Asbury Park: The History of a Jersey Gem
The doors open Sunday, June 30 to a major new exhibit at the Eden Woolley House. For many, the topic, “Asbury Park: The History of a Jersey Gem,” is rich with personal memories. It’s a history still being made--a fascinating story of dreams and disruptions.
The first dream belonged to James Bradley, a successful New York businessman and avid convert to Methodism. In 1870, Bradley saw the opportunity to combine both passions--to develop a community profitable to its investors and one dedicated to healthy living (of both the spiritual and physical kind). He bought 500 acres just north of Ocean Grove and set out to realize his vision of a Christian city by the sea. He named it for Francis Asbury, America’s first Methodist bishop. He laid out the streets--and the rules. No alcohol. No unseemly pastimes.
From the start, he was determined to build a thriving year-round community. For decades, Asbury was distinguished among resorts for its booming commercial district and successful light industry.
But times do change. And by the time of his death in 1921, Bradley was infuriated with the changes to his city. In 1903, he sold the boardwalk to the city and began to lose control. In 1906, Asbury annexed the West Side and the immigrant and African American communities (who had built the city) gained a political voice. In 1917, a fire decimated many of the grand hotels, and amusements took their place.
The disruptions continued. The 1920s brought their “roaring” brand of lawless fun--and a major storm that wiped out much of the boardwalk. The Depression brought the fiscal crisis. The war years brought more fiscal turmoil--and a devastating hurricane. The 1960s brought threats to downtown shopping and to the racial balance of the schools.
The exhibit tells of the heydays come and gone--of repeated crisis and rebirth. It begins with Bradley’s dream. It covers Asbury the resort city and Asbury the retail mecca. It pays homage to the rich cultural and musical contributions of the West Side. And it makes the case that throughout the city’s complex history, courageous visionaries have reinvented its future.
Join us for the opening. If you knew the city in its mid-century halcyon days, you’ll find fond memories. If you are rooting for Asbury today, you’ll find a reason to believe in its latest rebirth.
