My Ocean City NJ Memories of the Boardwalk 1970's and Before
85,794
Published 2015-03-31
The Surf Theater opened just north of 12th & the Boardwalk in 1929 after the great fire, and was originally called the Showboat and presented vaudeville acts. By the early 40's it was taken over by the Strand Theater Company. It was converted to an shopping mall in the early 80's.
Copper Kettle Fudge was located at 11th & the Boardwalk, on the corner just south of the Flanders Hotel. It was established in 1947 and was still there 40 years later. Today this is the site of Fralinger's Salt Water Taffy.
Morrow's Nut House was located between 9th & 10th and the Boardwalk. It was opened in the mid-1930's and closed after the 2004 season. The location is now a Curly Fries.
The entrance to the old Seaside Baths just south of Mac & Mancos's 920 Boardwalk location is now the Islander Shop. The huge bath structure in the rear was torn down and is now a parking lot.
Shriver's at 9th & the Boardwalk is the oldest business on the boardwalk, being established in 1898. I worked for Hank Glaser and his father at Shriver's for a number of years during the mid-80's cooking, pulling and wrapping the salt water taffy. The best part was all the cute girls that sat at tables and boxed the taffy in back of you. Hank was a really cool guy and a pleasure to work for. I remember his dad was pretty old at that time and wasn't supposed to drive after dark. I also worked at Irene's Gift Shop and the Smuggler's Shop in the early 80's.
Simms Restaurant and Take Out located between 8th & 9th Street and the Boardwalk was just south of the Mooryln Theater. It was said to have had the best cinnamon buns in South Jersey. It was established in 1912 and closed in 1980. A video arcade occupied the corner until 1996. when a fast food establishment took over. The space is now occupied by Curly Fries second location; with Haunted Golf next door.
The Village Theater was located at 8th & the Boardwalk and burned down June 12, 1990 after being newly renovated and split into two screens. Gremlins 2 and Disney's Dick Tracy were to be the first features presented. The Frank Theater Company had purchased the Village, Moorlyn and Strand Theaters in early 1989. The Village Theater was originally on the ocean side of the boardwalk, but after the great fire of 1927 the boardwalk was moved 200 feet closer to the ocean, leaving the theater behind. The billboard for the old Village Theater is still in use above the "South Seas Shop".
I took a date to see "Back to the Future" at the Strand Theater in July 1985. I remember it still had just the one huge screen at that time; and was not yet a multiplex.
The last picture is of Zaberer's Restaurant in Wildwood. It was a family tradition to eat there once every year. I always got the Prime Rib and loved the arcade room they had at the back. I would go there and play while the adults talked away, waiting for the food to arrive. Zaberer's was sold in 1988 and was foreclosed on two years later; 35 years after being opened. My other video entitled "Wilkin Homes in Ocean City, NJ (1973 to 1993) includes a trip to Zaberer's.
There are some good home movies of the Ocean City Boardwalk in my videos entitled "Ocean City, NJ Vacations (1958 to 1970) and "Wonderland Amusement Park, Ocean City, NJ (1969).
All Comments (21)
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My Dad just passed away. He made sure we spent 2 weeks in Ocean City every year in August in the 60s. We lived outside Philly (Dad from Pittsburgh).My Mom lived in Ocean City after graduation from Upper Darby H.S. Pa. in 1948. Thanks Pop for the wonderful memories...48th and Asbury Ave,Campbells,Tuckahoe Inn,Chris's Dock and the Flying Pony,biking on the boardwalk and the orange juice place,and so much more....
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I've been coming to OC, NJ since 1968. No beach tags were required then. There are more restaurants now, less beach erosion. It still retains its small town, family ambiance. Changes, unlike other places (Atlantic City among them) have been minimal. It's essentially the same resort I saw for the first time, age 19.
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I moved away from Jersey and am on the downhill side of life so will probably never visit Ocean City again, but thanks for so many memories, both happy and sad.
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It is very hard to find older pictures of Ocean City, NJ. That was my world from 1969 thru 1994. It seems so far from me now. I was there 5 days ago and it was a different world. So over-built and soooo many people. I saw 'The Deep' in '77 at that movie theatre on the boardwalk. We were docked at (the original) Blue Water Marina at 34th street. I had a boyhood friend, Greg Ricci and his sister, Alyssa. His mom, Elaine, and pop, Greg Sr, were cool people. I have so many memories from there and my wife tells me I'm obsessed a bit. lol I wish I could find them. Summer nights in a marina after lots of people were out fishing that day meant hibachis burning on each finger pier and everyone had plenty to eat. It was the best time to be a kid during that time. Swimming in the marina during the sunset was awesome. (obviously,no boats were running at that time). It's a time lost to me, except for in my head. I wish I could bring visitors with me to see that area during those times.
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We used to dress up to go to the Boardwalk on a Saturday evening. We'd eat dinner at Simms, ride the Ferris wheel and always take in a game of miniature golf. It was one of the highlights of our vacation at the shore. We'd always watch them make salt water taffy and fudge, and take a box of each home with us. It was the 1950s. By the mid sixties, when I was in high school, many things had changed, but so much I remember is gone, either by fire or simply the changing times. But the memories remain pristine in my mind, even after almost a half century living in the Midwest.
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I am not crying. I am not crying. I am not crying.Damn onions. Beautiful video and music...well done.
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I had been going there since I was born, in 1952. I am convince I was conceived there! I now live out west but dream of good old OC often. Thanks for the memories!
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this is my home away from home..such wonderful memories...thanks for putting this video on..i started to come here in 1958 and never stopped since....bless ocnj
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My dad loved this beach. His grandma was a tiny Armenian lady who worked on Asbury Ave at Staintons. She and my dad’s grandpa (his last name was Bates)had a home on 5th street. It’s one of the oldest homes in OC. My dad worked on the boardwalk a few summers in the 60’s. He loved it there so much until the day he passed away 2006. I have many wonderful memories there as a kid. I don’t really visit much anymore because it’s not the same without my dad! Just feels different to me now. But I hold all of the memories in my heart. Such special times... 💙
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.i remember all of it well and I still LOVE it!!!!
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There is a very rare 8 track tape made by the Old Salt Gift Shop that captures the sounds of the beach in Ocean City in 1977. If anyone has a copy, please make the sound available on YouTube so that it is not lost forever ❤️❤️❤️
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Altogether lovely! But I witnessed this wonderland when I was a child in the 60's. Strange how it creeps up on my nostalgia in my 60's currently. Utmost blessings!
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Oh the memories I had. Been going to Ocean City for decades. I remember vividly walking that boardwalk from Gillians wonderland pier to the Flanders Hotel. I would just stand on the boardwalk and stare at the Flanders. Every summer my parents would rent a house on Brighton Place. I've been vacationing every year for the last four years at the Flanders because I just love it. Beauty, vintage and convenience, all wrapped up in one. Thank you for this video.
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Just came across this. Very nice. I grew up exactly where you show in your video and remember it well. I watched them build Wonderland. I was there - very young- in the aftermath of the '62 storm. The "old stores" that you show on your map were my family and extended family lived and worked. Great memories. We spent some summers in the wonderful apartments on top of the stores, worked at Larzelere's and also across from Music Pier in the 60's and early 70's. Those were some crazy summers. I vividly remember the Johnson Ice Cream fire and was there before the fire trucks arrived. We lived at the base of the boardwalk ramp at the time. Jimmy Johnson lost his life and the other young man jumped from the window onto the beach. Thank you for putting this all together.
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The title “My Ocean City” started me thinking that I could possibly end up in tears if I watched your video... But I had to watch. Then the music you chose and loved scenes of exactly what I remember had me crying like a lost toddler way before I got to Zaberers! I’m still sniffling! So—in a few minutes my husband will be coming home to no dinner. My plan—no matter how hungry he is, I’ll show him your video, and—I know him—we will both be sobbing together here where we are—40 years away from Ocean City summers. Even our old house on 13th and Central is bulldozed now. In 1968 and 1969, I worked (as a 13 yr old, illegally) at Shrivers for Frank and Hank Glazier packing SWT and wrapping pound boxes. Hank used to sing to us girls on the assembly belt “if I only had a brain” when someone missed a salt water taffy flavor. He looked mostly at me the while he sang this! Thank you Jonathan for your love of that certain place in the world.
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Beautiful music so relaxing and stunning pictures.
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Well done. I have been coming here since 1964 and have seen a lot of changes over that period of time. It's nice seeing the old places I remember as a child. Was looking for pictures of Watson's restaurant, when I saw your You Tube video. Thanks for the memories.
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Thank you for the video. Liked the pic of Moorlyn theater with "The Omen" showtimes. Been going there since the 1970's as a kid and now I go there with my kids. Great music. Gives you that sadness of time gone by. Wish i could relive those years again.
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I remember the waves causing spray to come up from the cracks in the boardwalk maybe around 1970?
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I don’t know whether to smile or cry. We spent my first 13 summers in OC, at Ocean Court. So many memories, so many things gone. That Gardens Plaza is a poor replacement for what used to be there. Thank you so much!
