They were having a great time just being together and laughing and talking and telling yurt jokes. They said that they preferred Ocean Grove’s beach to any others. One of them had come to OG as a child.
They especially singled out Days Ice Cream and the summer tents as favorite spots. I only had one BF card which I gave them to photograph and share.
I said goodbye and walked back to the lifeguards offering to sell them the names of the young ladies. They seemed interested, but ultimately I suggested that they get the names themselves.
So who says that we live in Ocean Grave? It’s time to bury that nickname.
By Paul Goldfinger MD, Editor @Blogfinger.net Original 2014…
The Bishop Janes Tabernacle is the oldest permanent structure in Ocean Grove, build in 1877.
It is an airy, open building consisting basically of one room and a center section on top where a sweep of windows allows light to stream in from above and illuminate the seating below–symbolic perhaps, or very practical, or both.
Ted Bell, Ocean Grove historian and author, showed us the 19th century ventilation system which keeps the place cool. Downstairs there is a ring of large doors and windows. The latter open in a curious way, but there is a purpose to the design. The window aims the warm breezes upward where they can stream through the top row of windows.
Outside, the light trickles and flows through the trees to hit the Tabernacle and creates moving patterns on its outside walls and illumination for the prayer books inside.
BACH: Double concerto in D minor for 2 violins and strings. With Yehudi Menuhin, Alberto Lysy, and Camerata Lysy Gstaad.
Ocean Grove, New Jersey. “Heritage”. Photo by Paul Goldfinger
By Paul Goldfinger (Editor @Blogfinger) minor edits since 2010.
TUESDAY——Upon reading Charles Layton’s account of yesterday’s Neptune Township Committee meeting, a disturbing word appeared— “referendum”– in regard to the idea of parking meters in Ocean Grove. It was disturbing, not only because it smelled like a political tactic to use against the wishes of Ocean Grovers, but also because the idea violates the spirit of how Ocean Grove has been treated by Neptune Township in the past. It wanted a Neptune-wide vote; not just for Grovers.
Traditionally there has existed a very unique historical relationship between the Grove and the Township, where Grovers have been allowed to make their own decisions on matters that affect the town’s character, as occurs with the Historic Preservation process today and with the Camp Meeting governance in the past..
Over the years, the deference to Ocean Grovers by Neptune has been a sort of gentlemen’s agreement except, of course, when the law prevails, as in 1979 with the New Jersey Constitution and the opening of the gates. But, even then, Neptune Township showed respect for the Grove and worked with the Camp Meeting Association to cause citizens of OG to be comfortable with the new situation. They even allowed two “blue laws” to remain and they did not have to do that.
Consider further the history of this special relationship. In 1879, the incorporated Ocean Grove was attached to the newly formed Neptune Township. “By law the CMA had to pay taxes to Neptune Township, but chose not to receive any services so as to remain autonomous”* In a speech in 1897, Bishop Fitzgerald stated that OG paid 60% of the Neptune municipal taxes while receiving no services. (Gibbons)
Since the 19th century, there have been many differences between the people of Ocean Grove and Neptune Township, usually over services and/or taxes, but always Ocean Grove was considered as a town within a town— entitled to special consideration regarding its own particular requirements.
In 1920, when the people of Ocean Grove petitioned the NJ legislature to become a separate borough, their wish was granted. The interesting part is that the secession from Neptune was official only after a referendum was held—-among the people of Ocean Grove; not the people of Neptune Township.
Similarly, in the 1980’s and into the 1990’s, when the shore area was in deep trouble, and Ocean Grove was in a state of “decrepitude,” the Ocean Grove Homeowners Association took charge and, forming a sort of “shadow government,” literally took over in running the town and bringing it back from the abyss*.
They did this when Neptune Township had its own problems and could not help. Those people were Ocean Grovers, and this is why a Neptune Township-wide referendum on meters would be an insult and should not be held. Ocean Grove deserves to be treated special.
Traditions, history and understandings must be acknowledged.
CREDIT:
1. * Dr. Karen Schmelzkopf, Department of History and Anthropology. Monmouth University. Author of “Landscape, ideology, and religion: a geography of Ocean Grove, New Jersey.” Journal of Historical Geography, 28, 4(2002) 589-608
2. History of Ocean Grove by Gibbons (1939). Published by the Ocean Grove Times
The Victorian house at 115 Main Avenue (at Delaware) was built by Dr John Alday. The current owners tell us that Dr. Alday had a smaller house on the property until this one was built in 1896. The waiting room was in the rear of the current house. Mr. Ted Bell, Ocean Grove historian, has kindly provided us with the following profile of the doctor:
The John Alday house. 2010 Blogfinger photo
“He was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1828. A practicing physician until 1851 when he became a minister in the Methodist church.
In 1874 he became a Trustee of the OCGMA and continued until his death in his Ocean Grove home in 1911 at the age of 83.
“A bronze fountain was placed in Woodlawn Park in his memory in graceful tribute for his work in Ocean Grove. The park was known as “Alday Park” until 1959 when the Fireman’s Memorial bell was place in the center of the park—the park is now known as “Fireman’s Park. “
Editors note: We have no information regarding the whereabouts of the fountain, but there are old postcards of Woodlawn Park that show a beautiful bronze figure of a woman. Gibbons’ History of Ocean Grove says that the fountain was called “The John H. Alday Memorial Fountain” and that it was “erected” in 1915 and placed in Woodlawn Park. It’s not clear when the park’s name was officially changed to “Alday Park,” but it seems likely to have occurred when the statue was placed there.
—Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor @Blogfinger
Civil War era surgical instruments
Medical history: Nineteenth century physicians had to contend with diphtheria, whooping cough, rheumatic fever, TB, polio, chicken pox, cholera, rabies, tetanus, maybe a rare case of malaria or yellow fever in travelers, and typhoid. Dr. Alday did get to see the discovery of XRAYS in 1895, the germ theory of Pasteur and Koch in 1870, and the development of sterile technique by Lister in 1867. He saw vaccines appear in 1879 for cholera, 1882 for rabies, and in 1890 for tetanus and diphtheria. Dr. Alday saw aspirin invented in 1899 and blood typing in 1901.
He never saw the development of penicillin, Vitamin D for rickets, or insulin, but he probably knew about the first blood transfusion in 1907.
He probably did not have an early ECG machine, because the earliest models, around 1900, were the size of a small house. His main tools were his stethoscope (probably a monaural model) and some crude surgical instruments. He probably made housecalls in a horse and buggy and he would have dispensed his own medications, what few existed at that time. He was a religious man, and his faith and compassion were likely very useful to him in the practice of medicine back then. –Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor@Blogfinger
George Beecroft of Ocean Grove, citizen reporter, shared this New York Times news item from 112 years ago along with the Wikipedia article about the hero—H.R. Reiter.
Princeton football player c. 1902.
Howard Roland “Bosey” Reiter (c. 1871 – 1957) was an All-American football player, coach and athletic director. He was selected for the 1899 college All-America team and played professional football as a player coach for the Philadelphia Athletics of the first National Football League in 1902. He was the head football coach at Wesleyan University from 1903–1909 and at Lehigh University from 1910–1911.
Reiter has been credited by some with the development of the overhand spiral forward pass, which he claimed to have developed while playing for the Athletics in 1902.
THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES: “Mr. Touchdown ” and “You Gotta Be a Football Hero” (to get along with the beautiful girls—–still true, although Internet nerds who go public get girls too.)
Submitted by Rich Amole., Blogfinger staff. Postcard is from August, 3, 1906. The Auditorium was built in 1894, so it was 12 years old when this postcard was sent. There is no big cross in front. CLICK TO ENLARGE.
Pilgrim Pathway view. Dec 26, 2022. Paul Goldfinger photograph. The big cross is there on CMA religious property, so it is appropriate. But how about the pier in the shape of a cross? Click photo to see details.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor, Blogfinger.net
Rich Amole who submitted this postcard notes the horse and buggy in front. The white structure seems to be a fountain or a Victorian planter. The big cross in front is not yet in place.
You can see the adjacent tents on the right, still present. It is not referred to here as the “Great Auditorium,” only the “Auditorium” (which is often still true today.)
Robin Lamont from the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the 1971 off-Broadway show Godspell. This folk rock song, “Day by Day,” by composer Stephen Schwartz was the 3rd song in the show:
Ocean Grove 1912. Submitted by Rich Amole, Blogfinger staff.
Hi Paul:
This photo is from 1912 at the corner or Main and Ocean Avenues looking west. Many pictures have been taken at this location, but this is an excellent black and white showing what appears to be a parade with youngsters & folks strolling up the sidewalk.
Flags can be seen, folks with umbrellas, as this may be a quite warm 4th of July parade; a policeman is in center of picture and onlookers with their bikes.
Main Avenue does not appear to be paved. Two hotels still present today at the corner is the Ocean Front Hotel and the Stratford that is the Belleview Stratford today, four structures down on Main.
This is life in the Grove a long time ago.
Rich (Amole, Blogfinger staff.) source: ebay
Imagine this parade if ROBERT PRESTON had been there with his boys band, in uniform, from The Music Man.
