"Asbury Park: A Brief History," which I co-authored with Harry Ziegler, will be in print from the History Press next week. Harry and I will be at the "History Fair of the Jerseys" at Washington Crossing State Park next Saturday, May 2, signing copies, and will probably also make an appearance in Asbury Park that evening and expect to do a signing there on the "First Saturday" festivities in June. Below is the History Press blurb on the book, which is priced at $19.99:
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Asbury Park: A Brief History
Joseph Bilby
Harry Ziegler
The history of Asbury Park is a veritable roller coaster of challenge, triumph and change. In 1871, there was nothing but marshes and sand dunes between the sinful city of Long Branch and the holy haven of Ocean Grove, but for devout Methodist James Bradley, the deserted beachfront was a new Promised Land. Thus, the resort community Asbury Park was born as a wholesome entertainment and relaxation center for middle-class, white Protestant America. From bicycles and baby parades to brawlers and bootleggers, Bilby and Ziegler trace Asbury Park's cycles of transformation from peaceful resort to raucous amusement park, from empty boardwalk to modern, bustling center of business.
I have not lived in NJ since 1961. Was there a chain between Asbury Park and the next town? If not, does anyone remember the names of the two towns. Eileen
When we were small children the family vacationed in Belmar. The big night was to go on the rides in Asbury. As a teenager spent many a weekend eve down there with Benny, Raymond, Chris, Joe Grabowy and "Big Mike". The Flying Cages. Making a nice comback. We were there to see our son's singer perform at Twisted Tree Cafe and last night The Stone Pony. In recent years as seen a renaissance as an influx of wealthy members of NYC's gay community have bought homes and renovated. The next Hoboken.
Our in-laws love the beach at Ocean Grove. Bob Davis is "Mister Belmar". Bill Parcells used to have a house in Sea Girt. The fighting mayor of Jersey City has a place in Bradley Beach. But my wife loves the beach at 7 Presidents park in Long Branch.
The chain you remember was to close off Ocean Grove on Sunday. Back in those days there was no driving on Sunday in "the Grove." We used to summer in Manasquan occasionally, and would always go up to Asbury Park for the rides on Friday. I loved the shooting gallery with real .22 rifles, and the bumper cars. I describe that in the book's last chapter.
It is an interesting place. James Bradley chasing traveling beer vendors and young lovers, political shenanigans that rival Jersey City and Newark, an attempted KKK coup back in the 1920s, the Morro castle shipwreck, German submarines off the coast in 1942, a Frankie Lymon riot in the 1950s blamed on people from Newark, and then a serious urban riot in 1970.
It is coming back, though, even in the midst of a recession.
Just for the record, I am not involved, in any way, with the powers that be in Belmar politics!
The towns that surround Asbury Park are; Loch Arbour, Allenhurst, Wannamassa and Ocean.
I worry more about driving thru Ocean Grove than I do about driving thru Asbury Park. 'DRY' towns have that kind of effect on me!
Joe, I can't believe you couldn't locate me. I'm not that hard to find. I have 10 different brands of beer in my refrigerator. You have an open invitation to stop in anytime! BD
My better half - Bill - is down the shore just about everyday. That's his new (almost a year) territory for dairy products. Asbury Park keeps him busy with all of the new restaurants opening. He said some are pretty up scale. Bobby, you might see him wandering Belmar once in a while too.
Joe... was wondering of those pics I sent you on cd were useful??? no, not looking for royalties, just wondering... you doing academic desk review copies of the book??? always looking for new fodder for classes...:)
Unfortunately, I was never able to open the files, and at the time they were pushing us to finish the manuscript. Of course in the end they decided to hold the manuscript until just before the season, but they did not think that at the time.
The book purchased from Joe arrived today. Figuring that it would be a nice relaxing read over the weekend, I began to thumb through it and was hooked, I couldn't put it down.
Hi Joe, got the book on Friday, been reading it all weekend, excellent. I remember those 22's, left alot of money there. Didn't they have BB machine guns on the BW as well, or was that Olympic Park?
I think there was a BB machine gun deal somewhere down there, and perhaps elsewhere, and I remember shooting them, but my memory is fuzzy on that. The .22 Winchesters really stuck in my mind though.
There is a stand on the Seaside Heights boardwalk that has the BB machine guns. The object of the game is to shot out a half-dollar, coin sized, red star from a sheet of paper. There can't be any red left on the paper. Over the past 45 years or so, I've tried that game several hundred times and never won. About 8 years ago I had cousins over from Ireland. I took them to Seaside and I told them about the stand on the way down and they said they would like to try. I went first! No luck! My cousin Hugh was second. He won! my other cousin Damian was next and he won too! The guy at the stand said that 2 winners in a row had never happened at that stand. On the way home we were jammed into my car with life-sized, stuffed replicas of Big Bird and a Polar Bear. They couldn't take them back to Ireland so they donated them to St. Barnabas Hospital's Children's Ward.
Moral of the story....Up the IRA!!!!
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