Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Asbury Park, part 1

I took a trip down the Jersey Shore this last weekend to visit Asbury Park.  A popular beach community in the Victorian era, it's suffered through a century of neglect and decay, but is making a comeback.

It looks like some old landmarks are being preserved, such as the Old Heating Plant and Casino buildings.

Asbury Park

Here is the Casino from the front.

Asbury Park

Inside, there are some beautiful murals and evidence of some grand old architectural elements.

Asbury Park

Here's a shot of the boardwalk, looking north towards the Convention Hall from the Casino. There are shops and concessions along the way...

Asbury Park

...as well as about a mile of lovely beach.

Asbury Park

This photo really doesn't do justice for the Paramount Theater building, which is spectacular in person.

Asbury Park

The theater is attached to the Convention Hall and, look what I happened to find inside - the Asbury Park outpost of Max Fish!  They've done a great job with the place, so I spent the better part of the afternoon under their happy clouds...

Asbury Park

Something I did not see, but would have liked to (if I'd been alive at the time), was the wreck of the SS Morro Castle, a cruise ship that beached itself just a few feet away from the boardwalk and the Convention Hall in 1934.  Do spend a few minutes reading the account of what has to be one of the worst maritime disasters ever.  The level of ineptitude would be comical if it weren't so horrific.  Apparently, the wreck became quite the tourist attraction.

More to come...

4 comments:

  1. Great photos! I've always wanted to go out there and now I'm definitely going to try to get there this summer. The bar looked like the perfect place to set anchor and watch the crowds go by.

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  2. Thanks. That was fun and took me back a few years. In the mid-1970's I worked at a hotel on the Jersey Shore, and Asbury Park was a regular day-off spot. Hours of skee-ball, and the Convention Hall had some fine concerts. Elvin Bishop Band, anyone? Marshall Tucker?

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  3. How cool!  I regret not visiting Asbury Park before now.  So much of it has been torn down, but even what remains radiates with history and musical pride.  It's such an interesting place,I really do need to go back and explore more.

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  4. I think you'd like it, Marty.  There are plenty of bars and several musical venues - plenty to do in a walkable area.

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