ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY

'Asbury Park' is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, on the Jersey Shore. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 16,930.
Asbury Park was originally incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 26, 1874, from portions of Ocean Township. The borough was reincorporated on February 28, 1893. Asbury Park was incorporated as a city, its current type of government, as of March 25, 1897."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 177.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

History

Early Years

1920s

Later years

21 Century

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Culture

Nightlife

Hotels

Education

Notable residents

References

External links

Geography

Asbury Park is located at (40.222399, -74.012098).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.1 km² (1.6 mi²). 3.7 km² (1.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (10.62%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,930 people, 6,754 households, and 3,586 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,571.1/km² (11,842.0/mi²). There were 7,744 housing units at an average density of 2,090.9/km² (5,416.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 24.77% White, 62.11% Black, 0.32% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 6.49% from other races, and 5.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.58% of the population.
There were 6,754 households out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 20.2% were married couples living together, 26.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.9% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,081, and the median income for a family was $26,370. Males had a median income of $27,081 versus $24,666 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,516. About 29.3% of families and 30.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.5% of those under age 18 and 27.1% of those age 65 or over.

History

Early Years

A seaside community, Asbury Park is located on New Jersey's central coast. Developed in 1871 as a residential resort by New York brush maker James A. Bradley, and named for Francis Asbury, the first American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States.
Bradley was active in the development of much of the city's infrastructure, and despite his preference for gas light, he allowed the Atlantic Coast Electric Company (precursor to today's Jersey Central Power & Light Co.) to offer electric service.^[1] Along the waterfront Bradley installed a boardwalk, an orchestra pavilion, public changing rooms and a the pier at the south end of the boardwalk. Such success attracted other businessmen. In 1888 Ernest Schnitzler built the Palace Merry-Go-Round on the southwest corner of Lake Avenue and Kingsley Street, the cornerstone of what would become the Palace Amusements, and other attractions followed. ^[2] During these early decades in Asbury Park, a number of grand hotels were built, including the Plaza Hotel.^[3]
Uriah White, an Asbury Park pioneer, installed the first artesian well water system.^[4] More than 600,000 people a year vacationed in Asbury during the summer season in the early years, riding the New York and Long Branch Railroad from New York City, New York and from Philadelphia to enjoy the mile-and-a-quarter stretch of oceanfront Asbury.
The ''country by the sea'' destination experienced several key periods of popularity. The first notable era was the 1890s, marked by a housing growth, examples of which can still be found today in a full range of Victorian architecture. Coinciding with the nationwide trend in retail shopping, Asbury Park's downtown flourished during this period, and well into the next century.

1920s

The 1920s saw a dramatic change in the boardwalk with the construction of the Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall complex, the Casino Arena and Carousel House, and two handsome red-brick pavilions. Noted Beaux Arts architect Warren Whitney of New York was the designer. He had also been hired to design the imposing Berkeley-Carteret Hotel positioned diagonally across from the theater and hall. At the same time, Asbury Park launched a first-class education and athletic program with the construction of a state-of-the-art high school overlooking Deal Lake.

Later years

But neither the Great Depression nor World War II were kind to Asbury Park. In the decades that followed the war, surrounding farm communities gave way to tracts of suburban houses, allowing the city's descendants of middle-class blacks as well as whites to move into newer houses with spacious yards. With the opening of the Garden State Parkway, Asbury Park saw the travel market change as fewer vacationers took the trains to the seashore. When ground was broken in 1958 to build Monmouth Shopping Center 10 miles away in Eatontown, New Jersey, Asbury Park's downtown became less of an attraction to shoppers. Office parks built outside the city resulted in the relocation of lawyers, accountants, doctors, dentists, and other professionals. The opening of Great Adventure, a combination theme park and drive-through safari located on a lake in Jackson Township ~ and close to a New Jersey Turnpike exit, proved stiff competition for a mile-long stretch of boardwalk amusements. Although it was placed on the National Registers of Historic Places^[5], in 1988 Palace Amusements was closed, and was demolished in 2004 despite attempts to save it.^[6]
The city's changing fortunes, together with municipal mismanagement, lead to civic unrest. On July 4, 1970 riots resulted in the destruction of aging buildings along Springwood Avenue, one of three main east-west corridors into Asbury Park, and the central shopping and entertainment district for those living in the city's southwest quandrant. In 2007 much of those city blocks have yet to be redeveloped.

21 Century

From 2002 onward, the rest of Asbury Park has been in the midst of a cultural, political and economic revival led by a burgeoning industry of local and national artists. Its dilapidated downtown district is undergoing revitalization while most of the nearly empty blocks that overlook the beach and boardwalk are slated for massive reconstruction. In 2005, the Casino's walkway re-opened, as did many of the boardwalk pavilions.
The redevelopment plans have come with controversy to many residents and supporters of Asbury Park because they call for the destruction of some historic sites, such as the Palace Amusements complex which featured the famous face of Tillie, a symbol of the Jersey Shore.
The year 2007 has proved to be an important one full of milestones for the redevelopment of Asbury Park. The eastern portion of the Casino building was demolished. There are plans to rebuild this portion to look much like the original, however the interior will be dramatically different and may include a public market (as opposed to previously being an arena and skating rink). There has also been more of a resurgence of the downtown as well as the boardwalk, with the grand re-opening of the historic Steinbach department store building, as well as the rehabilitation of Convention Hall and the 5th Avenue Pavilion (previously home to the last remaining Howard Johnson restaurant). The year 2007 has also seen the purchase of the historic Berkeley-Carteret Hotel which is to be restored to a four star resort hotel, the first residents to move into the newly constructed condominiums known as North Beach, and the rehabilitation of Ocean Avenue.

Government

Local government

The City of Asbury Park is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.
The Asbury Park City Council consists of Mayor Kevin G. Sanders, Deputy Mayor James Bruno, Ed Johnson, James Keady and John Loffredo.^[7]
Mayor Sanders is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition^[8], a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Federal, state and county representation

Asbury Park is in the Sixth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th Legislative District.^[9]

Culture

Asbury Park is considered a mecca for musicians, particularly for a subgenre of rock and roll known as the Jersey Shore sound, which is infused with R&B. It is home to The Stone Pony, founded in 1974, and a starting point for many performers.

Asbury Park, with Convention Hall in the background

The cover of Bruce Springsteen's debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, New Jersey, is an example of the 1950s boardwalk style found along the Jersey Shore.

Asbury Park gained new-found fame after Bruce Springsteen released his debut album ''Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.'' in 1973. On his follow-up album, ''The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle'', one of the songs is entitled "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)".
In the movie ''Dogma'' by New Jersey native Kevin Smith, God took the form of an old man in order to play skeeball in Asbury Park. This is in reference to Smith's earlier feature ''Chasing Amy'', wherein the characters played by Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams played the same game in what appears to be Asbury, but is actually an arcade called Fun City USA in Keansburg.
The 2002 movie ''City by the Sea'' featuring Robert DeNiro was shot in various locations around Asbury Park, serving as the actual setting of Long Beach, New York where the narrative took place in the original novel. Conversely, the 2006 movie Dark Ride featuring Jamie-Lynn DiScala was set in Asbury Park, although the movie was actually filmed in Los Angeles, California.
Professional wrestler, Bam Bam Bigelow who was born in Asbury Park, named his finishing maneuver, an over the shoulder reverse piledriver after Bruce Springsteen's first album, ''"Greetings from Asbury Park"'' in tribute to his home town.

Nightlife

Asbury Park's nightlife is primarily, but not all, rock oriented. The Stone Pony, the bar frequented by Bruce Springsteen, is still serving the rockers of the Jersey Shore. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, before going on to international fame, was the house band at the Stone Pony in the mid-seventies. On Main Street is the Saint (formerly The Clover Club), a small club that showcases local acts, established performers, such as Ben Folds, Jewel, and Cake. Across town on Fourth Avenue is Asbury Lanes, a vintage bowling alley that was revamped by local artists and musicians to create one of the latest performance spaces on the east coast. It has been the setting of anything from national music acts, burlesque shows, hotrod shows, art shows and performance art, and there is still bowling.. Nearby is the Baronet, a vintage movie theater which dates back to Buster Keaton.

The vacant streets of Asbury Park.

Popular with numerous Asbury Park residents and visitors is the monthly First Saturday event. On the first Saturday of every month, Asbury Park's downtown art galleries, home design studios, restaurants, antique shops, and clothing boutiques remain open throughout the evening, serving Hors d’œuvres and offering entertainment, to showcase the city's residential and commercial resurgence.

Hotels

There were, at one time, several hotels in the city. Many were demolished after years of sitting vacant, but some still exist.
Abandoned or Demolished:

★ The Metropolitan Hotel & motel (vacant)

★ The Ambassador Hotel (demolished)

★ The Albion Hotel (demolished)
Currently Open:

★ Berkeley Hotel (formerly the Berkeley-Carteret Oceanfront Hotel)

★ The Empress Hotel

Berkeley Hotel, south face 2007.

Education

Asbury Park's public schools are operated by Asbury Park Public Schools. The school district is an Abbott District.
In February of 2007, the offices of the Asbury Park Board of Education were raided by investigators from the State Attorney General's office, prompted by allegations of corruption and misuse of funds.^[10]

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Asbury Park include:

★ Bud Abbott (1895-1974), straight-man for legendary comedy team Abbott and Costello was born in Asbury Park.Pike, Helen-Chantal. "Asbury Park's Glory Days - The Story Of An American Resort", ''Gameroom magazine'' reviewed by Tim Ferrante. Accessed June 18, 2007. "I didn’t know Bud Abbott was born there. It was also the home town of then hair stylist Danny DeVito (yes, there is a photo of the famed actor in his family’s shop!) and the childhood stomping ground of Jack Nicholson."

★ Stewart H. Appleby (1890-1964), represented from 1925-1927.^[11]

★ T. Frank Appleby (1864-1924), represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1921 to 1923, and was mayor of Asbury Park from 1908 to 1912.^[12]

★ Bam Bam Bigelow (1961-2007), professional wrestler (deceased).^[13]

★ Edna Woolman Chase (1877-1957) editor in chief of ''Vogue'' magazine from 1914-1952.^[14]

★ Stephen Crane (1871-1900), author of ''The Red Badge of Courage''.^[15]

★ Danny DeVito (1944-), actor, born in nearby Neptune, NJ, grew up in Asbury Park.^[16]

★ Jack Nicholson (1937-), actor, born in nearby Neptune, grew up in Asbury Park with his grandparents while attending nearby Manasquan High School.

★ John Oates (1949-), half of the famous pop/rock duo Hall & Oates, owns a beachfront Condo in Asbury Park.^[17]

★ Arthur Pryor (1870-1942), bandleader.^[18]

★ David Sancious (1953-), early member of the E Street Band.^[19]

★ Bruce Springsteen (1949-) grew up in nearby Freehold Borough, New Jersey, but called his first studio album ''Greetings from Asbury Park''.

References

1. Pike, Helen-Chantal (2005). ''Asbury Park's Glory Days: The Story of an American Resort.'' Rutgers University Press, pp 8 ISBN 0-8135-3547-6
2. 1888 Palace Amusements Online Museum. Retrieved 2007-08-17
3. Asbury Park, NJ ''Side O'Lamb: Urban Exploration of the Jersey Shore''. Retrieved 2007-08-17
4. Pike, Helen-Chantal (1997,2003). ''Images of America: Asbury Park.'' Arcadia Publishing, pp 13 ISBN 0-7524-0538-1
5. National Register of Historical Places - New Jersey (NJ), Monmouth County
6. Aftermath ''Palace Amusements Online Museum.'' Retrieved 2007-08-17.
7. Mayor and Council, City of Asbury Park. Accessed May 2, 2007.
8. Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members
9. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 54. Accessed August 30, 2006.
10. "Investigators probe Asbury Park Board of Ed", WABC-TV, February 22, 2007. Accessed June 18, 2007.
11. Stewart Hoffman Appleby, ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''. Accessed August 30, 2007.
12. Theodore Frank Appleby, ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''. Accessed August 30, 2007.
13. SmackDown Countdown 2006: Bam Bam Bigelow - The Beast from the East comes out of retirement, November 6, 2006.
14. Blackwell, Jon. "She kept America in Vogue", ''Asbury Park Press'', May 14, 2001. Accessed July 31, 2007. "Born in Asbury Park on March 14, 1877, Edna barely knew her father, who split up with her mom while she was still an infant."
15. Stephen Crane at the ''The Literary Encyclopedia'', accessed December 10, 2006.
16. Shaw, David. "DeVito! Although He Has a Penchant for Dark Comedies, Actor-Director Danny DeVito Is Serious About His Craft, His Family and His Cigars", ''Cigar Aficionado'' profile, accessed May 2, 2007. "Danny DeVito was born in 1944 in the shore town of Neptune, New Jersey--hence the name of his production company--and raised in neighboring Asbury Park, the youngest of five children (two of whom died before he was born)."
17. Musician John Oates buys apartment in Asbury Park high-rise, ''Asbury Park Press'', July 11, 2007. Accessed July 12, 2007.
18. "Greetings From Asbury Park", NJN. Accesed June 18, 2007. "Rick Benjamin, founder of the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, and a specialist in the music of Arthur Pryor – an Asbury Park musical superstar long before Bruce Springsteen – who transformed the forbidden music of Ragtime into wholesome popular entertainment."
19. Lustig, Jay. "Revisiting E Street: Ex-Springsteen sideman looks forward to Shore gig", ''The Star-Ledger'', July 15, 2005. Accessed July 30, 2007. "Sancious grew up in Asbury Park and Belmar. The E Street Band was named after the address of his mother's Belmar home, where they sometimes practiced. Sancious lived in Red Bank in the late '70s, before relocating to his current hometown, Woodstock, N.Y."

External links

★ City of Asbury Park website

★ Asbury Park Public Schools

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Asbury Park Public Schools

★ Asbury Park Public Library

★ asburyboardwalk.com Stories, Photos and Trinkets of the Boardwalk's past, present and future.

★ asburymusic.com: News, information and photos from Asbury Park and its music scene.

★ Asbury Park - Beauty, Character and Decay. A photo essay!

★ Historic postcards and current photos of Asbury Park- including the inside of the Casino and Palace Amusements

★ asburypark.net: News and information about Asbury Park.

★ News and information for gay and lesbian residents and visitors of Asbury Park.

★ thecoaster.net: Printed and online weekly newspaper located in Asbury Park

★ Movies of the annual baby parade, 1904

★ Details of the struggle to save historic Asbury Park landmarks and reclaim the town.

★ The Asbury Park Waterfront Redevelopment Plan.

★ 'Asbury Park' feature in Weird NJ.

★ 'Asbury Park' Decay

★ Asbury Park Homeowners Association, Inc.

★ To Asbury Park, With Love: A Photo Essay.