Page 27 - JOA6-21

Revisiting America’s Most Historic Boardwalks

delmarvanow.com

irst laid in 1870, the Atlantic City Boardwalk, America’s oldest and seaside resort communities. Many looked to Atlantic City’s success for
today longest (6 miles) boardwalk, was initially conceived by the inspiration, their boardwalks soon becoming the main attraction with rides,
FTown’s developers as a practical solution to the challenge of beach arcade games, live entertainment, food, and shops. Fun for the whole family!
sand. It was a mile-long wooden walkway laid on top of the sand that Over the last century, our most historic American boardwalks have
allowed guests to this popular seaside resort to walk the beach without weathered everything from storms to war, the Great Depression, economic
getting sandy. Within 10 years, it evolved into something quite different, recessions, fires, and changing tourist tastes in travel. Yet they survive
and its popularity sparked a boardwalk building craze in resort towns up and are rebuilt and re-imagined for the times based on their enduring
and down the east coast. popularity and nostalgia. Here are some oldies but still goodies that will
By the turn of the 20th century, boardwalks were a popular feature of take you back in time for a new experience!

Wildwood, New Jersey

he City of Wildwood laid its first (originally debuted at the 1939 New York City
boardwalk directly on the sand in 1900. World’s Fair) and put them into service
TIt was just 150 yards long. Throughout transporting visitors up and down the
the years, the Boardwalk has gone through Boardwalk. Those five cars are still in service
many transformations, growing and evolving today and are some of the oldest, continually
with the mood of the country in its over one operating modes of public transportation in the
hundred years of history. The boardwalk United States. Today’s fleet of eight cars travels
moved closer to the ocean twice due to the the Boardwalk carrying approximately 500,000
changing shoreline. Today, the Wildwoods people annually.
Boardwalk is approximately two and a half Today, this world-famous boardwalk, called
miles long, and one of the country’s last great “America’s last really great honky-tonk
seaside promenades. boardwalk at the shore” by the late architect
Historic highlights that continue to be a cornerstone of the and pop-culture historian Steve Izenour, is home to five amusement
Wildwood Boardwalk experience include Morey’s Surfside Amusement piers boasting more rides than Disneyland, and a seemingly endless
Pier, opened in 1950, which today offers children of all ages everything array of restaurants and shops offering everything from classic
from rides to water slides; Sam’s Pizza Palace, founded in the summer boardwalk fare like funnel cakes and homemade fudge to seafood
of 1957; and Mack’s Pizza, opened on the Boardwalk in 1953. History specials, gourmet pizza, and contemporary casual beach fare. As it has
lovers can also learn more about Wildwood, New Jersey and the for over 100 years, the boardwalk stands as a living, thriving, pulsating
Boardwalk at the Wildwood Historical Museum opened in 1963. celebration of the American imagination – it’s authentic, it’s real, and
In 1949, Gilbert Ramagosa purchased five electric-powered cars it’s a whole lot of fun!

Asbury Park, New Jersey

sbury Park, located on New Jersey’s central coast, was developed surrounding Waterfront. About 20 memorial bench plaques with
in 1871 as a residential resort by New York brush manufacturer wistful/romantic/nostalgic messages can now be found up and down
Aand real estate developer, James A. Bradley. Along the the Boardwalk, along with an additional 21 honoring the memory of
waterfront, Bradley installed a primitive musicians, DJs, journalists, club owners, and
boardwalk in 1877 but the Asbury Park others who make up the “Asbury Angels
Boardwalk quickly grew and evolved to Boardwalk of Fame” at the south end of the
accommodate an orchestra pavilion, public Boardwalk. These plaques honor the city’s rich
changing rooms, and a pier at its south end. musical history.
Asbury Park’s growing popularity as a seaside Today, the Asbury Park Boardwalk, nearly 5
resort soon attracted other investors who built miles long, has a mix of fine restaurants where
grand hotels, introduced new attractions, and you can sample a wide variety of cuisine,
opened food concessions along the boardwalk. including Korean fusion tacos, oysters,
In 1888, the Palace Merry-Go-Round was sausages, ice cream, and Italian ice. It also
built, and in the 1920s, the Paramount Theatre boasts beach shops, handcrafted and organic
and Convention Hall ushered in a new era of goods, and vintage-inspired gifts. There’s the
music and performing arts to the Boardwalk that still exists to this day. Silver Ball Museum Arcade where you can play classic antique pinball
In 2007, a new chapter in Asbury Park’s rich history began with an games; Asbury Eighteen for a game of oceanfront mini-golf; and Asbury
extensive restoration of the Boardwalk and some of its key historic Splash Park, where the kids can soak themselves under the famous
features, including the Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall, and tipping teacup for hours!

June 2021 25