The Casino, Asbury Park: The final decade
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2010
- Asbury Park's "new" Casino was completed in 1929-30, just in time for the worst of the "Great Depression". It was designed by the architectural firm Warren & Wetmore, who were famous for many other public buildings in North American including New York's Grand Central Terminal, and featured extensive use of cast bronze and sheet copper ornamentation. The Casino complex, which included the Carousel and the heating plant, was part of an overly ambitious architectural renewal in Asbury that included the Paramont Theater and Convention Hall. The Casino remained in relatively good condition through the 1960's but after the roof was stripped of its copper the building quickly began to deteriorate. The photo postcard near the beginning of this clip shows the Casino complex in nearly new condition, with great lamps in place on top of the roof and on the columns flanking the gable ends of the walk-through section. Except for another early photo illlustrating the Casino interior's original stage, balconies, and suspended lighting, the remainder of this clip is comprised of digital color still photos and video taken between 2000 and 2007 by Rick Darke. Most of the video is from 2000, shot with a Sony PC100 mini-DV (digital tape) camera, long before digital video went wide aspect. Visitors in summer 2010 will find new green anodized metal roofs on the remaining buildings, but the main section of the Casino, which once reached out into the surf, suspended on pilings, was removed in 2007. The Schwinn near the end of the clip is a Coppertone 1966 Collegiate 5-speed, which would have been new about the time the Asbury Boardwalk reached its Sixties peak.
The destruction of the Asbury Park board walk was the result of corruption, lack of vision, greed, and incompetence.
First came the destruction of the Mayfair and St. James theaters in 1974, then the destruction of Ocean Grove's North End Hotel complex (both leaving empty lots), then other buildings - which should have been designated as historical protected landmark buildings - one by one, were destroyed.
The Casino was simply allowed to rot and rust through neglect.
No vision.
So sad.
I think its a shame that we don't value old buildings and old places anymore!
July 17, 1975....Casino Arena, first row center...I saw Peter Frampton in concert. He was opening act for Joe Walsh. I was 16 years old and I sat there spellbound as I watched Frampton singing and playing that Les Paul. For an encore, Peter and Joe jammed to "Jumpin Jack Flash". One year later, Frampton would be selling out stadiums...The Casino is gone forever, but I'll never forget that night.
I remember every summer my parents rented a bungalow in Belmar, and we took the bus from Belmar to Asbury Park to go to this Casino. We rode the Merry Go Round, and they had a brass ring, and we tried to catch that brass ring.
We played games there, went on the bumper cars, and they even had a mechanical dummy fortune teller in a glass booth to tell fortunes. Great memories...too bad crime and urban decay took over!
John
I used to take those same walks, circa 1995-2000, checking out the Casino and surrounding areas. I just could not believe the deterioration of such a once beautiful and historic building. I always regretted not bringing a camera to record those times, but so glad Rick did- great job.
How very sad seeing The Casino in that condition. In the 1950's and early 60's I spent many a Saturday afternoon ice skating there and playing the pinball machines after skating. I also remember seeing many great movies at The St.James and Mayfair theaters which are long gone also.
Move to the area in the early 70s. My parents and I would go to Spring Lake, Belmar and Asbury park. I don't recall much going on in the Casino area, the buildings then were certainly not as run down as they are now although they were aging and showing songs of some needed repairs, The carousel building was beautiful with the merry go round and Caliope still there and the brass ring and the pinball machines were all there. very nice. Of course Palace amusements down the street with it's merry go round and the Ferris wheel that went through the roof was still there too. I also remember the rides on the Asbury Park boardwalk itself with the rollercoaster, the Ferris wheel, the merry-go-rounds, etc. All gone now, sad. Even more sad, I heard that before we moved there during the late 60s when they had the riots there which really destroyed Asbury Park, it was even more beautiful.
loved Asbury Park, loved with her thru the 80's and 90's former newspaper photog. so know her well. and the ladies on the streets.
I watched this a few years ago. It wasn't any easier this time.
Thank you for posting this it is good that people can see how it use to be.
I have that Skeeball sign shown as well as other things from there. I knew they were gonna throw em out so i just pulled up my car and took em. I have some seats from the theater too and the switch and outlet covers. I restored them all and they sit in my house to this day.
if you have anything you're willing to part with i am interested
When i was there checking the Casino out several times 1995-2000, i wanted to grab some things to keep as artifacts of such an historic place, but just didnt follow through. Sounds like you did, congrats.
This is a fantastic look at the old Casino
If you had seen it in 1963, you would have been amazed.
It was even still alive in the summer of 1973, but not as grand.
What you saw as Asbury Park in 1986 was a town 3/4 destroyed.
my best childhood memories are of the palace casino, riding the merry go round grabbing the rings for prizes, hiding and scaring people in the fun house, the oriental express, riding the swan boats, loving the gargoyles, taffy, howard johnsons
Yes, I agree! I've had reacuring dreams about that place for years but, couldn't place it until RUclips!
WOW, the fact that you remember the rings in the Merry-go-round 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Remember the LONG winding ramp at the Howard Johnson? I used to ride my bike down it 🤣🤣🤣😭
OMG and the taffy and rock candy... Everyone loved going to Perkins for breakfast but not me, I ALWAYS loved HoJo... ❤️
Ice skated there on New Years Day 1964 and years later saw a great Loggins & Messina concert there in 1973-ish? Thanks for sneaking in and taking this fine footage.
Could you imagine being there when the boardwalk opened. And then taking a few people forward in time and show them this. 😱😱😱😱😱😱
I can't watch and I can't look away
I met my wife of 48 years at a high school ice skating party here in January 1959. I was a senior and Cathy was a junior. I was actually (I thought) on a date with another girl who brought along a friend.
Its really sad to see what happened to Asbury Park. I remember the last years of its heyday in my youth.
This has to be one of the saddest videos I have ever seen in my entire life. Only seventy years to go from palace to a ruination. Such a beautiful building and it crumbled right before our very eyes, and nothing was done to save it. Its a sin, a shame, and a crime. There will never be another one like it. I remember the walk thru fun house and the drive thru fun house, the arcade games, and the Mr. Peanut stand. Shari Lewis was there with Lamb Chop when I was about six. What a shame. I can't look and I can't look away.
Very well said. I feel the same.
One thing I remember from the casino was a giant while polar bear about 13 feet high in the entranceway to something.
I was lucky enough to go inside the Casino in the late 1980's. It was the coolest experience. I was only 13 and not yet familiar with the Art Deco style. Seeing this I know now I didn't understand what I was seeing, I just thought it was "cool."
i had the same experience. proof of the effect of architecture on even the uneducated child mind, our structures in society so subconsciously important to making us feel proud to be human. i weep for asbury. i visted once with my grandparents when we had just moved to nj in 2001, by the time i graduated highschool all was gone forever. i'm glad the convention hall still stands.
I visited the Jersey Shore in 2011, driving from Sandy Hook along the coast as far as Ocean City. Asbury Park was the biggest eyesore on the entire coast, which I found difficult to comprehend because Ocean Grove, just down the shore, is still a nice place. How can a state with so much money allow one of its most famous boardwalks to deteriorate in such a fashion?
Ask the Democrats that run the state.
2011 was really the end of destitution. now it's cookie cutter shit but, at least it's not abandoned.
Looks like we lost a war.
Crooked town government.... Top to Bottom.. be well.
Never made it inside to see. Thanks for the video at least i got to see it before demolition.
This is a crime. 😡
Warren and Wetmore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_and_Wetmore
Wikipedia
Warren and Wetmore was an architecture firm in New York City which was a partnership between ... The estate has been renamed to The Eric Kuvykin Mansion
I wanted to ask you if it would be possible to get a copy (digital or otherwise) of this fixture? I created a really cool candle holder from the pieces that I salvaged. You wouldn't believe how heavy those small Flor-de-lis scrolls are! I'd be happy to send you a picture of it if you send me a message. Anyway, I didn't have my camera with me on & it would be really cool to have a pic of the fixture.
I also have lots of pics & videos of the Power Plant, Casino,Palace & Hotels. I'll swap for same.
A horror movie was filmed in Asbury Park but I don't recall the name anybody remember it?
Dark Ride - by Craig Singer who I believe is from Belmar. City by the Sea with De Niro also filmed there
Bruce. couldn't buy you a roof?