Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association District, Ocean Grove, NJ - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Inspired by a week long, outdoor holiness camp in Vineland, New Jersey in 1867, Reverend William B. Osborn, a Methodist preacher, founded a new camp meeting site in a secluded Jersey Shore town. This community was based as a place where spiritual and physical health could be renewed.

On July 31, 1869, a group of ministers met at what is now called "Founders Park" and dedicated themselves to the creation of a permanent Christian "camp" called "Ocean Grove". A state charter was issued to the Association on March 3, 1870, with 26 trustees to oversee the improvements and operations of the new community.

This Christian community established unique rules and regulations, the most prominent was the banning of all carriages and automobiles on the streets on Sunday. All residents and visitors were required to tether their rides outside the gates and walk, as President Ulysses S. Grant had to do in 1875, when visiting his sister. This rule stayed in effect into the 20th century, and residents parked their vehicles in Asbury Park, and walked across bridges spanning Sunset lake.

Bathing on Sunday was also banned, and the sale of liquors prohibited in this one-square mile town.

The most prominent building of this community is the auditorium, proudly standing by Founder Park, which was the centerpiece for the spiritual and social venues of the community. The Auditorium still holds venues to this day.

Another recognizable feature in Ocean Grove, are the summer tents, of which 130 still stand. This camp at one time had 600 of such features. They are simply a small wooden structure, with a platform in front. During the summer months, a tent is placed over the front platform, creating a dwelling. After the season, the tents are removed, and placed into the wooden structre for storage until next year. This is still a practice in use, as these "tents" have been handed down for generations.

Furthermore, the district contains the largest aggregate of Victorian and early 20th century structures in America.

My waymark is set at the Auditorium, which stands at Founders Park, where it all began...

Street address: Bounded by Fletcher Lake, NJ 71, Lake Wesley, and the Ocean Ocean Grove, NJ USA 07756 County / Borough / Parish: Monmouth County, New Jersey Year listed: 1976 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event Periods of significance: 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924 Historic function: Domestic Current function: Domestic Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Privately owned?: Not Listed Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/09/2010 Metro2 visited it 09/13/2009 ODragon visited it 03/29/2008 94RedRover visited it

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