Asbury Park, New Jersey - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Asbury Park is a city

City (New Jersey)

A City in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....

in Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...

, United States, located on the Jersey Shore

Jersey Shore

The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...

and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...

. It was ranked the sixth best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.

Asbury Park was originally incorporated as a borough

Borough (New Jersey)

A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....

by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature

New Jersey Legislature

The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...

on March 26, 1874, from portions of Ocean Township

Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey

Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 27,291.Oakhurst and Wanamassa Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census,...

. 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.

Early years

A seaside

Coast

A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...

community, Asbury Park is located on New Jersey's central coast. Developed in 1871 as a residential resort

Resort

A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....

by New York brush manufacturer James A. Bradley

James A. Bradley

James Adam Bradley was a wealthy Manhattan brush manufacturer, financier, member of the New Jersey Senate, philanthropist, and real estate developer. He designed the resort destination of Asbury Park on the New Jersey Shore...

, the city was named for Francis Asbury

Francis Asbury

Bishop Francis Asbury was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now The United Methodist Church in the United States...

, the first American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church

Methodist Episcopal Church

The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...

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. Along the waterfront Bradley installed a boardwalk

Boardwalk

A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....

, an orchestra pavilion

Pavilion (structure)

In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...

, public changing rooms and a pier

Pier

A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...

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

Palace Amusements

Palace Amusements was an historical indoor amusement park in Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA. Started Monday, Feb. 20, 1888, Ernest S. Schnitzler was soon placing advertisements in the city directory describing his pleasure palace as a place of "refined amusement for Ladies, Gents, and Children....

complex; other attractions followed. During these early decades in Asbury Park, a number of grand hotels were built, including the Plaza Hotel.

Uriah White, an Asbury Park pioneer, installed the first artesian well water system. 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

New York and Long Branch Railroad

The New York and Long Branch Railroad was a railroad in central New Jersey, running from Bay Head Junction in Bay Head to Perth Amboy, where it connected to the Central Railroad of New Jersey's Perth Amboy and Elizabethport Railroad. The railroad was jointly owned and operated by the Pennsylvania...

from New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

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

Victorian architecture

The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...

. Coinciding with the nationwide trend in retail shopping, Asbury Park's downtown flourished during this period and well into the next century.

1920s and modern development

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

Deal Lake

Deal Lake, the largest lake in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and one of the largest lakes in New Jersey, occupying 158 acres and drains into the Atlantic Ocean....

.

Neither the Great Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

nor World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

was kind to Asbury Park. On September 8, 1934, the wreck of the cruise ship SS Morro Castle

SS Morro Castle

The SS Morro Castle was a luxury cruise ship of the 1930s that was built for the Ward Line for runs between New York City and Havana, Cuba...

, which caught on fire and burned, beached itself near the city just yards away from the Asbury Park Convention Hall

Asbury Park Convention Hall

Asbury Park Convention Hall is a 3,600-seat indoor exhibition center located on the boardwalk and on the beach in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It was built between 1928 and 1930 and is used for sports, concerts and other special events. Adjacent to the Convention Hall is the Paramount Theatre; both are...

. In 1943, the New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

held their Spring Training

Spring training

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

in Asbury Park. This was because rail transport had to be conserved during the war, and Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

's Spring Training was limited to an area east of the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

and north of the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

In the decades that followed the war, surrounding farm communities gave way to tracts of suburb

Suburb

The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...

an houses, encouraging the city's middle-class blacks as well as whites to move into newer houses with spacious yards. With the opening of the Garden State Parkway

Garden State Parkway

The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...

, Asbury Park saw the travel market change as fewer vacationers took trains to the seashore. After the Monmouth Mall

Monmouth Mall

Monmouth Mall, an enclosed shopping center in Eatontown, New Jersey owned by Vornado Realty Trust, is located on the corner of the intersection of NJ 35, NJ 36, and Wyckoff Road . Currently, the mall has a gross leasable area of , making it the fourth largest shopping mall in New Jersey , boasting...

opened 10 miles away in Eatontown

Eatontown, New Jersey

Eatontown is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 12,709.What is now Eatontown was originally incorporated as Eatontown Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 4, 1873, from portions of Ocean Township and...

in 1960, 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 Six Flags Great Adventure

Six Flags Great Adventure

Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...

, a combination theme park and drive-through safari located on a lake in Jackson Township

Jackson Township, New Jersey

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,816 people, 14,176 households, and 11,269 families residing in the township. The population density was 427.9 people per square mile . There were 14,640 housing units at an average density of 146.3 per square mile...

– and close to a New Jersey Turnpike

New Jersey Turnpike

The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...

exit – proved to be stiff competition for a mile-long stretch of aging boardwalk amusements. Although it was placed on the National Registers of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, in 1988 Palace Amusements

Palace Amusements

was closed, and was demolished in 2004 despite attempts to save it. The complex had featured the famous face of Tillie

Tillie

Tillie is the nickname of two murals of a grinning figure that were painted on the side of the Palace Amusements building in Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States. Tillie is an amusement park "fun face," painted over the winter of 1955-1956. The name Tillie is likely a nod to George C. Tilyou,...

, a symbol of the Jersey Shore. In 1990, the famous carousel at the Casino Pier was sold to Family Kingdom Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach, SC, where it continues to operate.
The city's changing fortunes, together with municipal mismanagement, led 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 quadrant. In 2007 many of those city blocks have yet to be redeveloped.

21st 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 reopened, as did many of the boardwalk

Boardwalk

pavilions.

The year 2007 proved to be an important one, full of milestones for the redevelopment

Redevelopment

Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses.-Description:Variations on redevelopment include:* Urban infill on vacant parcels that have no existing activity but were previously developed, especially on Brownfield land, such as the redevelopment of an industrial site...

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 reopening of the historic Steinbach department store

Department store

A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...

building, as well as the rehabilitation of Convention Hall and the Fifth Avenue Pavilion (previously home to one of the last remaining Howard Johnson

Howard Johnson's

Howard Johnson's is a chain of hotels and restaurants, located primarily throughout the United States and Canada. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Howard Johnson's was the largest restaurant chain in the United States, with over 1,000 restaurants...

restaurants). The year 2007 has also seen the purchase of the historic Berkeley-Carteret Hotel, which is to be restored to four-star resort status; the first residents moving into the newly constructed condominiums known as North Beach, the rehabilitation of Ocean Avenue, and the opening of name brand businesses such as AAMCO Transmissions on Asbury Avenue. Asbury Park looks to regain its reputation as the cultural and amusement capital of the Jersey Shore.

On October 30, 2010, the largest gathering of zombies was achieved by the 4,093 participants in New Jersey Zombie Walk at the Asbury Park Boardwalk.

Local government

The City of Asbury Park is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law

1923 Municipal Manager Law

The 1923 Municipal Manager Law was the last type of reformed municipal government the State of New Jersey introduced in the progressive era. The law introduced to New Jersey the council-manager form of government first developed in Sumter, South Carolina....

form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a five-member City Council, with all positions elected at large in nonpartisan

Nonpartisan

In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....

elections, to serve four-year terms of office on a concurrent basis. After each election, the council selects a mayor and deputy mayor from among its members.

, the Asbury Park City Council consists of Mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

Ed Johnson, Deputy Mayor John Loffredo, James Bruno, Sue Henderson and Kevin G. Sanders.

Federal, state, and county representation

Asbury Park is in the 6th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 11th state legislative district. The legislative district was unchanged based on the results of the 2010 Census.

Music and culture

Musicians and bands with strong ties to Asbury Park, many of whom frequently played clubs here on their way to fame, include Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...

, Clarence Clemons

Clarence Clemons

Clarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...

, the E Street Band

E Street Band

The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...

, Jon Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...

and Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...

, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Patti Smith

Patti Smith

Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....

, Arthur Pryor

Arthur Pryor

Arthur Willard Pryor was a trombone virtuoso, bandleader, and soloist with the Sousa Band. In later life, he was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served on the Monmouth County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders during the 1930s.Pryor was born on the second floor of...

, Count Basie

Count Basie

William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...

, Gary U.S. Bonds

Gary U.S. Bonds

Gary U.S. Bonds is an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer. He is also a prolific songwriter.-Career:...

, along with many more.

Asbury Park is considered a destination for musicians, particularly a subgenre of rock and roll

Rock and roll

Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...

known as the Jersey Shore sound

Jersey Shore sound

The Jersey Shore sound is a genre of rock and roll popularized at the Jersey Shore on the Atlantic Ocean coast of New Jersey, United States, that goes by a variety of names or, more often, is defined by its artists...

, which is infused with R&B. It is home to The Stone Pony

The Stone Pony

The Stone Pony, located in Asbury Park, New Jersey, is one of the world's best known music venues. It is known as a starting point for many musicians, first and foremost for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, who were the house-band for much of the mid-seventies, but also for New Jersey natives...

, founded in 1974, a starting point for many performers. The Asbury Lanes, the Saint

The Saint (music venue)

The Saint is a music venue located in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It is reminiscent of places like The Cellar Door in Washington, DC, CB's 313 Gallery , and The Living Room in New York City and features live, original music. The Saint opened on November 18, 1994...

, Chico's House of Jazz, and the Wonder Bar are smaller venues that continue the tradition of offering original, live music to the Jersey Shore. Asbury Park Convention Hall

Asbury Park Convention Hall

holds larger events.

In 1973 Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...

released his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. is the first studio album by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1973. It only sold about 25,000 copies in the first year of its release, but had significant critical impact...

. On his follow-up album, The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle is the second album by Bruce Springsteen and the as-yet-unnamed E Street Band, and is described by Allmusic as "one of the greatest albums in the history of rock & roll." It was released in 1973...

, one of the songs is entitled "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

"4th of July, Asbury Park ", often known just as "Sandy", is a 1973 song by Bruce Springsteen, originally appearing as the second song on his album The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle....

". Several books chronicle the early years of Springsteen's career in Asbury Park. Daniel Wolff's 4 July Asbury Park examines the social, political and cultural history of the city with a special emphasis on the part that music played in the city's development, culminating in Springsteen. Beyond the Palace by Gary Wien is a comprehensive look at the local music scene that Springsteen emerged from, and includes many photographs of musicians and clubs. Against the backdrop of the fading resort, Alex Austin's novel The Red Album of Asbury Park tracks a young rock musician pursuing his dream in the late 60s/early 70s, with Springsteen as a potent but as yet unknown rival.

The Golden T-Bird Awards were established in 1993 by Scott Stamper and Pete Mantas to recognize and support significant contributions and achievements of local and regional participants in the music industry. The name of the awards was changed to the Asbury Music Awards in 1995. The award ceremony is held in November of each year, most recently at the Stone Pony.

The New Jersey Music Hall of Fame

New Jersey Music Hall of Fame

The New Jersey Music Hall of Fame was founded in 2005 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, with plans to construct a building in downtown Asbury Park or closer to the Boardwalk. New Jersey has a rich musical heritage, covering artists from Count Basie to Frank Sinatra to Bruce Springsteen...

was founded in Asbury Park in 2005. There are plans to build a museum somewhere in the city as part of the redevelopment. In 2006, the Wave Gathering

Wave Gathering

The Wave Gathering Music Festival is held in Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA. It is an annual American music festival modeled after South by Southwest and Austin City Limits Music Festival that is held across the entire town, spanning several days...

Music Festival was established. The festival is held during the summer. Businesses across Asbury Park offer food, drink, art, music, crafts, and their stages for performances. Stages are also set up in parks, on the boardwalk, and in other open spaces. The event takes place over several days. The town is the headquarters of the county newspaper TriCity news.

The Bamboozle

The Bamboozle

The Bamboozle is an annual rain-or-shine, three-day music festival held in New Jersey. Every year, new bands compete for spots during the two days. The event evolved out of the Skate and Surf Festival.- The Characters:...

Music Festival was held in Asbury Park in 2003, 2004, and 2005. It is expected to be returning to its original location for the ten year anniversary in 2012.

Nightlife

Asbury Park's nightlife includes The Stone Pony

The Stone Pony

, a bar frequented by Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...

as well as Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. On Main Street is The Saint

The Saint (music venue)

, (formerly the Clover Club), a club that showcases local and emerging acts, as well as established performers. Across town, on Fourth Avenue, is Asbury Lanes

Asbury Lanes

Asbury Lanes located in Asbury Park, New Jersey is a vintage bowling alley and bar with live performances ranging from live musical acts, burlesque, hot rod, dance parties, film and art shows. It is one of the many historic music landmarks located within Asbury Park...

, a functioning vintage bowling alley and bar with live performances ranging from musical acts, Neo-Burlesque

Neo-Burlesque

Neo-Burlesque is the revival and updating of the traditional burlesque performance. Though based on the traditional Burlesque art, the new form encompasses a wider range of performance styles; Neo-burlesque acts can be anything from classic striptease to modern dance to theatrical mini-dramas to...

, hot rod

Hot rod

Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...

, and art shows. The Baronet, a vintage movie theater which dates back to Buster Keaton

Buster Keaton

Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...

's era, was near Asbury Lanes, but it's roof recently caved in and the building was demolished. A number of new restaurants, lounges and bars have opened up in teh city, including Tim McLoone's Supper Club, which features live entertainment, Langosta Lounge, The Annex, Stella Marina, the Watermark Lounge, Chico's House of Jazz, the Bond Street Bar and Johnny Mac's House of Spirits. A town that was once nearly abandoned, there are now over 60 restaurants, coffee houses, and live music venues situated in Asbury Park's boardwalk and downtown districts.

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'oeuvres and offering entertainment, to showcase the city's residential and commercial resurgence.

Gay community

Since the 1970s, Asbury Park has had a growing gay community. After the property values plummeted, gays from New York City

New York City

purchased and restored Victorian homes, leading to a rejuvenation of parts of the city. In 1999, Shep Pettibone

Shep Pettibone

Robert E. Pettibone, Jr. is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. His earliest work known to the public was for one of New York City's top disco/dance radio stations, WRKS 98.7 "Kiss" FM, and later as remixer/producer for the disco label Salsoul...

opened Paradise Nightclub, a gay

Gay

Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....

discotheque near the ocean. He has since also opened the Empress Hotel

The Empress Hotel (New Jersey)

The Empress Hotel, located in Asbury Park, New Jersey, is a popular gay resort.The Hotel opened as a luxury resort for vacationing families in the 1960s...

, the state's only gay oriented hotel. Another notable establishment is Georgie's (formerly the Fifth Avenue Tavern). Every summer the Jersey Gay Pride

Gay pride

LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...

parade as well as the gay Road Trip Weekend, and the Sand Blast Weekend which draws thousands of gays to the city. Both Road Trip and Sand Blast were started by the local gay homeowners who wanted to encourage friends from the tri-state area to come check out the up & coming beach town and hopefully make it a regular destination year-round. In 2010 Road Trip Weekend became Sand Blast Weekend, re-named after the popular gay dance on the beach, which had become the main event of the Road Trip Weekend.

Urban Enterprise Zone

Portions of Asbury Park are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone

Urban Enterprise Zone

In the United States, Urban Enterprise Zones , also known as Enterprise Zones, are intended to encourage development in blighted neighborhoods through tax and regulatory relief to entrepreneurs and investors who launch businesses in the area. UEZs are areas where companies can locate free of...

. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax

Sales tax

A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....

rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide).

Hotels

There were at one time many hotels along the beachfront. Many were demolished after years of sitting vacant, although the Sixth Avenue House Bed & Breakfast Hotel (formerly Berea Manor) was recently restored after being abandoned in the 1970s. Hotels like the Berkeley and Oceanic Inn have operated concurrently for decades, while the Empress Hotel and Hotel Tides were recently restored and reopened.

Currently open hotels include the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel (formerly the Berkeley-Carteret Oceanfront Hotel), The Empress Hotel

The Empress Hotel (New Jersey)

The Empress Hotel, located in Asbury Park, New Jersey, is a popular gay resort.The Hotel opened as a luxury resort for vacationing families in the 1960s...

, Hotel Tides, Oceanic Inn, Sixth Avenue House Bed & Breakfast Hotel and Mikell's Big House Bed & Breakfast.

Demolished:

The Albion Hotel
The Metropolitan Hotel

Education

Asbury Park's public schools are operated by Asbury Park Public Schools

Asbury Park Public Schools

Asbury Park Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district headquartered in Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States, serving children in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 Abbott Districts statewide....

. The district is one of 31 Abbott District

Abbott District

Abbott districts are school districts in New Jersey that are provided remedies to ensure that their students receive public education in accordance with New Jersey’s state constitution. They were created in 1985 as a result of the first ruling of Abbott v. Burke, a case filed by the Education Law...

s statewide.

Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics

National Center for Education Statistics

The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...

are
Barack Obama Elementary School (formerly Bangs Avenue Elementary School (383 students),
Bradley Elementary School (325) and
Thurgood Marshall Elementary School (523) for grades K-5;
Asbury Park Middle School (379) and
Asbury Park Alternative Middle School for grades 6–8; and
Asbury Park High School

Asbury Park High School

Asbury Park High School is a comprehensive, four-year community public high school headquartered in a landmark building in Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, constructed during the New Deal as a model high school campus...

(498) for grades 9–12. In March 2011, the state monitor overseeing the district's finances ordered that Barack Obama Elementary School be closed after the end of the 2010-11 school year, citing a 35% decline in enrollment in the district during the prior 10 years. Students currently attending the school would be reallocated to the district's two other elementary schools, with those going into fifth grade assigned to attend middle school.

In February 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.

Students from Asbury Park in grades 9-12 may also attend Academy Charter High School

Academy Charter High School

Academy Charter High School is a four-year public high school located in Lake Como, New Jersey, United States that operates independently of the local school district as a charter school authorized by the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education...

, located in Lake Como

Lake Como, New Jersey

Lake Como is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,759.Lake Como was originally formed as the borough of South Belmar by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1924, from portions of Wall Township, based...

, which also serves residents of Allenhurst

Allenhurst, New Jersey

Allenhurst is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 496.Allenhurst was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 26, 1897, from portions of Ocean Township...

, Avon-by-the-Sea

Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey

Avon-by-the-Sea is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,901...

, Belmar

Belmar, New Jersey

Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,794. The Borough of Belmar is governed under the Faulkner Act system of municipal government....

, Bradley Beach

Bradley Beach, New Jersey

Bradley Beach is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 4,298. The summer population can reach 30,000.-History:...

, Deal

Deal, New Jersey

Deal is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 750.Deal was incorporated as a borough on March 7, 1898, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature, from portions of Ocean Township....

, Interlaken

Interlaken, New Jersey

Interlaken is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 820.Interlaken was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1922, from portions of Ocean Township, based on the results of a...

and Lake Como, and accepts students on a lottery basis.

Geography

Asbury Park is located at 40.222399°N 74.012098°W (40.222399, −74.012098).

According to the United States Census Bureau

United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which 1.43 square miles (3.7 km²) of it is land and 0.17 square mile (0.4402979787 km²) of it (10.62%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 16,930 people, 6,754 households, and 3,586 families residing in the city. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

was 14,290.0 per square mile (5,629.4/km²) making it Monmouth County's most densely populated municipality. There were 7,744 housing units at an average density of 5,416.7 per square mile (2,090.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 15.77% White, 67.11% 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 18.58% 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

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

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

Per capita income

Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

for the city was $13,516. About 29.3% of families and 40.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.5% of those under age 18 and 37.1% of those age 65 or over.

Crime

While 8 of the 17 murders in Monmouth County in 2006 took place in Asbury Park, and 7 of the 14 murders in 2007, by 2008 there was only one murder in Asbury Park and five in the whole county. The city's police had added 19 officers since 2003 and expanded its street crime unit. After a spike in gang violence, violent crime had decreased by almost 20% from 2006 to 2008.

Transportation

New Jersey Transit

The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...

offers rail service from the Asbury Park

Asbury Park (NJT station)

Asbury Park is a railway station in Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States. It is served by trains on New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. It is located along Cookman Avenue between Main Street and Memorial Drive. The current Asbury Park station is one of two original Asbury Park stations...

on the North Jersey Coast Line

North Jersey Coast Line

The North Jersey Coast Line is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail service operating between New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal and Bay Head, New Jersey...

. Bus routes include the 317 to Philadelphia, and local service on the 830, 832, 836 and 837 routes.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Asbury Park include:

Bud Abbott
Bud Abbott
William Alexander "Bud" Abbott was an American actor, producer and comedian. He is best remembered as the straight man of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Lou Costello.-Early life:...

(1895–1974), straight man for comedy team Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...

, born in Asbury Park.
Stewart H. Appleby
Stewart H. Appleby
Stewart Hoffman Appleby was an American Republican Party politician who represented from 1925–1927, filling the vacancy of his father T. Frank Appleby, who had been elected to office but died before taking the seat....

(1890–1964), represented from 1925–1927.
T. Frank Appleby
T. Frank Appleby
Theodore Frank Appleby was an American Republican Party politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1921 to 1923...

(1864–1924), represented in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

from 1921 to 1923, and was mayor of Asbury Park from 1908 to 1912.
Nicole Atkins
Nicole Atkins
Nicole Atkins is an American singer-songwriter. She has been compared to Roy Orbison and singers from the Brill Building era.-Early life:...

(born 1978), singer-songwriter on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...

.
Frederick Bayer
Frederick Bayer
Frederick Merkle Bayer was the emeritus curator of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, as well as a prominent marine biologist who specialized in the study of soft corals.-Early life:...

(1921–2007), emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...

curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...

of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

's National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year....

and marine biologist.
Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow (1961–2007), professional wrestler.
Marie Castello
Marie Castello
Marie Castello , who was known as Madam Marie, was an American fortune teller and psychic reader who worked on the Asbury Park, New Jersey, boardwalk from 1932 until 2008...

(1915–2008), longtime boardwalk fortuneteller known as Madam Marie.
Edna Woolman Chase
Edna Woolman Chase
Edna Woolman Chase was editor in chief of Vogue magazine from 1914-1952. During her years at Vogue, Chase made many contributions to the magazine. She saw Vogue through prosperous times and hard times of war and losing colleagues. Chase was born and raised in Asbury Park, New Jersey, but moved to...

(1877–1957) editor in chief of Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...

magazine from 1914–1952.
Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...

(1871–1900), author of "The Red Badge of Courage
The Red Badge of Courage
The Red Badge of Courage is a war novel by American author Stephen Crane . Taking place during the American Civil War, the story is about a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Overcome with shame, he longs for a wound—a "red badge of courage"—to...

".
Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...

(born 1944), actor, born in nearby Neptune, NJ
Neptune Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,690 people, 10,907 households, and 6,805 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,366.8 people per square mile . There were 12,217 housing units at an average density of 1,485.4 per square mile...

, grew up in Asbury Park.
Tim Hauser
Tim Hauser
Tim Hauser is an accomplished singer who was a member of the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer.-Early life:He was born in Troy, New York. Hauser, his sister Fayette, and their parents moved to the Jersey Shore when he was seven years old. He lived in Ocean Township, New Jersey and Asbury Park,...

(born 1941), member of The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal music group. There have been two manifestations of the group, with Tim Hauser being the only person to be part of both...

.
Leon Hess
Leon Hess
Leon Hess was the founder of the Hess Corporation and the owner of the New York Jets.-Biography:Hess was born on March 13, 1914. His father was a Russian immigrant who worked as an oil delivery man in Asbury Park, New Jersey during the Great Depression.He married Norma around 1945 and they had...

(1914–1999), oil magnate and founder of the Hess Corporation
Hess Corporation
The Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...

, began his business in the city.
Lou Liberatore
Lou Liberatore
Lou Liberatore is an American actor.A graduate of Fordham University, Liberatore made his New York City stage debut in the 1982 Circle Repertory Company production of Richard II. As a permanent member of the company he appeared in The Great Grandson of Jebediah Kohler, Black Angel, and As Is and...

(born 1959), actor, has a second home in Asbury Park.
Robert Melee
Robert Melee
Robert Melee is an artist based in NYC and Asbury Park, New Jersey.Melee was born in New Jersey. He makes multimedia art – videos, installations, collages. - His work is often compared to that of John Waters and Andy Warhol due to its overt campness...

(born 1966), artist.
Arthur Pryor
Arthur Pryor
Arthur Willard Pryor was a trombone virtuoso, bandleader, and soloist with the Sousa Band. In later life, he was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served on the Monmouth County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders during the 1930s.Pryor was born on the second floor of...

(1870–1942), bandleader.
Ben Rindner
Ben Rindner
Ben Rindner is an American actor who has appeared in film, including in Don't Burn and the film version of Sex and the City.Born in Asbury Park, New Jersey, he graduated from Ocean Township High School and resides in Hollywood, California. In 2010, Rindner was involved in a traffic accident...

(born 1987), actor who has appeared in the film version of Sex in the City Movie and Don't Burn
Don't Burn
In 2009 Đặng Nhật Minh's film Do Not Burn , starring Tina Duong, Minh Huong and Ben Rindner, about the martyr Dang Thuy Tram, premiered at the International 19th Annual took place in Fukuoka, Japan, winning the audience prize. The film was released in late April 2009 in Vietnam and showed at the...

.
Richie Rosenberg, trombonist who performed with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes are a Jersey Shore musical group led by Southside Johnny. They have been recording albums since 1976 and are closely associated with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. They have recorded and/or performed several Springsteen songs, including "The Fever" and...

.
David Sancious
David Sancious
David Sancious is an American musician. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group, the E Street Band, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on the 1992 album Human Touch. Sancious is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known as a keyboard player and...

(born 1953), early member of the E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...

.
Arthur Siegel
Arthur Siegel
Arthur Siegel was an American songwriter.Born on December 31, 1923 in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, he grew up in Asbury Park, New Jersey...

(1923–94), songwriter.
Thomas S. Smith
Thomas S. Smith (New Jersey)
Thomas S. Smith was an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 until his death, where he represented the 11th legislative district...

(1917–2002), former mayor of Asbury Park who served in the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...

.
Margaret Widdemer
Margaret Widdemer
Margaret Widdemer was a U.S. poet and novelist. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1919 for her collection The Old Road to Paradise, sharing the prize with Carl Sandburg, who won for his collection Corn Huskers.-Biography:Margaret Widdemer was born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and grew up...

(1884–1976) Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...

-winning poet
Wendy Williams (born 1964), talk show host and New York Times bestselling
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...

author, born in Asbury Park.
Arthur Augustus Zimmerman
Arthur Augustus Zimmerman
Arthur Augustus Zimmerman was one of the world's greatest cycling sprint riders and winner of the first world championship in 1893...

(1869–1936), the first world cycling champion, grew up here and owned a hotel after retiring from racing.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Early years

1920s and modern development

21st century

Local government

Federal, state, and county representation

Music and culture

Nightlife

Gay community

Urban Enterprise Zone

Hotels

Education

Geography

Demographics

Crime

Transportation

Notable residents

See also

External links