100-592: Asbury Park ( / æ z b ɛr i / ) is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey . It is part of the New York metropolitan area . As of the 2020 United States census , the city's population was 15,188, a decrease of 928 (−5.8%) from the 2010 census count of 16,116, which in turn reflected a decline of 814 (−4.8%) from the 16,930 counted in
200-504: A gyrocompass had been installed on the ship. Morro Castle began her maiden voyage on August 23, 1930. She lived up to expectations by completing the 1,100+ mile southbound trip in just under fifty-nine hours, and the return trip took only fifty-eight hours. Over the next four years, Morro Castle and Oriente performed as workhorses, rarely out of service and, despite the worsening of the Great Depression , able to maintain
300-498: A Methodist camp meeting to the south, encouraged the development of Asbury Park and led to its being a "dry town." 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
400-491: 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 pavilions. In 2007, the eastern portion of the Casino building was demolished. There are plans to rebuild this portion to look much like
500-543: A city, its current type of government , as of March 25, 1897. A seaside community, Asbury Park is located on New Jersey's central coast. Developed in 1871 as a residential resort by New York brush manufacturer James A. Bradley , the city was named for Francis Asbury , the first American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. The founding of Ocean Grove in 1869,
600-520: A colleague in the Bayonne, New Jersey , police force with an incendiary device. Additionally, his crippled victim, Vincent "Bud" Doyle, spent the better part of his life attempting to prove that Rogers had set the Morro Castle fire. In 1954, Rogers was convicted of murdering a neighboring couple for money, and died three and a half years later in prison. The New York Times reported the end of
700-619: A crowd of 4,000, marking the reopening of Asbury Park and other parts of the Jersey Shore. The "Stronger Than The Storm" motto was emphasized at this ceremony. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city had a total area of 1.61 square miles (4.17 km), including 1.43 square miles (3.70 km) of land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km) of water (11.18%). Unincorporated communities , localities and place names located partially or completely within
800-464: A directly elected mayor who serves a four-year term and for a council that consists of seven members; six elected from two wards for staggered three-year terms and one elected at large for a four-year term. There are three councilmen in each ward with one councilmember from each ward up for election every year. The mayor is the chief executive and votes only to break a tie. The Mayor has veto power over all or portions of any ordinance, subject to override by
900-489: A fair amount of the blame could be attributed to the deceased Captain Willmott. In the inquiry that followed the disaster, Chief Radio Operator George White Rogers was made out to be a hero because, having been unable to get a clear order from the bridge, he sent a distress call of his own accord amidst life-threatening conditions. However, suspicion was later directed at Rogers when he was convicted of attempting to murder
1000-444: A female householder with no husband present and 52.8% were non-families. Of all households, 42.1% were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.33. 23.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
1100-471: 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
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#17327656287931200-539: A home-state crowd for Jersey girl Debbie Harry , who was raised in Hawthorne . The New Jersey Music Hall of Fame was founded in Asbury Park in 2005. There have been plans to build a music museum somewhere in the city as part of the redevelopment. The West Side of Asbury Park has traditionally been home to Black music, including jazz , soul , gospel , doo wop , and R&B . African American artists such as
1300-517: A number of grand hotels were built, including the Plaza Hotel. Uriah White, an Asbury Park pioneer, installed the first artesian well water system. As many as 600,000 people a year vacationed in Asbury Park during the summer season in the early years, riding the New York and Long Branch Railroad from New York City and Philadelphia to enjoy the mile-and-a-quarter stretch of oceanfront Asbury Park. By 1912, The New York Times estimated that
1400-409: A population under 12,000, and provided for a directly elected mayor, who served a two-year term and had strong executive powers. Both featured a council elected from wards to staggered three-year terms, plus one councilman elected at-large for a term of two years. The mayor had a veto power, which could be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the council. The two acts differed in a number of ways, including
1500-605: A state-of-the-art high school overlooking Deal Lake . On September 8, 1934, the wreck of the ocean liner SS Morro Castle , which caught fire and burned, beached itself near the city just yards away from the Asbury Park Convention Hall ; the city capitalized on the event, turning the wreck into a tourist attraction. In 1935, the newly founded Securities and Exchange Commission called Asbury Park's Mayor Clarence F. Hetrick to testify about $ 6 million in "beach improvement bonds" that had gone into default. At
1600-471: A steady clientele. Their success was in part due to Prohibition , as such trips provided a relatively affordable and (more importantly) legal means for customers to partake in alcohol . The Ward Line's reasonable rates attracted Cuban and American businessmen and older couples, making the ships a microcosm of America during the period. The final voyage of Morro Castle began in Havana on September 5, 1934. On
1700-409: A total loss, and its charred hulk was finally towed away from the Asbury Park shoreline on March 14, 1935. According to one account, it later started settling by the stern and sank while being towed and had to be refloated. (Other accounts have it that the ship was towed without any issues). Regardless, it was towed to Gravesend Bay and then to Baltimore on March 29, 1935, where it was scrapped. In
1800-461: A two-thirds vote of the Council. The Act also provides for the delegation of executive responsibilities to a municipal administrator. Those cities operating under pre-1987 charters could retain the characteristics of their structure of government regarding terms of office, number of positions and other powers. Provisions of the 1987 Act can then be adopted through a petition and referendum process by
1900-583: A visit to the West Side in 1928, Fats Waller wrote "Honeysuckle Rose" with Andy Razaf at 119 Atkins Avenue in a property that still stands. Billie Holiday , Tina Turner , Little Richard and the Four Tops all played at Cuba's on the West Side in the mid-century period. The former home of the Turf Club , once a well-known mid-century jazz and R&B joint across from what is now Springwood Park,
2000-510: A wood-lined, six-inch opening between the wooden ceilings and the steel bulkheads which provided the fire with a flammable pathway that bypassed the fire doors, enabling it to spread. Whereas the ship had electric sensors that could detect fires in any of the ship's staterooms, crew quarters, offices, cargo holds and engine room, there were no such detectors in the ship's lounges, dance hall, writing room, library, tea room or dining room. Although there were forty-two water hydrants on board,
2100-425: Is where the fire originated. The Lyle gun exploded just before 3 a.m., further spreading the fire and breaking windows, thereby allowing the near gale force winds to enter the ship and fan the flames. Finally, fire alarms on the ship produced a "muffled, scarcely audible ring", according to passengers. Crew practices and deficiencies added to the severity of the fire. According to surviving crewmen, painting
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#17327656287932200-473: The 2000 census . In 2022, Asbury Park's beach was named one of the best in the world by Money and one of the best in the country by Travel + Leisure . Asbury Park was originally incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 26, 1874, from portions of Ocean Township . The borough was reincorporated on February 28, 1893. Asbury Park was incorporated as
2300-641: The Asbury Park Boardwalk , an orchestra pavilion , public changing rooms, and a pier at the south end of that 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 complex; other attractions followed. During these early decades in Asbury Park,
2400-591: The Cuban communist party , Capote was accused of being a " communist agitator" who was responsible for destroying the ship. Capote later declared, “That fire is—undoubtedly—the worst memory I've ever had." Some victims of the fire are buried in the Mount Prospect Cemetery in Neptune, New Jersey , along the coast. The Morro Castle ' s radio call sign , KGOV, is still registered to the ship by
2500-521: The Federal Communications Commission nearly ninety years after her demise, and is therefore unavailable for use by terrestrial broadcast stations. On September 8, 2009, the first and only memorial to the victims, rescuers and survivors of the Morro Castle disaster was dedicated on the south side of Convention Hall in Asbury Park, very near the spot where the burned-out hull of the ship finally came aground. The day marked
2600-635: The Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, work was begun on Morro Castle in January 1929. In March 1930 the ship was christened , followed in May by her sister ship Oriente . Each ship was 508 feet (155 metres) long, measured 11,520 gross register tons (GRT) and had turbo-electric transmission , with General Electric twin turbo generators supplying current to propulsion motors on twin propeller shafts. Each ship
2700-514: The electorate. There are 52 cities in New Jersey: SS Morro Castle (1930) SS Morro Castle was an American ocean liner that caught fire and ran aground on the morning of September 8, 1934, en route from Havana , Cuba , to New York , New York , United States, with the loss of 137 passengers and crew. On the previous evening, Morro Castle ' s captain, Robert Willmott, had died suddenly, and his place
2800-421: The life preservers . As they hit the water, life preservers knocked many persons unconscious, leading to subsequent death by drowning, or broke victims' necks from the impact, killing them instantly. First responders were slow to react. The first rescue ship to arrive on the scene was Andrea F. Luckenbach . Two other ships— Monarch of Bermuda and City of Savannah —were slow in taking action after receiving
2900-412: The poverty line , including 46.5% of those under age 18 and 37.1% of those age 65 or over. Portions of the city are part of a joint Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) with Long Branch , one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The city was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within
3000-531: The wireless operators could not get a definitive answer from Acting Captain Warms, the SOS was not ordered until 3:18 and was not sent until 3:23. Within five minutes, the intense heat of the fire began to distort Morro Castle ' s signal. Shortly thereafter, emergency generators failed and transmissions ceased. In the inquiries that followed the disaster, there were criticisms of the response of Warms' handling of
3100-682: The 1930s, as can be seen in archival footage. In 1943, the New York Yankees held their spring training in Asbury Park instead of Florida . This was because rail transport had to be conserved during the war, and Major League Baseball 's spring training was limited to an area east of the Mississippi River and north of the Ohio River . With the opening of the Garden State Parkway in 1947, Asbury Park saw
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3200-579: The 1960s with bands such as the Jaywalkers and many others, who combined rock and roll , rhythm and blues , soul and doo-wop to create what became known as the Sound of Asbury Park (S.O.A.P.). On December 9, 2006, founding members of S.O.A.P. reunited for the "Creators of S.O.A.P.: Live, Raw, and Unplugged" concert at The Stone Pony and to witness the dedication of a S.O.A.P. plaque on the boardwalk outside of Convention Hall. The original plaque included
3300-625: The 20th century. In the 1920s, Paramount Theatre and Convention Hall complex, the Casino Arena and Carousel House, and two handsome red-brick pavilions were built in the Asbury Boardwalk area. Beaux Arts architect Warren Whitney of New York was the designer. He had also been hired to design the Berkeley-Carteret Hotel located diagonally across from the theater and hall. At the same time, Asbury Park constructed
3400-557: The Asbury Jukes , Patti Smith , Arthur Pryor , Count Basie , The Clash , U.S. Chaos , Johnny Thunders , The Ramones , The Exploited , Charged GBH , and Gary U.S. Bonds . In 1973 Bruce Springsteen released his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. On his follow-up album, The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle , one of the songs is entitled " 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) ". Several books chronicle
3500-752: The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel (formerly the Berkeley-Carteret Oceanfront Hotel), The Empress Hotel , the St. Laurent Social Club (formerly known as Hotel Tides), Asbury Park Inn, Oceanic Inn, Mikell's Big House Bed & Breakfast as well as The Asbury Hotel and The Asbury Ocean Club Hotel, both developed by iStar, the master developer for the Asbury Park Waterfront. Demolished: Local media includes: The Asbury Park music scene gained prominence in
3600-537: The Boys & Girls Club of Monmouth County, founded the Hip Hop Institute to teach music and life skills education relevant to young hip hop enthusiasts. The Asbury Park Museum hosts an exhibit on the history of music on the West Side, spanning the decades from 1880 to 1980. The Asbury Park African-American Music Project, or AP-AMP, created a virtual West Side museum dedicated to the history of Black music in
3700-558: The Jersey Shore's own Count Basie as well as Duke Ellington , Lenny Welch , the Broadways, Josephine Baker , Claude Hopkins , Bobby Thomas , Rex Stewart , Manzie Johnson , Sidney Bechet , and Clarence Clemons "either played or were inspired by the [Black]-centered Springwood Avenue club circuit on the West Side of Asbury Park" in the early to mid-century period at places like the Smile-A-While and Gypsy George's. During
3800-426: The SOS signal but eventually did arrive on the scene. The fourth ship to participate in the rescue operations was President Cleveland , which launched a motorboat that made a cursory circuit around Morro Castle and, upon seeing nobody in the water along her route, retrieved her motorboat and left the scene. The United States Coast Guard vessels Tampa and Cahoone positioned themselves too far away to see
3900-628: The UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the 6 + 5 ⁄ 8 % rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in September 1994, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in September 2025. At one time, there were many hotels along the beachfront. Many were demolished after years of sitting vacant, although the Sixth Avenue House Bed & Breakfast Hotel (formerly Berea Manor)
4000-706: The afternoon of September 6, as the ship paralleled the southeastern coast of the U.S., it began to encounter increasing clouds and wind. By the morning of September 7, the clouds had thickened and the winds had shifted to easterly, the first indication of a developing nor'easter . Throughout that day the winds increased and intermittent rains began, causing many to retire early to their berths. Early that evening, Captain Robert Rennison Willmott had his dinner delivered to his quarters. Shortly thereafter, Willmott complained of stomach trouble and, not long afterward, died of an apparent heart attack . Command of
4100-544: 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. A black-and-white multi-camera recording of Blondie in 1979, just prior to the release of their fourth album, Eat to the Beat , was taped at the Asbury Park Convention Hall on July 7,
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4200-462: The beaches. By mid-morning, Morro Castle was totally abandoned and its burning hull drifted ashore, coming to a stop late that afternoon in shallow water off Asbury Park , at almost the exact spot where the New Era had wrecked in 1854. Fires continued to smoulder on board for the next two days and, in the end, 135 passengers and crew (out of a total of 549) were lost. Morro Castle was declared
4300-509: The bill became law, it ceded control of the Asbury Park beach to Governor Harold Hoffman and a governor's commission. The city of Asbury Park sued to restore control of the beach to the municipal council, but the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals (until 1947, the state's highest court) upheld the validity of the law in 1937. When Durand pressed New Jersey's legislature to extend the state's control of Asbury Park's beach in 1938,
4400-436: The boat deck. For many passengers, their only course of action was to lower themselves into the water or jump overboard. The few lifeboats that were launched carried primarily crewmen and no efforts were made by these boats to maneuver toward the ship's stern to pick up additional survivors. Warms never left the wheelhouse to determine the extent of damage and maintained the ship's bearing and full speed for some distance after
4500-567: The borough was $ 20,368 (+/− $ 1,878). About 31.1% of families and 29.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 44.9% of those under age 18 and 26.0% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2000 U.S. census , there were 16,930 people, 6,754 households, and 3,586 families residing in the city. The population density was 14,290.0 inhabitants per square mile (5,517.4/km) 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 (2,091.4/km). The racial makeup of
4600-701: The city include North Asbury and Whitesville (located along the city's border with Neptune Township ). The city borders the Monmouth County communities of Interlaken , Loch Arbour , Neptune Township , and Ocean Township . Deal Lake covers 158 acres (64 ha) and is overseen by the Deal Lake Commission, which was established in 1974. Seven municipalities border the lake, accounting for 27 miles (43 km) of shoreline, also including Allenhurst , Deal , Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Neptune Township and Ocean Township. Sunset Lake, situated in
4700-400: 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 people 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 living together, 26.9% had
4800-468: The city's middle-class blacks as well as whites to move into newer houses with spacious yards. With the above-mentioned change in the travel market, prompted by the opening of the Garden State Parkway in 1947 and the opening of Monmouth Mall 10 miles (16 km) away in Eatontown in 1960, Asbury Park's downtown became less of an attraction to shoppers. Office parks built outside the city resulted in
4900-405: The city. With its long history as a resort town for varied social classes, Asbury Park is considered a destination for musicians, particularly a subgenre of rock and roll known as the Jersey Shore sound , which is infused with R&B . As of the 2020s, it is a frequent touring stop for both burgeoning and well-known acts. It is home to venues including: City (New Jersey) A city in
5000-470: The context of local government in New Jersey refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. Despite the widely held perception of a city as a large, urban area , cities in New Jersey have a confused history as a form of government and vary in size from large, densely populated areas to much smaller hamlets . The 1897 and 1899 city charter laws applied only to areas with
5100-633: The crew's incompetent handling of the emergency. On May 22, 1928, the United States Congress passed the Merchant Marine Act of 1928 , creating a $ 250 million construction fund to be lent to American shipping companies to replace old and outdated ships with new ones. Each of these loans, which could subsidize as much as seventy-five percent of the cost of the ship, was to be paid back over twenty years at low interest rates . One company that availed itself of this opportunity
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#17327656287935200-455: The deck boards were hot to the touch and breathing was difficult in the thick smoke. As conditions grew steadily worse, the decision became either "jump or burn" for many passengers. However, jumping into the water was problematic, as high winds churned up great waves that made swimming extremely difficult. Passengers and crew exhibited the full range of reactions to the disaster at hand. Some crew members were incredibly brave as they tried to fight
5300-475: 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. Many of those city blocks have yet to be redeveloped into the 21st century. Although it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places , Palace Amusements was closed in 1988 and
5400-560: 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's music. 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
5500-478: The fire doors had closed. Many of the hose stations on the promenade deck had been recently deactivated in response to an incident about a month before, when a passenger slipped on a deck moistened by a leaking hose station and sued the Ward Line. Although regulations required that fire drills be held on each voyage, only the crew members participated. Captain Willmott did not require the passengers to attend
5600-406: The fire drills out of fear of inconveniencing them. For quite some time after the discovery of the fire, the ship continued on its course and speed—pointed directly into the wind. This no doubt helped to fan the fire. Later, in their attempt to reach passengers in some suites, crewmen broke windows on several decks, allowing the high winds to enter the ship and hasten the fire's fury. Because
5700-471: The fire was known. As systems failed throughout the ship because of power loss, no effort was made to use the emergency steering gear or emergency lighting. Warms, chief engineer Eban Abbott and Ward Line vice president Henry Cabaud were eventually indicted on various charges relating to the fire, including willful negligence ; all three were convicted and sent to jail. However, an appeals court later overturned Warms' and Abbott's convictions, deciding that
5800-519: The fire. In 2002, A&E produced a television documentary about the incident. Both the HBO dramatization and the A&;E documentary reawakened speculation that the fire was actually arson committed by a crew member. Other theories included a short circuit in the wiring that passed through the rear of the locker, the spontaneous combustion of chemically treated blankets in the locker or an overheating of
5900-440: The fire. Others tossed deck chairs and life rings overboard to provide persons in the water with makeshift flotation devices. Only six of the ship's twelve lifeboats were launched: boats 1, 3, 5, 9, and 11 on the starboard side, and boat 10 on the port side . Although the combined capacity of these boats was 408, they carried only 85 people, most of whom were crew members. Many passengers died for lack of knowledge of how to use
6000-483: The historic Steinbach department store building, as well as the rehabilitation of Convention Hall and the Fifth Avenue Pavilion (previously home to one of the last remaining Howard Johnson's restaurants). The historic Berkeley-Carteret Hotel, which is to be restored to four-star resort status, was acquired in 2007; the first residents moving into the newly constructed condominiums known as North Beach,
6100-524: The inquiry on March 27, 1937, with an order by Federal Judge John C. Knox affixing liability at $ 890,000, an average of $ 2,225 per victim. About half the claims were for deaths. The order reportedly included agreement by 95% of the claimants. The order also barred further claims against the Ward Line and its subsidiary, the Agwi Navigation Company, operators of the vessel. Several months' work remained in deciding each claim individually by
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#17327656287936200-518: The intervening months, because of its proximity to the Asbury Park Boardwalk and the adjacent Asbury Park Convention Hall pier, from which it was possible to wade out and touch the wreck with one's hands, the wreck was treated as a destination for sightseeing trips, complete with stamped penny souvenirs and postcards for sale. The design of Morro Castle , the materials used in her construction and questionable crew practices escalated
6300-656: The lawyer members of the Morro Castle Committee. Damages were fixed under the Death on the High Seas Act . Officially, the fire's cause was never determined. In the mid-1980s, HBO aired a televised dramatization of the fire in an episode of their Catastrophe series, titled "The Mystery of the Morro Castle". The dramatization starred John Goodman as George Rogers and blamed Rogers for causing
6400-615: The lower house staged a walk out and the Senate soon adjourned, a disruption that also prevented a vote for funding New Jersey's participation in the 1939 New York World's Fair . In December 1938, the court returned control of the beach to the municipal council under the proviso that a bond repayment agreement was created; Asbury Park was the only beach in New Jersey affected by the Beach Commission law. Extensive and lush floral plantings were present in Asbury Park's Bradley Park during
6500-678: The names Johnny Shaw, Billy Ryan, Bruce Springsteen , Garry Tallent , Steve Van Zandt , Mickey Holiday, "Stormin'" Norman Seldin, Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez , Fast Eddie "Doc Holiday" Wohanka, Billy "Cherry Bomb" Lucia, Clarence Clemons , Nicky Addeo, Donnie Lowell, Jim "Jack Valentine" Cattanach, Ken "Popeye" Pentifallo, Jay Pilling, John "Cos" Consoli, Gary "A" Arntz, Larry "The Great" Gadsby, Steve "Mole" Wells, Ray Dahrouge, Johnny "A" Arntz, David Sancious , Margaret Potter, Tom Potter, Sonny Kenn, Tom Wuorio, Rick DeSarno, Southside Johnny Lyon , Leon Trent, Buzzy Lubinsky, Danny Federici , Bill Chinnock, Patsy Siciliano, and Sam Siciliano. An additional plaque
6600-411: The old Salvation Army building once stood, which has sat vacant for over a decade. The building itself was not torn down, but the entire inside was gutted and redone. Glass paneling was added to the front and all the original outside brickwork was kept. While located a block and a half from the beach, a great view of the ocean is still offered by the upper floors and rooftop. Currently open hotels include
6700-406: The on-board fire to a roaring inferno that would eventually destroy the ship. As far as the materials used in her construction were concerned, the elegant but highly flammable decor of Morro Castle —veneered wooden surfaces and glued ply paneling—helped the fire to spread quickly. The structure of Morro Castle also created a number of problems. Although the ship had fire doors , there existed
6800-415: 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). By 2020, the Casino building still remained unrestored and had no permanent use, although it had been used to host temporary art installations. There has also been more of a resurgence of the downtown as well as the boardwalk, with the grand reopening of
6900-427: The process for selection of a board of education (1897: elected; 1899: appointed by the council). By 1987, there were only eleven cities under these City Acts (including East Orange , which effectively operated under a special City charter). As in other forms, many amendments, revisions and changes had been made over the years, leading to confusing and often conflicting legislation. The City Act of 1987 provides for
7000-433: The rehabilitation of Ocean Avenue, and the opening of national businesses on Asbury Avenue. After Hurricane Sandy , Asbury Park was one of the few communities on the Jersey Shore to reopen successfully for the 2013 summer season. Most of the boardwalk had not been badly damaged by the massive hurricane. On Memorial Day Weekend 2013, Governor Chris Christie and President Barack Obama participated in an official ceremony before
7100-495: The relocation of accountants, dentists, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. Moreover, the opening of Great Adventure (on July 1, 1974), a combination theme park and drive-through safari located on a lake in Jackson Township —and close to a New Jersey Turnpike exit—proved to be stiff competition for a mile-long stretch of aging boardwalk amusements. Riots that broke out in the city on July 4, 1970 , resulted in
7200-459: The same time, the SEC also inquired about rental rates on the beach front and why the mayor reduced the lease of a bathhouse from $ 85,000 to $ 40,000, among many other discrepancies that could have offset debt. The interests of Asbury Park's bond investors led Senator Frank Durand (Monmouth County) to add a last-minute "Beach Commission" amendment to a municipal debt bill in the New Jersey legislature. When
7300-482: The seventy-fifth anniversary of the disaster. Morro Castle ship's bell is now at SUNY Maritime's Fort Schuyler. In September 2023, Morro Castle' s five-ton Baldt anchor was recovered from the water in Point Pleasant Beach in New Jersey. Despite the tragedy and mystery of the Morro Castle disaster, no film for theatrical distribution nor even a television movie was made of the story, apart from
7400-405: The ship had fire doors , their automatic trip wires (designed to close when a certain temperature was reached) had been disconnected. None of the crew thought to operate them manually at the time of the fire. That said, it is unlikely that that would have made much difference, as the six-inch opening between the wooden ceilings and the steel bulkheads would have allowed the flames to spread even if
7500-430: The ship had been a common practice to keep it looking new and to keep crewmen busy. Unfortunately, the thick layers of paint that resulted from this practice made the ship more flammable and strips of paint broke off during the fire, helping to spread the flames. The storage locker in which the fire started held blankets that had been drycleaned using contemporaneous technology, which utilized flammable fluids. Although
7600-409: The ship into darkness. As all power was lost, the radio stopped working, so only a single SOS signal was sent. At about the same time, the wheelhouse lost its ability to steer the ship, as the hydraulic lines were severed by the fire as well. Cut off by the fire amidships, passengers tended to move toward the stern. Most crew members, on the other hand, moved to the forecastle . In many places,
7700-463: The ship passed to the chief officer , William Warms, who was eating dinner with friends Samuel Hicks and Connor Schmutz at the time. During the overnight hours, the winds increased to over thirty miles per hour as Morro Castle plodded its way up the East Coast . At around 2:50 a.m. on September 8, while Morro Castle was sailing around eight nautical miles off Long Beach Island , a fire
7800-412: The ship's one functioning funnel , situated just aft of the locker. William McFee , a well-known writer of sea stories who had served as an engineer on oil-fired steamers, wrote in 1949 that "if the burners were neglected... [the] long uptakes which lead from the furnaces to the funnel would become dangerously overheated", as he once found on another ship, whose "funnel was glowing red-hot just above
7900-419: The ship, the crew's response to the fire and the delay in calling for assistance. The inquiries concluded that there was no organized effort by the crew to fight and control the fire or close the fire doors. Additionally, the crew made no effort to take their regular fire stations. Most damning was the conclusion that, with a few notable exceptions, the crew made no effort to direct passengers to safe pathways to
8000-489: The southwestern part of the city, stretches over 16 acres (6.5 ha). It is a popular destination for both residents and visitors, offering a serene setting and a variety of recreational activities. The 2010 United States census counted 16,116 people, 6,725 households, and 3,174 families in the city. The population density was 11,319.5 per square mile (4,370.5/km). There were 8,076 housing units at an average density of 5,672.4 per square mile (2,190.1/km). The racial makeup
8100-405: The summer population could reach 200,000. 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 . Coinciding with the nationwide trend in retail shopping, Asbury Park's downtown flourished during this period and well into
8200-449: The system was designed with the assumption that no more than six would ever have to be used at any one time. When the emergency aboard Morro Castle occurred, the crew opened virtually all working hydrants, dropping the water pressure to unusable levels everywhere. The ship's Lyle gun , which is designed to fire a line to another ship to facilitate passenger evacuation in an emergency, was stored over Morro Castle's writing room, which
8300-508: The travel market change as fewer vacationers took trains to the seashore. While the Asbury Park exit on the Parkway opened in 1956 and provided a means for drivers to reach Asbury Park more easily, additional exits further south allowed drivers access to new alternative vacation destinations, particularly on Long Beach Island . In the decades that followed the war, surrounding farm communities gave way to tracts of suburban houses, encouraging
8400-417: The uptakes". Morro Castle ' s funnel was clad in flammable material where it passed through the passenger quarters, and several people had noticed smoke as early as midnight. The ship was making 19 knots against a 20-knot headwind and simply overheated, according to McFee, but the high loss of life was caused by the crew's incompetent handling of the emergency. Renée Méndez Capote , a Cuban writer who
8500-449: The victims in the water and rendered little assistance. The Coast Guard's aerial station at Cape May , New Jersey , failed to send their float planes until local radio stations started reporting that dead bodies were washing ashore on New Jersey beaches, from Point Pleasant Beach to Spring Lake . In time, additional small boats arrived on the scene. Large ocean swells presented a major problem, making it very difficult to see people in
8600-625: The video stated above and also excepting the aforementioned HBO dramatization and A&E documentary. Shortly after he was hired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer following his emigration from Germany to the United States in 1934, Fritz Lang collaborated with Hollywood scriptwriter Oliver H. P. Garrett on a screenplay about the disaster entitled Hell Afloat , but it was never filmed. However, there have been references to it: Book, Mrs. Astor's Horse by Stanley Walker, copyright 1935 and published by Frederick A. Stokes Company of New York. Essay, "Something To Remember You By", pages 20–30. Lengthy descriptions of
8700-574: The water. A plane piloted by Harry Moore , governor of New Jersey and commander of the New Jersey Air National Guard , helped boats to find survivors and bodies by dipping its wings and dropping markers. As telephone communication and radio stations spread news of the disaster along the New Jersey coast, local citizens assembled on the coastline to assist the injured, retrieve the dead and try to unite families that had been scattered among different rescue boats that landed on
8800-408: 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 for the city was $ 13,516. About 29.3% of families and 40.1% of the population were below
8900-494: Was 34.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 95.9 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $ 33,527 (with a margin of error of +/− $ 2,802) and the median family income was $ 27,907 (+/− $ 5,012). Males had a median income of $ 34,735 (+/− $ 3,323) versus $ 33,988 (+/− $ 4,355) for females. The per capita income for
9000-426: Was 36.45% (5,875) White , 51.35% (8,275) Black or African American , 0.49% (79) Native American , 0.48% (77) Asian , 0.12% (20) Pacific Islander , 7.64% (1,232) from other races , and 3.46% (558) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 25.53% (4,115) of the population. Of the 6,725 households, 24.1% had children under the age of 18; 18.2% were married couples living together; 23.1% had
9100-536: Was aboard Morro Castle when the tragedy happened, was trapped in her cabin as the ship became engulfed in flames but was rescued by crew members. Because of her corpulence, she had to be removed through a hatch. American steward Carol Prior gave Capote his flotation device, thereby saving her life. Upon her arrival in New York City , she was interviewed by the American press. Because she expressed sympathy with
9200-425: Was added on August 29, 2008, honoring John Luraschi, Carl "Tinker" West, George Theiss, Vinnie Roslin, Mike Totaro, Lenny Welch, Steve Lusardi, and Johnny Petillo. Musicians and bands with strong ties to Asbury Park, many of whom frequently played clubs there on their way to fame, include Fury of Five , The Gaslight Anthem , Clarence Clemons , the E Street Band , Jon Bon Jovi and Bon Jovi , Southside Johnny and
9300-530: Was demolished in 2004 despite attempts to save it. The complex had featured the famous face of Tillie , a symbol of the Jersey Shore. In 1990, the carousel at the Casino Pier was sold to Family Kingdom Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina , where it continues to operate. From 2002 onward, the rest of Asbury Park has been in the midst of a cultural, political, and economic revival, including
9400-547: Was detected in a storage locker within the First Class Writing Room on B Deck. Within the next thirty minutes, the ship became engulfed in flames. As the fire grew in intensity, Acting Captain Warms attempted to beach the ship, but the growing need to launch lifeboats and abandon ship forced him to give up his plan. Within twenty minutes of the fire's discovery (at about 3:10) the fire had burned through Morro Castle ' s main electrical cables, plunging
9500-450: Was impossible. By mid-afternoon Morro Castle was abandoned and the survivors were landed on the shores of New Jersey by an assortment of craft. The cause of the fire was never established, though an overheated funnel and certain points of cabin design and electrical circuitry were noted. A theory of arson by a crew member has attracted support over the years, albeit without any concrete evidence. The high casualties are chiefly blamed on
9600-493: Was luxuriously finished to accommodate 489 passengers in first and tourist class and 240 officers and crew. In a growing age of passenger ships having cruiser sterns , Morro Castle and Oriente were built with classic counter sterns . As built, Morro Castle was equipped with direction finding and submarine signalling equipment. Submarine signalling was becoming obsolete as a form of communication, so by 1934 it had been removed. That same year, echo sounding equipment and
9700-531: Was recently decorated with jazz-themed mural art by a team of local artists to mark its heritage. At the present-day site of Springwood Park in 1918, Black entrepreneur Reese DuPree turned Lafayette Hall (later the Roseland Hall auditorium) into a popular nightclub. The location was also used for civil rights activities; Marcus Garvey and W. E. B. Du Bois both spoke at Roseland Hall. The Asbury Park Music Foundation, working with Lakehouse Music Academy and
9800-521: Was recently restored after being abandoned in the 1970s—it is no longer operational and was sold as a single family home. Hotels like the Berkeley and Oceanic Inn have operated concurrently for decades, while the Empress Hotel and the former Hotel Tides were restored and reopened. The Asbury Hotel, located on 5th Avenue, was the first hotel to be "built" in Asbury Park in 50+ years. It stands where
9900-620: Was taken by Chief Officer William Warms as a strong northeast wind was developing under heavy cloud. At 2:50am, a fire was detected in a storage locker, which burned through electrical cables, engulfed the ship in flames and plunged it into darkness. Responses by the crew, the United States Coast Guard and rescue vessels were notably slow and inefficient, with lifeboats not loaded to their capacity. The decks were too hot to stand on, smoke made breathing difficult and passengers were forced to leap into ocean swells where swimming
10000-513: Was the New York and Cuba Mail Steam Ship Company, better known as the Ward Line , which had been carrying passengers, cargo and mail to and from Cuba since the mid-19th century. Naval architects were hired by the Ward Line to design a pair of passenger liners to be named Morro Castle , after the stone fortress and lighthouse in Havana , and Oriente , after Cuba's Oriente Province . At
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