The Rise and Fall of Asbury Park New Jersey (a tale of urban decay) - IT'S HISTORY
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- čas přidán 29. 07. 2024
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The city was founded in 1871 and quickly became a posh destination for Philadelphia and New York society. Its layout echoed European cities, with large inland lakes, broad avenues leading to the sea, and over 200 hotels. It had saltwater pools and carnival rides, and the Marx Brothers headlined at the Paramount. In the 1950s, the town continued to grow and prosper, but it was still a struggling town with its share of challenges. During the 1960s, Asbury Park's music scene began to thrive, with doo-wop, rock and roll, and rhythm and blues playing at the boardwalk and in local bars. Although the beachfront was deserted during the summers, the lack of tourists made it the perfect stomping ground for the misfit musicians who would go on to shape iconic blues rock. The town's boardwalk was also home to numerous clubs, including the famous Paramount Theatre, and the Parlor Gallery, which holds 11 exhibitions annually. By the 1960s, it was a hot spot for the counterculture, with musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny Lyon, and Steven Van Zandt bringing new energy to the beach. The middle class began to leave the town, and the sun-baked beach was not the only attraction for vacationers. The post-war years were turbulent for Asbury. Asbury had to deal with the effects of the riots, and a decline in tourism ruined the town's reputation as a thriving place to visit. But, despite these problems, the city retained its unique culture and character. In 1974, the legendary music club, The Stone Pony, opened its doors. It has been home to a number of legendary musicians and has been considered one of the greatest rock & roll venues of all time.
Chapters:
00:00 - A short history of Asbury Park
01:00 - Established Titles Sponsorship
02:15 - Who Founded Asbury Park, NJ? James A. Bradley
03:25 - The Rise of Asbury Park NJ
05:50 - How the SS Morro Castle shipwreck changes Asbury Park
08:24 How the Garden state parkway caused the Fall of Asbury Park NJ
10:39 How segregation destroyed Asbury park
11:50 - Why did Asbury Park become crime ridden
13:25 - How Asbury Park is rebuilding
15:31 - The History of The Jersey Sound
16:20 - What remains of historic Asbury park?
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IT’S HISTORY - Weekly tales of American Urban Decay as presented by your host Ryan Socash.
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» CREDIT
Scriptwriter - Imana Schoch,
Editor - Sebastian Riproll
Host - Ryan Socash
Sponsor - Established Titles
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» NOTICE
Some images may be used for illustrative purposes only - always reflecting the accurate time frame and content. Events of factual error / mispronounced word/spelling mistakes - retractions will be published in this section.
Thanks to Established Titles for sponsoring today's video. Go to establishedtitles.com/Itshistory to get 10% off today.
Hey can you make a video on the typewriter manufacturing factory building in hartford CT please!!! Btw I'm from CT
Hmm.. you're not from Jersey are ya? Good job tho!
Dude, did you not look into your sponsor before taking the sponsorship? These people are an outright scam.
OK, how do you mispronounce Monmouth??? you say it like Manmouth? but good detail info!! I am only about 30 minutes north of Asbury park, and lived there for one summer in 1984. but went three times during late 80's for a NYC radio promotion of a concert on the beach.
@@rickysemprit3848 c
I'm a child of the 60s. Growing up in italian family in North Jersey my traditional old school mother didnt drive. In the summer she would take me by bus to Asbury Park at least twice a week. We would spend the day on the beach then have a quick bite and catch the bus home around 5pm. These were times spent with my mom I'll never forget.
Where in North Jersey did you grow up?
Frank, my friend, I'm a child of the 70s who also spent a great deal of time on that boardwalk. My aunt & her family lived in the asbuy park boarder town of wanamassa. I lost my mom in the mid 80s to lung disease but I can't forget all the fun down there.
Thanks for reminding me of all the joy from those days.
I'm from Middlesex County, grew up in East Brunswick & now I live in Jamesburg with my wife & daughter.
@@dogfacedgremlin2020 I lived right near Wannamassa for a couple years. Like a skip away from the golf course. Also, once met a man who was the brother of Bam Bam supposedly lol
♥️
@@MilkmanC I don't wanna 1 better you but 1996 Queensryche at the garden state arts center I met bam-bam himself. Also met Sean Michael's & Billy Gunn that day. They were all pretty cool, but the beast was a really down to earth dude, liked talking to fans & big time metal head.
You didn't even mention Hurricane Sandy which nearly destroyed all of what was starting to make a comeback back then. From Asbury park to Seaside heights, Momma nature destroyed a whole lot of real estate.
Even further north. My brother was living in Sea Bright at the time.
Omg that was horrible we were in that storm. That was such a scary night sitting in the window watching the water rising it was inches before getting in the house. We were lucky that the water stopped there. I remember trying to walk around the next day everything was just so surreal. It took a long time for the power to come back on again. We had to guard the neighborhood at night things were getting out of hand. I never want to go through that again.
I remember how a tree literally left my neighbors homeless , we camped out In the ocean township Wegmans because they had backup generators
That was a horrible storm. We're on high ground but I spent hours calling for help, a family friends house was flooding in Brick. Thankfully they got out but lost a lot. Seeing utility trucks from several states (we saw mostly trucks from Alabama) it was humbling. They staged in Delaware waiting to come as soon as the storm was over.
Actually Asbury Park as well as Ocean Grove came out a Sandy pretty well. The dunes saved them. Aside from extended power outage and the Ocean getting as far inland as Deal lake. They got off pretty easy. Seaside and Long Branch were devastated.
It's the MONMOUTH Mall NOT mammoth. MON-MOUTH. You can see it written on the side of the building @9:58.
Yep. The guy was born in the USA - not sure he went to school. All his videos mangle words.
Yes, I noticed that one too.
@@andyrob3259 I think he (the narrator) is originally from Chicago but now living in Poland.
Assbury was getting on my nerves a bit.(assbury is what we locals call this new gentrified version of asbury)
Also he kept talking about the “carousal” when he meant to say “carousel”
The narration is informative, however, many of the pictures are misleading as they are of Ocean Grove, the community to the south of Asbury Park. The image at 4:18 is the Ocean Grove Auditorium (built in 1894). At 4:52, the Victorian homes are on the Ocean Grove side of Wesley Lake. 11:25 sign on railing clearly says Ocean Grove. 12:02, houses on Ocean Pathway, Ocean Grove (houses still occupied). 12:13 is the Ocean Grove boardwalk. 12:28 - the narration references low-income housing while showing the Ocean Grove tent community - part of the summer program there. 13:26 and 18:32 - flyover is Ocean Grove.
When I was young, in the late 50s, my family would sometimes stay at "The Bath Avenue House" in Ocean Grove.
I live in the area. Ocean Grove and Asbury Park are technically 2 different towns but are essentially the same place, merely separated by a small lake.
Yeah I should have looked at the comments before posting the same thing. Although you have more exact info.
I go to Ocean Grove several times a year and love that I can walk from there to Asbury Park or conversely to Bradley Beach. It's a great area IMO.
Also, the illustrations of the Morro Castle are of a previous ship of the same name not the one that burned. You can see the difference when comparing the illustrations to the photos of the burned hulk.
As I enjoyed most of the video, the mispronounced Monmouth and carousel ruined it. Other small issues, how the riots really affected the town for decades. Also how the LGBTQ community helped renew the city over the past few decades. Oh and NY and long Branch railroads. The malls also killed the downtown shopping, but it's the seaview square mall and "Monmouth mall" not garden state mall that took the department stores in the 60s and 70s. Other nitpicks are the press clippings, which referred to Long Branch corruption. If you pause it, you can see a mobster named little pussy, inspiration of Big from the sopranos. A for effort, C in execution.
Shot dead in the Island Harbour Spa. That was the party beach in West End.
Hes not the only 1 to call it Mammouth county. Lol
I've never heard someone mispronounce "carousel" until this video.
I made it a mission to drive through Asbury Park for years when it was on the decline. I can remember when there was still a Howard Johnsons there, and if you walked the boardwalk at that time you would have been given a real treat.
In one of the windows of a storefront was the actual display for the new condos they were building. However those condos had already come to an abrupt halt and you could see them in the background over the building!
Each year we would drive through here and then one year we noticed that there was a lot of people on the beach. We actually stopped our car and walked beach for the first time in years and were talking to people. It wasn't until one man mentioned to me that it was a gay beach that I realized the beach people were mostly men.
It was almost immediately after that, that Asbury Park seemed to blossom.
And if you drive to Asbury Park now, you will see an incredible city with tons of visitor's enjoying both the boardwalk and the beach.
Asbury Park is currently much closer in beauty to the original Asbury Park then it is to the one from a few years ago.
It's actually one of our favorite beaches in New Jersey now! ⛱️
When I hear mispronunciations like that I assume it's read by AI
I was born at the Ft. Monmouth post hospital in 1949, then returned to the area when my late father was again assigned to Ft. Monmouth in 1962. Asbury Park was THE place to go for entertainment, no matter your age or interests, and I look back with fondness on those many hours of happiness. The Jersey Shore was a great place to be a child.
Grew up in Long Branch about 10 mins north of Asbury, back then when I was a kid in the 90s, it was terrible, with abandoned buildings/homes everywhere. I've now happily lived in Asbury for almost 10 years. Something worth mentioning that I feel was left out was how influential the gay community was in bringing it back, they bought many of the homes in the aughts and teens (a big reason for that is it was cheap back then, and most of them didn't need to worry about the below-average schools). Now it has become something of a hipster enclave, with a fair mix of big developers coming in. They just built a huge 5-star hotel/condo building on ocean ave. where a half-built eye-sore of concrete and rebar stood on an entire block right next to the beach my entire life. I run a bar program at a "hip" restaurant on Cookman ave., and it certainly feels like this is where most of the young people want to be as far as nightlife goes around here. We also get more and more new yorkers buying summer places every year. It's got its problems, but it definitely feels like it's still on the rise.
I was disappointed by the failure of this video to mention the contributions made by the LGBTQ+ Community in the revival of Asbury Park. It is no accident that New Jersey's principal Pride Celebrations are held there.
I agree completely. The Gay community had an enormous impact on the revitalization of Asbury. It should have been acknowledged.
Absolutely. They regentrified entire neighborhoods. And they were starting from a very low point in regard to the town's quality at the time.
I agree. I'm shocked that this wasn't mentioned. When I think of Asbury Park's revival, the contributions of the LGBTQ community is the first thing that pops into my mind.
Yea the beach area up to main Ave is fine this guy don't know what he's talking about...I live in ocean Grove
As someone who has lived in jersey their whole life I appreciate the heck out of this channel
What part of Jersey?
Hi! Current resident of Asbury Park. Moved here from Jackson, NJ (where six flags is located as mentioned in the video) and wanted to go over some inconsistencies
1.) Were in Monmouth county, not Mammoth (small detail but still made me laugh)
2.) Convention hall is 100% open to the public. Covid 19 brought about some weird restrictions, but as of 2021 and 2022 the space is completely available for the public to walk through, shops and bars are open, and some shows and events have begun taking place again in then theater
3.) The disparity between the east and west side of town has lessened greatly in the past few years, a significant factor being the burgeoning small businesses springing up all over Asbury, which recruit workers from all over the area, regardless of location or social status
All in all a good little history lesson for people unfamiliar with this location, however I think it's important to mention a multi-billion dollar hotel (the Asbury ocean club) was erected in 2018, tourism has been booming, and small businesses like restaurants and retail shops have been thriving, and new condos are being built here monthly. I wouldn't say Asbury park is the echelon of modern society, but I definitely believe it's in a constant growth state since it's 'fall' at the turn of the century
Thank you for this. I was thinking about how Asbury Park is actually expanding. I see they are currently building even more condos there. They have events there as well and I even stayed at The Asbury Hotel a few months ago. I live about 30 minutes away, but still like visiting Asbury Park whenever I can.
Current resident.. must of just moved because you don't want to be walking around on the west side of the tracks. I dk what is worse the junkies or the corrupt undercovers jump out police that run up on you for walking on the street.
A multi billion dollar hotel? I doubt that.
The disparity between the East and West side has NOT been greatly reduced.
Surry, that's just incorrect.
It was the Berkeley-Carteret Hotel, not the Berkeley-Cartilage Hotel. Also, many of the photographs are of Ocean Grove, not Asbury Park.
"Mon-muth" county and "car-a-sell" house.
I love watching your videos about New Jerseys history but I can tell you not from around here lol.
He was born in the USA. There’s no excuse. I’m Australian. Even I know how to pronounce Monmouth and carousel. He always stuffs up words.
I feel like he doesn't understand it was a carousel house....as in it had a carousel (merry-go-round) in it. They sold the horses at auction when they closed it down and I know at least a few of them are in the Freehold Raceway Mall now.
I live 5 miles from Asbury. It has some good restaurants now but it’s never coming back to a family friendly town with theaters, rides, and amusements
Don't go there after dark !
This was very good, but, a lot was also missed. Like, the combination of legalized gambling in AC, the closure of major mental hospitals, and widespread local corruption all contributed to the downfall of this once great seashore town. It's becoming great again. But, as said in the doc. it has a long way to go.
Sad part is it's really becoming a city for the rich
@@MrMarcoboy1900 I live in Asbury now. Grew up there. It's not the same, gentrification is very real.
@@blackdynamite5016 Gentrification is wonderful.
Missed a couple fun points.
The carousel (care-oh-sell btw) and casino was skate park in the late 90s. The casino wasn't a gambling casino, but a building for games. The carousel in there made it till the 90s before being dismantled and auctioned off, it was huge and beautiful.
There was no driving on sundays in ocean Grove until the 80s? I think. There's really only one way in or out of that sorta gated community, and it's still a dry town. (no liquor)
I held my wedding reception there in 2010 when it was all still super crappy because that town ment a lot to me because of the music scene.
Rip Asbury Lanes, very much miss that place.
Personally, I had back rewind because I wasn't sure what he was referring to when the narrator kept saying carousel house. I kept thinking what is he saying? When he said Ca-rou-sel.
I come to vids like this more to read the comments and peoples memories, thanks for sharing , this place has similarities in the UK as to have faded glories of the past, some have gone, others vandalised, others restored, no doubt others in Europe and elsewhere.
@@Mike-tg7dj Me too, these colonists and their ignorance of the English language always cheer me up!
Back in the 60';s and 70's we used to call Ocean Grove, "Open Grave" because of all the blue laws and no alcohol.
And it's MONmouth not MAMmouth
love that i found this channel! lots of NJ, NY, and PA history! would absolutely love to see some history on Seaside Heights NJ, and maybe Snug Harbor on Staten Island? 😊😄😃
Should be called Trivial US History.
Love the History, being from Atlantic City.
A concert at the Stone Pony and a visit to the silverball pinball museum makes a trip there worth it.
As an Asbury Park native I am grateful for the care and attention being given to my hometown.
In the video the narrator mentions the west end business district having to be entirely destroyed after the riots. Is the west end business district the Asbury Ave area near Jimmy's? Or maybe areas just west of the tracks? Trying to figure it out as someone born in 1995.
My Aunt and Uncle lived in Ocean Grove so I remember Asbury Park in the late 50's thru the 60's. There was also a huge salt-water swimming pool attached to one of the hotels and a tunnel under the road and boardwalk from the pool area to the beach. My best memories were of the carousel (merry-go-round) that had a brass ring and the truly awesome fun-house with it's gigantic manic clown leering down from the roof. Still have the pastel portraits done by an artist on the boardwalk of me and my husband when we were first engaged, probably summer of "68. For me, it will always be a magical memory of teen years!!
My dad’s parents lived in Jersey City back in the 30’s - the 60’s. We’d drive from GA to see them & go to Ocean Grove for day trips. Once we stayed at a grand old hotel near the beach…don’t recall the name as I was about 6. We used to ride the carousel & walk on the boardwalk, too. Plenty of pictures dad took of us kids on the beach. Great memories!
My parents live in Asbury Park and have been going there since they were children back in the 50s/60s. They stayed loyal thru it's decay and downfall and bought about a decade ago. The cost of housing is Asbury Park is quite expensive and it's a rather clean city honestly. I never feel unsafe there but then again I am from NJ and know how to keep my head on a swivel. There are great restaurants in Asbury, especially for vegans. And yes the Gay Community is a major reason why Asbury has resurged. And the people's love of live music. Thank Shep Pettibone for the help on both accounts😘
The list of rock bands from the Allman Brothers to ZZ Top that played at Asbury Park is astounding!
Saw Slightly Stoopid there in 2019 after thunderstorms had caused them to cancel the first show and then relocate the rescheduled show to the Paramount. Great time with a band you don't usually see in a small venue but the best was that we ran into Kyle (the lead singer) in the convention center breezeway later that night and he was absolutely stoked that they had gotten to play in a place with a history that included Ray Charles and the Grateful Dead, Allmans and so many others, most before they made it big. Have seen Asbury Park from when it was a total ghetto to the reinvigorated place it has been becoming, wish they had kept some of the other historic buildings but its really come a long way.
Bro mountain Slade. .. the list goes on
BTO.
Rolling Stones, July 3, 1965. I was too young to go 😏 but my older brother went.
Still remember seeing The Clash in 1982, great show!
I remember Asbury Park in 1980. The Indoor amusement park was still functioning. Went through The Tunnel of Love with my future husband at the time. I have visited through out the years. Have seen its downfall in the 90's. Last time I visited was 2018. You could start to see the revitalization efforts kicking in. I can't wait for Summer 2022 to see what else is in store.
They should open another tunnel of love
I'm glad you were able to experience it before the decline made it a ghost town by the mid 1980s. From what I've read, the fun house, in the Palace, had to be closed down in the mid/late 1980s because of the stench of urine and the crime.
That's about right. I visited there a few times between 1977 and 1981and the Galaxi coaster was there as were many indoor and outdoor attractions.
2024 now and Asbury is absolutely stunning. They have totally changed the whole area.
Monmouth, (Mon mouth) sounds like (mom myth) and the building attached is a carousel building like carousel horses. But love the history. I grew up here In Monmouth County and watched the changes of Asbury Park from the 70s to current. Great job.
it's weird, he sounds like a native English speaker, but, his mispronunciations, while not frequent, are of somewhat common words.
@@johngianno6409 I though I heard Ass-berry Park ;-)
Went to see Nick Lowe at convention hall in 1983. The opening act was some unknown blues guitar player. I walked right up to the front of the stage and out came Stevie Ray Vaughan. Blown away.
I saw Nick Lowe(in Rockpile) in Asbury Park. I can't remember when. It was not at the Convention Hall or the Stone Pony but I think it was at the Fast Lane.
@@1111tull I was there too!
You are so lucky
@@1111tull So cool
I was trying to figure out what a carousal house was.... people carousing around and drinking booze? No, it’s carousel (ka-roo-SELL), a merry go round. Love your videos, but please check your pronunciations. Gave me a good chuckle. 😂
And by the way, my son opened a store there... and it’s doing great! Even through the pandemic, and the restaurant/club scene is booming! I believe Asbury is just fine. 😁👍
It's interesting how much New York abandon its nearby resorts like the Jersey Shore, and the Catskill Mountains.
catskills sure jersey shore no... visit belmar, long branch, asbury etc
beautiful beaches with upper end entertainment
Come on anyday in summer and go down any street, look at the plates on the parked cars up to 75 percent will have NY tags...
This should have been the rise, fall, and rise again of Asbury Park. The downtown area is very very nice now, and the boardwalk is a major tourist area all summer long. There’s also the Sea Hear Now music festival in September, which has many headlining artists.
Resurrection
Grew up in Asbury Park. Many great memories. Walking to the beach from our home on First Ave.. movies at Mayfair, St.. James, theaters. Going to the fun house, Ice skating and rides on the merry go round and ferris wheel. Shopping at all the great stores on Cookman Ave. Still have beautiful coats from Steinbachs. Many more great memories. When I was 6 special treat. English. Muffins and tea with my mom at Ligetts Drugstore. Thank you for the memory.
In 1974-1975 I was station at Ft. Monmouth N.J.. I use to go th Asbury Park several times I remember the carousel and rode on it several times.
Asbury Park *right now* is on a tremendous Upswing. I think the title is a bit misleading.
Agreed
totally agree
I was literally there last night there were people all over the place, I had to wait an hour to get a table at Asbury Ale House. Honestly, this video is shit lol.
It's starting to come back (again) nice clean beach great boardwalk
I grew up in Matawan in the 70s, we used to go to Asbury almost every weekend for awhile, but honestly, it never had a great beach. The sand there was coarse, the waterline was full of crushed shells (shred the fck out of your feet) and it had a very steep drop off into the surf. The waves at high tide could be really, really rough there. Comparatively, the beaches from Seaside Heights downwards were longer, softer and much gentler for kids, so the second my mom felt the slightest bit threatened by the area we never went back. I'll never forget the old boardwalk though, and that costumed Mr. Peanut who stood outside the store there. :)
Very interesting. Although I'm a lifelong Methodist, I never realized that the city was named after Bishop Asbury or that Methodist businessmen were the prime movers. I only knew about the city from Springsteen records and an excellent bootleg recording from the Stone Pony. Thanks for sharing!
When I was first married I sang in the Great Auditorium choir with my mother-in-law. Then met my husband and father-in-law for lunch at the Sampler Inn.
Mammoth, NJ....
Carousal House! 🤔😂🤣🤣🤣🤣
You'll still find wooly mammoth fossils under the sand from time to time.
@@yetivanmarshall1473 In Monmouth????
Please do an episode on Bethlehem PA and the Steel town
Been there a few times very cool!!!!
No mention of the contributions made by members of the LGBTQ+ community? This community, recognizing the quaint architecture of Asbury Park, were the pioneers in restoring this city.
It's new name is Assbury Park
There's a reason why NJ's biggest Pride celebrations are held in Asbury.
Seriously, as a local under the rainbow, this actually kind of pisses me off.
I believe Ralph Kramden had a uranium mine in Asbury park during the 1950s.
...and he was eating Low-Cal pizza.
Asbury park is lit af and the ultimate day trip for us in north jersey.
It was the riots and the high crime rate that scared people from going to Asbury Pk in the 1970s thru the 1990's. Glad to see it has a resurgence but if the crime rate is that high it needs to be addressed.
This taught me several things I didn’t know. And he left out the fact that the LGBTQ community started buying and fixing up homes. THAT’S what brought the city back. The music was always here. It was only when gay men (mostly) started purchasing property when they came down for the NJ Gay Pride celebration in 1992. The city and boardwalk were a mess at that time.
And there are a couple of corrections - it’s “MOnmouth”, not “MAnmouth”. And it’s not “ca rew’ sell”. It’s “Kar’ (a as in apple) o sell”. Good video, in any case.
I was in Asbury Park last summer and walked over to Ocean Grove from the boardwalk. Idk everywhere looked super nice 🤷♂️
I can tell that you've never actually been to Asbury. You missed so much of how the town has grown. You're mentioning of the music scene was poor. So many amazing artists other than just Bruce and Bon Jovi have been through Asbury both in the past and currently. The town is absolutely booming with new restaurants, bars, retail and hotels opening every season. Go to Asbury on a Saturday night and tell me it is not the most happening town on the Jersey Shore. I think you really missed on telling where the town is now and how great it currently is.
This right here dude.
Couldn’t agree more. I live 10 mins away, and Asbury is the hotspot of the Shore. House of Independence hosts amazing, diverse concerts all the time, a slew of high end and crafty restaurants, it’s nothing like it was portrayed. Jersey, especially Asbury, is far more than JBJ and Bruce, Asbury’s Punk/Hardcore scene is still thriving, and a huge influence on the culture
@@justinbartels759 And none of that is for the blacks that live there
They're gentrifying Asbury, it's full of out of towner's. None of the new stuff is for the blacks that have lived there for years
Problem is that the town is downright dangerous when you go West of the railroad tracks. Reminds me of Miami - gorgeous near the water, looks like South Central by the airport.
Was there today getting some mogo with my wife. Now your lucky if you get a parking spot even during a week day. Its come a long way. Great to see
I'll never forget my first concert in Asbury Park convention hall. New found glory. Going inside felt like we were being spoiled. Like we were getting away with something
which band were you seeing?
NEW FOUND GLORY 🔥🔥 understatement is my fave song by them lol that whole era of music was incredible
Saw Todd Rungren & Utopia
Living in N.J. My entire life growing up in near by Colts Neck I loved going to Asbury on Friday nights in the 70s with my 1970 Duster and drive around the “ circuit” which was 4 lanes one way and watched all the hot rods and fast cars race light to light. Good time’s
Not mentioned but in Asbury Park fun rides was a tunnel of love. ❤️ In the 60’s. I also went to the movies. I saw Gone With The Wind it was a long movie. The ceiling had clouds that drifted by .
I hope someone sees this very important fact.
Other than some pretty badly mauled names of locations, this video brought back some vivid early 1960’s childhood memories of many visits to Asbury Park from my home in nearby Oceanport. Loved this area as a kid and was hopeful of the area’s comeback during the 1980’s. Best to all who attempt to revive this incredible community and it’s boardwalk-
This vid leave out a LOT of the music venues in Asbury Park back in the day (60's and 70's), The Student Prince, Up Stage and the Green Mermaid, the Sunshine Inn just to name a couple. Also the great musicians that played Asbury Park ... every genre too: Folk, Soul, Rock, Metal, Jazz, you name it, it was all there.
the Fast Lane was my favorite in the late 70’s early 80’s
Used to live there and still go a lot. It's a vibey place with some excellent music and art tradition, but it's becoming super gentrified and almost a gated community and outrageously expensive while local communities between there and Neptune, NJ continue to struggle.
It needed gentrification. Before gentrification no one would go there, now it’s a spot that people can enjoy safely.
@@JJG86 Nowhere "needs" gentrification. Instead how about take care of your residents and stop punishing people for not being rich. What a fucking dense, ignorant comment.
Whooo hoooo good ol’ Stone Pony!! Oh goodness I saw many a band in that building and around it for outside shows. Wow! Yeah those were the days. Good to see it’s still there. Good times.
I counted at least 5 times that video from Ocean Grove was shown instead of Asbury Park. AP has plenty of churches and homes to show.
It was genuinely very sad when I went to go see the convention hall and casino I complete ruins. The casino especially has barley anything left of it.
Racism, corruption, drugs and violence ruined Asbury Park. Asbury park has returned, popular again but different. The vibe of Asbury now is mixed reviews especially from long time locals. In a weird way, kinda miss the urban decoy and how it was then. The old businesses and ppl you knew. Back then Asbury was local locals only. You left out a lot of images of Asbury before during and after.
Also remember when they filmed the movie City by the Sea with Robert De Niro before the city renewal
Interesting personal story…. It was the weekend of Woodstock. My mother would not allow me to attend that event but did consent to my going to see Joe Cocker at Convention Hall and his opening act, a fledgling band called Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin had concluded their set but came back onstage as Cocker was being flown in from Woodstock and hadn’t arrived yet. So Zeppelin just played
their entire first album for us. It was fabulous! Cocker landed on the beach by helicopter, raced onto the stage and broke into A Little Help From My Friends. Memorable night.
As bury has made something of a comeback in the last twenty years or so. Still a long way to go.
Nice to see a video about such a local town. The boardwalk is really nice and I'm pretty sure they just put up a huge luxury apartment building right near the beach.
They did... and there's more empty land where the project style buildings used to be so I'm sure that more will follow...
They were trying to mirror image the Monterey Hotel that was torn down in the late 50s early 60s
I grew up in NJ and fondly remember Asbury Park as a child... but it is what Asbury Park became that brings me the most joy..
In the mid and late 90's gay men and women started purchasing those beautiful old (massive) homes.
I remember staying with a friend in the early 2000's for a week (he had an apartment on 8th) and I got to know a couple who just finished renovating their 100+ year old victorian house.
It was a huge home... that had seen better days.... but they took the chance... and they made it work. Three stories, something like 6 bedrooms... one bath.
Well... when they were done it was totally renovated and modernized. Every square inch of the home had been renovated and it was spectacular.
They were taking a risk... investing a very large sum of money into a home... that was essentially located in a suburban wasteland.
BUT... within a few years more and more gay men and women came and invested in the city.
The LGBTQ community was instumental in revitalizing the city... and recreated a classic NJ beach resort.
Credit where credit is due.
Not very accurate on the history and many of the photos are ocean grove not asbury park. The biggest downfall of Asbury Park was the greedy politicians and the failed developer that wound up putting all of Asbury Park's oceanfront property into Federal Bankruptcy Court. The property was not being maintained during the federal bankruptcy which made it fall even worse into disrepair. The Morrow Castle drifted into the shore as it was being towed into New York Harbor. It actually burn further south of Asbury Park. I have done extensive research into the history of the city over the last 30 years and have extensive photos and historical postcards of the city and it's past of which I spent many years visiting since a child. Ryan socash if you would like to redo this, collaborate with me and I will give you tons of photos I have taken over the last 25 years tons of history and articles
I used to go to shows in the mid-90 at the Stone Pony. It was seriously dangerous in those days. It’s crazy how the place has changed in the last twenty years.
This video reminds me of a certain area in Brooklyn with a very similar history. Was a thriving beach resort area, fell on hard times starting in the late 60's, and has gentrified considerably in the 21st century. That area is Coney Island - a place which competed against Asbury Park for summertime tourists back in the day.
Go see a show at the Stone Pony. Pure rock Americana. Take a walk down the board walk to Ocean Grove, you will not be disappointed. I really enjoyed seeing where much of the music I love came from. As an Illinois guy, I got a soft spot for every bit of the east coast I have seen. Asbury Park is worn down sure, but not what my dad described seeing in the 80's. I saw Southside and the Jukes in 2019, the boss made a surprise appearance, and everyone lost it.
He was known to do that. Saw them at the Count Basie theater in Red Bank in 77 & Bruce popped in & played Thunder Road 👍
Thank for all the work making this. Awesome channel, great content. Corruption also killed asbury park.
I never really went to Asbury until about 5-6 years ago (it was further away than places like Wildwood & Ocean City for me), when I went to the Silver Ball Museum. Since then, it's probably my favorite shore to go to because it's not as prone to getting ridiculously crowded like the closer ones, and it hosts fun events like the Zombie Walk.
If I recall my history, the Morro Castle floundered near Spring Lake, NJ and ran a ground in Asbury when she was being towed to NYC.
Looks like a cool place to visit. Good Day trip. Great Video! Thank You
I flew out to see an Elovaters show at the stone pony last year, cool venue. Quaint little town..
In the 1920s my grand mother and my father used to go "motoring" out into the country from NY. They often went to Asbury. We now live in the area but it was a much different place back in the 20s.
My sister lived in Asbury Park in the late 89's and early 90's I stayed with her in the 90's haven't been down since want to go back down
In the early 80s, I remember going to rocks shows in Convention Hall, the Clash and Stevie Ray Vaughn, among others. Asbury Park was already well into its decline. In fact, at the time I really was not even aware of the fact that it had ever been something more than it was then. It's good to see that it has turned things around to some extent. Now its Glory Days are so far in the past that people might be more likely to think of Springsteen song while walking along the boardwalk than the history of Asbury Park!
Rise, fall and look at the past decade... the biggest rise asbury park has ever seen.
WOW, what a great episode. I grew up in Neptune, right next to Asbury Park and remember the glory days as they waned in the early 70s. That was the main shopping area before the malls and the rides on the board walk were a major local draw. It was so sad to see the decline of Asbury, but it has really come a long way back. How does a guy in Poland know so much about Asbury, did you grow up in NJ? I suspect so given this and your recent NJ Turnpike episodes.
Just one note, many of your pictures of Victorian homes (and the tents) are not actually Asbury, but right next door in Ocean Grove, just over the bridge from Asbury Park.
Great episode, next you should to that Garden State Parkway you teased in your Turnpike episode.
Asbury is still beautiful, wonderful beaches and restaurants. Musically is one of the epicenters of the NYC area.
I've only been to Asbury Park for the Warped Tours between 2003 -2007. Great place for the concert, but absolutely spooky in many parts (not dangerous, just trippy). Glad to see it's making a comeback, as my parents used to go when they were kids.
Wow, very interesting commentary. I used to make deliveries to Asbury Park in the 80's and it was so dead back then
Thank you for this video another town that is like Asbury Park in NJ is Salem ,NJ. Since 1960 the population of salem has more then halfed. Would love to see a video about Salem on your channel
I have a lot of family from Salem and Pennsville it is a very rich Historical Area
Why? What happened to Salem?
As a local resident of this area. It is sad to see the disrepair. I would love to see everything rebuilt, but I am not holding my breath. To anyone who enjoys walks along the NJ Boardwalks. This should be on your list.
Asbury Park has been rebuilt to the point where most of it is not even affordable anymore.
We love the shore!!! We would visit family in Asbury during the summer
In the 60's 70's and 80's.
It was such a shame what it turned into. There was a reason people stopped going to boardwalk .
It wasn't safe for families and property.
A true shame that's parts of a community can destroy it for all.
My Great Aunt lived there & my Father lived with her as a child for brief periods. We used to go back to visit (I was born & raised in Orange) during the Summers until she passed. I was just looking at a photo of my Grandfather holding my infant Father in front of her house this morning.
LMAO So Bruce and Steve were BOTH there, WOW! Crazy stuff
What about Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes ;-)
Just messing with you - Good video as always!
Interesting video. My family used to vacation in Ocean Grove in the 60s snd walk to the Asbury boardwalk for the rides at night. Good memories.
Many day trips with my Grandparents in the early 60’s, Many older people sitting on pouches of Victorian houses , always got a ride on the swan 🦢 boat on the lake, great memories 🙂
Some very worthwhile insights on AP; have to confess that my awareness of the place arrived with the Boss signature album of the same name.
I helped redo the Spanish tile roof on the old Asbury Furnace 13:20 , I think it's called? They were doing some Hillary Duff movie there so they decided fix it up some, then spray paint random graffiti(wash off kind) to make it look more like a place for a homeless person, which I think the movie was somewhat about. I lived in AP for a little more than 2 years. I miss it often. I don't know wtf I was thinking move away from the shore smh
Spent a lot of time there in mid seventies to mid eighties.
Cruising the circuit on Friday and Saturday nights. Going to concerts at Convention Hall, saw Heart, Rick Derringer, Styx and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.
Also spent alot of time at the Stone Pony. In fact an ill conceived evening there, watching Southside, the night before I left for Parris Island.
Made the trip from sayreville nj to asbury park many times during high school ,1970's .yes a popular skip school ,on the hook destination ,Asbury Park NJ
The convention hall is open I don't know where you got the info that it was closed I was literally there last week
Great job
From Argentina 🇦🇷
Keep it up
I grew up going here and ocean Grove since the '90s. It's definitely come a long way but still has a ways to go
Its really coming along and when you look at the value of the properties along the coast on either side it was simply a matter of time before they pushed back the blight. If that disaster of a never finished condo building hadn't turned into such a mess that took a decade to resolve I'd bet it would look a lot more like Long Branch already. You can't have such potentially valuable land not eventually be grabbed up and turned into what its becoming, it was just a matter of time and of shoving the crime and poverty back across 35 before it became something nice. It screwed a lot of poor people in the process but when you look at Deal and Ocean Grove and the money there, the wealth was going to win out eventually even if it meant having to literally destroy all the low income housing in a 10 block radius to do it.
Live there for about 15 years.. and lots has changed for the better.. lots of people come here to have a good time..
A remarkable piece of N. J. History...thank you...I met, many years ago, a family from Astbury Park on an Amtrak Train to Atlanta...they had never even been into NYC...dgp/uk
As a teenager in the 90s I loved going on the train to Asbury park. We would see bands at the stone pony and usually before that we would go in the empty building and hotels to explore. They has a massive old theater on the boardwalk pier and grass was growing inside this building, cool graffiti everywhere. It was just fun to explore.
sounds like great time
Asbury Park is an amazing vacation spot, I highly recommend❤️😌
Just like going to newark.
Great documentary!
Growing up in the 70's and 80's living an 8 minute drive from the Asbury boardwalk, I have such fond memories of Convention hall, Palace Amusements, the Carousel building with the funhouse and bumper cars and even hearing the cars race "the strip" from my bedroom at night, and so many other things about Asbury. Unfortunately it hit really hard times in the 80"s and 90"s and was not a place you wanted to even drive through. For a solid look at Asbury during those days, watch the Robert De Niero movie, City By the sea, where 80 percent of that movie was shot in Asbury. The gay community turned that town around for the better and rebuilding contines to this day. I currently live in Long Branch just a few miles North of Asbury and own my childhood home just down off of Sunset Ave. The memories of growing up at the shore will never leave me and i'm doing the same for my kids. Once that saltwater gets into your veins, it never leaves. Be well all, just my trip down memory lane that I wanted to share.
There was never any direct rail service from Philadelphia to Asbury Park. The Pennsylvania Railroad did provide service but it was between NYC and Asbury not Philadelphia.
We lived in New Brunswick New Jersey while I was growing up. Asbury Park was the place that we spent so many great Summers
I'm a lifelong NJ native and live close enough to Asbury for a very long time it was such a sad site to see but in recent years it has gotten better and I feel like another decade or so it's going to be real nice
I used to live in Ocean Township right next to Asbury Park. The problem with Asbury Park and other towns nearby (ie- Long Branch) is access from the Garden State Parkway. Most roads to get to these towns shrink down to two lane roads. This causes huge back ups during the summer. Most locals knew of side roads to get around, but with map apps (ie-Waze, etc) out of towners now know of these back routes.
Do you think you could do a video on long branch?
Funny that I saw this. I used to work in this building in the early 2000's. I had no idea that I was inside of Detroit history.
Asbury Rocks! Sure it's been rocky - but Asbury is a gem and always will be!