Laurel-in-the-Pines Fire 1967 - Lakewood, NJ
Posted by: 
94RedRover
N 40° 05.366 W 074° 13.015
18T E 566756 N 4437976
Laurel-in-the-Pines, on the shores of Lake Carasaljo in Lakewood, New Jersey, was the most luxurious of the large hotels when Lakewood was the resort town of the rich and famous.
Waymark Code: WM5RKY
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 02/07/2009
Views: 6
It began at the end of Indian trails, where three brothers built a mill. In 1814, a furnace and iron works built the lakes lending to the town's future name. The largest lake in the village was named "Carasaljo" after the ownner's three daughters, Carolina(Carrie), Sarah (Sally) and Josephine (Jo).
By 1863, advances in the railroad connections between New York and Philadelphia connected "Bricksburg" via the New Jersey Southern Railroad.
In 1865, Riley A. Brick, the son of Joseph W. Brick, built the Bricksburg House, also known as the "Romantic Laurel House" on Main Street. This resort was known to host the Vanderbilts, Goulds, Rockefellers, Astors, Tilfords, Rhinelanders, Kipps, Arbuckles and other families of social prominence. March 20, 1880, the Post Office officially recognized the name of the village as "Lakewood."
In 1891, the famed Laurel-in-the-Pines Hotel opened, as did the Lakewood Hotel, where President Cleveland chose to pass his dying days as peacefully as possible. In the early 1900's, Lakewood was known as the region's winter resort, attracting the wealthy tourist from New York and Pennsylvania. Many important and wealthy people now called Lakewood home or 2nd home. The train arrived from New York every 20 minutes!
After WWII,the airline industry began to take fight (excuse the pun), and Lakewood was passed over or warmer, southern climates. The arge hotels began their decline, many burning to the ground. Including the grand Laurel-in-the-Pines.
By the 1960's the Lakewood Fire Department was making frequent trips for small fire outbreaks. It was just a matter of time before they would be called out for the big one.
March 28, 1967 at 11:00 pm...that's just what happened. This guilded hotel went upin flames so fast, no engies could arrive in tim to save it.
My husband, who grew up in Lakewood, remembered red bricks being salvaged from the building...being hauled out for months. Today on this site stands the Laurel in the Pines condominium complex which was built around 1970.
***Photos from Historic Lakewood New Jersey Website
Type of Structure: Private Building
Other: Hotel
Construction Date: 12/01/1891
Fire Date: 03/28/1967
Structure status: Still standing building
Cause of Fire:
Undocumented
Documentation of the fire: [Web Link]
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