Allenhurst Former Sections
Digital interactions for Friends of the
Township of Ocean Historical Museum!
FORMER SECTIONS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF OCEAN
The area that today is Allenhurst, was originally the Allen family farm. A portion of the farm was turned into the Allen House, a guest house, and the residence of Judah Allen. The prominent inn can be credited with attracting many prominent visitors to this area of the coast. In 1895, the farm and the Allen House were purchased by Edwin P. Benjamin and James M. Ralston and they formed the Coast Land Improvement Company. Allenhurst broke off from the Township of Ocean in 1897
This is the original map of the plans of the Coast Land Improvement Company, showing the layout of the Borough in 1895
The Allen House
The Coast Land Improvement Company enlarged the Allen House as the Allenhurst Inn. This is the start of the annual carriage parade, which took place every August 10th to commemorate the purchase of the property by Coast. It was followed by a formal ball held on the front lawn.
Modifications were made to the inn in 1899 by the Coast Land Improvement Company, including a proper full-length porch and upstairs verandah providing the appearance of a fine hotel. It could now accommodate 350 guests in the main house and offered the convenience of gas, electricity, and even an elevator. An early morning fire destroyed the building in 1901
The 12 inn cottages were constructed as part of the expansion of the Allenhurst Inn in 1899 to ease the large demand for accommodations during the summer months. Cottage number one, shown here, was located on Corlies Avenue, directly behind the main structure.
Occupying Allenhurst Inn cottage number two, Uzal H. McCarter prepare to set off for the annual carriage parade. McCarter served as the president of Fidelity Trust Company in Newark, New Jersey, and was one of many early summer visitors to Allenhurst from northern New Jersey.
A new hotel was built on the site of the Allenhurst Inn in 1903 under the management of Arthur B. Hammond. It featured custom-designed bricks kilned at the Fisher brickyards, which was owned by an Allenhurst resident. On December 20, 1929, the building, like its predecessor, was destroyed by fire.
The structure above represents the final chapter in the Allenhurst Inn trilogy. This one-story structure occupied the site following the fire of the Allenhurst Club in 1919. During World War II the inn was used along with other structures in the borough to house the U.S. Army Signal Corps. In 1951, the building's ownership passed to the Borough and it was eventually sold at a public auction in 1956.
On May 1, 1895, the ground was broken for the large trolly car barn on Main Street. The building was considered the largest in Monmouth County at the time and had six entranceways and a half-acre inside floor area designed to house 80 cars. The property was purchased by JCP&L in 1931. It is currently scheduled for the construction of a condominium project.
This is the home of C.L. Despard, Esq.
This is the home of James Bower
This is the home of E C Williams - Front View
This is the home of M.H. Burch, Esq.
This is the home of T.A. Roberts, Esq.
The developers appreciated the importance of both the lake and the ocean as they related to the leisure activities of the borough's summer visitors. A 20-foot wide gravel roadway for access around the lake, complete with a 5-foot wide lover's lane, was completed in the area west of the railroad tracks known as Benson Park.
Promoted as the "Rustic Bridge, Allenhurst, N.J." on a wide variety of postcards in the early 1900s, the wooden bridge that crossed over Deal Lake at the intersection of Spier Avenue and Lake Drive was the cause of much controversy. In 1913, a group of concerned residents appeared before the borough council to express their opinion that a new bridge be built, feeling the existing bridge was unsafe. However, James M. Ralston protested the building of a new bridge on what he believed to be part of his residential property. In 1916 the construction of a new bridge was in the works when Mr. Ralston filed suit, and the borough was ordered to appear before the New Jersey Supreme Court. Finally, in 1926, Ralston negotiated with the borough to relinquish his rights to the lake bank for the price of $18,000. In later years this part of the lake was filled in up to Lake Drive and the bridge was no longer required. (From Township of Ocean Historical Museum Post Card Collection)
In 1898 the New York and Long Branch Railroad instituted a new stop at Allenhurst. The rapid growth of the community warranted the construction of the Allenhurst Depot on Main and Corlies Avenues. The cost to construct the classically styled stucco station was $15,388. In 1957 it was rumored that the NYLB Railroad was considering selling the depot to an independent concern planning to construct a shopping center. With the influence of the Homeowner's Association, the station property was rezoned to restrict this type of construction. After failed attempts by the Allenhurst Preservation Committee to save the station, it was tom down in 1982. A small station exists behind the office building that is currently located on the site.
With the ocean in the distance, this late afternoon baseball game holds the attention of the spectators. The vehicle to the extreme right is the Pach's ever-present photographic wagon. Allenhurst Baseball Field, 1904
Prior to 1895, the beachfront was owned by Louis H. Ennis, who constructed a small open pavilion for bathers. This is the original ocean pavilion constructed by the Coast Land Development Company. Edwin P. Benjamin, the founder of Allenhurst, provided free coach transportation from the train station to the beach pavilion. In the early 1900s, the wooden structure was torn down and replaced with a new stucco casino.
The Allenhurst Casino, the second formal Structure to occupy the beachfront, was a classically styled two-story stucco structure designed by Ernest A. Arend of Asbury Park and constructed by I.R. Taylor Building Company. It featured an enclosed second story for those wishing to escape the elements. In 1937, the pavilion was once again destroyed and replaced.
The third formal structure to occupy the beachfront was built in 1937. This is an exterior shot of the SS Allenhurst. Construction began on the new nautical theme Allenhurst Casino in 1937. The "novel" design-as it was dubbed at that time was the work of Ernest Arend, who had designed the previous stucco facilities.
Located at the comer of Norwood and Elberon Avenues is the Episcopal Church of St. Andrew-by-the-Sea. Similar to most shore area churches, it was organized to serve the needs of summer visitors. Construction began on the church in 1891, following the finalization of a deed transferring the property from William E. Ford and Caro H. Ford of Morristown New Jersey.
In 1854, the ship the "New Era" sank in a storm off the coast of Allenhurst/Deal, with a loss of approximately 250 passengers. Parts of the ship, including the anchor, have been salvaged over the years. In 2002, the New Era anchor was transported from the yard of Joseph Hornick in West Long Branch to St. Andrew's Church by the Sea in Allenhurst where it will remain on display.
The Dunes Hotel was the only establishment of its kind located directly overlooking the bluff. The 85-room hotel was built in 1894 on the property that today is between Corlies and Spier Avenues. The hotel prospered for 18 years until a fire on July 8, 1912, swept through the building, leaving many afternoon bathers on the beach without proper attire for dinner. Demolition of the building allowed for the continuation of Ocean Place in 1913.
The Hotel Curlew and cottages were located on Allen Avenue opposite the pool and casino. Purchased by Edward J. Solomons in 1916 from Jean Venetor, the hotel underwent significant improvements in order to compete with the Allenhurst Inn. The hotel was destroyed by a fire that originated in the basement in July 1931.
The building that today houses Allenhurst Borough Hall at the corner of Norwood and Corlies Avenues, was originally built as the Grenelle & Schank's Ice Cream Parlor. Later, it was replaced by the Allenhurst Pharmacy. In August 1941, the Borough took over the building and moved there administrative offices from the Firehouse on Hume Street.
Many postcards of Allenhurst are simple street scenes. This is Corlies Avenue (Mislabeled as Norlies Avenue) looking east from about Norwood Avenue. (From Township of Ocean Historical Museum Post Card Collection)
The Allenhurst Nurseries were owned and operated by Allenhurst developer James M. Ralston. The large hothouses and flower beds were located behind the Buckelew and McCue's stables on Page Avenue. With the rapid development of the community, the nursery fulfilled the need for landscape plantings. The nursery property was sold in the 1930s to make way for residential housing.
The Allenhurst Livery, also know as Buckelewe & McCue's Livery, was in existence prior to the development of Allenhurst. It was located on Main Street close to the Deal border on Neptune Avenue. The livery provided boarding for horses as well as carriage maintenance, After 1925, it was used as a garage, until a fire in 1940. It was torn down shortly thereafter. The post office was built on the site in 1958.
The Allenhurst Garage started operations in the early 1930s at 415 Main Street. In 1954, it was purchased by Jersey Central Power and Light Company and incorporated into their existing operations.
The General Offices of the Atlantic Coast Electric Light Company (a division of the Atlantic Coast Electric Railway Company) was located on Main Street in Allenhurst. The Company became the Coast Cities Electric Railway Company, and today is Coast Cities Truck and Equipment.
The Schultz brothers, Martin, Ben, and Carl, purchased both the Deal and Allenhurst Pharmacies in 1932. In 1942, the Allenhurst Pharmacy moved from Norwood Avenue to the Main Street business district. The business was sold in 1972. In 1992, a fire destroyed a large portion of the Main Street stores including the Pharmacy.
Prior to the formation of its own fire department, Allenhurst was paying the City of Asbury Park $15.00 per fire call. The original Hume Street firehouse was built in 1901. The firehouse also served as police headquarters prior to 1930. The original firehouse and the clubhouse next door were demolished in 1997 to make way for modern facilities.
The Bamberger family, owners of the department store chain, had a summer house on the corner of what today is Norwood Avenue and Allen Avenue. A 1905 photo by the Pach Brothers shows the house at the time. The house is still standing at 203 Allen Avenue.
This completely brick house was the home of Peter Fisher, owner of Fisher Brick Works. It was on the southeast corner of Allen and Norwood Avenues. The hose was built completely of brick as an advertisement for the company and appeared in the November 1901 issue of "Architecture" Magazine. In 1943, it housed personnel from the U.S. Army Signal Corps. In 1954, unable to sell the home, the owner decided to tear it down and sub-divide the lot.
The stately home at 106 Spier Avenue was built in the late 1890s and was featured in a 1900 Scientific American article and a pictorial of the 1930s called "Attractive Homes of New Jersey." Among the owners was Mrs. Eugene William Spaulding and the house was called "The Homestead." The home was remodeled in the mid-1940s and unbelievably the beautiful porte-cochere and the side porches were removed.
This shows 204 Corlies Avenue
This is 104 Allen Avenue
This is 45 Norwood Avenue
This is 231 Corlies Avenue
This is 204 Allen Avenue
This is 20 Cedar Avenue
This landmark home at the corner of Allen Avenue and Lake Avenue (Ocean Avenue) was built in 1896. President McKinley's brother, who either rented or visited the residence, utilized the tower to watch the carriage parades from the Allenhurst Inn. The home remains today Virtually unchanged at 24 Allen Avenue.
This is 203 Allen Avenue
This is 101 Cedar Avenue
This is 2 Spier Avenue
