Ocean Grove, New Jersey

In July 1869, Reverend W. B. Osborn, Reverend Stokes, and other Methodist ministers camped at a shaded, well-drained spot on New Jersey's seashore and decided to establish a permanent Christian camp meeting community called "Ocean Grove". This followed a search of the Jersey Shore for a place not infested with mosquitoes. About twenty tents were pitched that summer. In 1870, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association was incorporated and land was purchased. The property was laid out into lots and roadways. The lots were leased for 99 years with the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association retaining ownership. Residents were expected to follow the strict Methodist social norms of the era which included prohibitions of alcohol, tobacco, cards, dancing, the reading of novels, and chewing gum. Nine wells were driven in 1870 to provide fresh water. The first was eventually named the "Beersheba" well, for an ancient well used by the Biblical patriarchs Abraham and Isaac. It is still in existence under a photogenic 1881 gazebo, This had a significant effect on the development of a close-knit community. People looking to get away for the weekend typically avoided the Grove (the beach was closed on Sunday, too). That meant the visitors were likely to be coming for a week-long visit or more. Most came to attend programs sponsored by the Camp Meeting. President Ulysses S. Grant visited Ocean Grove during his time in office and made his last public appearance in this town. Other presidents to speak on the grounds included James Garfield, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Richard Nixon. Heavyweight boxing champions James J. Corbett and Max Baer and department store magnate F.W. Woolworth were among the celebrities of the day who vacationed in Ocean Grove. These plans became controversial though, and in January 2008 the Planning Board of Neptune stated the North End Redevelopment Proposal was "inconsistent with the town's Master Plan". On April 13, 2019, the remaining structures on the North End were destroyed by fire, leaving the whole area vacant land. For the 2024 season, the camp meeting association began allowing Sunday access to its beach at weekday hours, while in a court battle with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. This was later considered permanent after the department declared the camp meeting association could no longer restrict access on Sundays. ==Geography==

Ocean Grove is in southeastern Monmouth County, in the eastern part of Neptune Township. It is the only part of Neptune Township to touch the Atlantic Ocean. New Jersey Route 71 (South Main Street) forms the western edge of the community. Route 71 leads north into Asbury Park and to the southern part of Long Branch, while to the south it passes through Bradley Beach and leads less than to Belmar. New Jersey Route 33 has its eastern terminus at Route 71 on the western border of Ocean Grove. Route 33 leads west to Freehold, the Monmouth county seat, and to Trenton, the state capital. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Ocean Grove has an area of , including of land and of water (12.71%). ==Demographics==

Because Ocean Grove is a summer resort community and many residences are unoccupied during the winter months, these statistics may not be representative of the population at all times of the year. Ocean Grove appeared as an unincorporated community in the 1950 U.S. census. 100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas. There were 1,853 households in Ocean Grove, of which 7.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 25.8% were married-couple households, 27.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 39.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 55.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 2,331 households, out of which 10.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.6% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 66.3% were non-families. 56.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.67 and the average family size was 2.59. In the CDP the population was spread out, with 9.9% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.1 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,935, and the median income for a family was $58,583. Males had a median income of $38,389 versus $31,886 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,232. About 5.1% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over. ==Governance==

The desire to develop a Christian seaside community for summer worship and relaxation led William B. Osborn (1832–1902), a leader of the camp meeting movement in mid-19th century America, to select the site of present-day Ocean Grove for its wooded, mosquito-free location. Although Ocean Grove reverted to being a part of Neptune Township with the court's decision of 1921, the Camp Meeting Association continued to exercise local ordinance enforcement powers until 1981, when a newspaper deliverer successfully sued to end the resort's blue law banning Sunday vehicular traffic and requiring it to disband its police force and "municipal" court. The Camp Meeting still owns all the land in the community and leases it to homeowners and businesses for 99-year renewable terms. Ocean Grove is still "dry", that is, the sale of all alcoholic beverages is prohibited. ==The Great Auditorium==

The Great Auditorium was constructed in 1894 and is mostly unchanged except for the front end that was extended for the 1908 Hope-Jones organ. The wooden building rests on bridge-like steel trusses laid on stone foundations. It features numerous "barn door" entrances with colored glass, dormers, and panels that open for ventilation. Originally, the Auditorium was claimed to hold an audience of almost 10,000. Many of smaller, wooden seats were replaced in later years with cushioned, theater-style seating, reducing capacity to an audience of 6,250 persons. The Auditorium has been called, "the state's most wondrous wooden structure, soaring and sweeping, alive with the sound of music." The hall is surrounded by 114 tents, which are occupied from May to September, as has been the case since 1869. Each tent is connected to a shed containing a kitchen and bathroom; the sheds are also used to store the tents during the winter. They are in such demand that there is a waiting list of some ten years for summer rentals. Installed in 1908 by the organ builder Robert Hope-Jones, its components have been rebuilt and expanded several times, especially since resident organist Gordon Turk and curator John Shaw (who died on July 24, 2019) took their posts in 1974 and 1975, respectively. Additions made in the 21st century include a 14-rank echo division in 2008, in an effort to broaden the resources necessary to play repertoire of many styles and periods, and to restore those stops unique to the instrument as Hope-Jones conceived it. In the 2010s, the organ continued to be further enlarged and revoiced, with additions underwritten by donors. As of July 2018, the organ has five manuals, 202 ranks, and 12,200 total pipes. About 75 percent of the original Hope-Jones pipework remains extant, according to John Shaw. Prominent organists to have played the Ocean Grove Auditorium organ include Edwin H. Lemare, Pietro Yon, and Frederick Swann. Performances and other events The Great Auditorium has over the years featured famed hymn writer Fanny Crosby, band leader John Philip Sousa, and tenor Enrico Caruso. More recently, singers Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, Kenny Rogers, and Ray Charles have performed there. the acclaimed Summer Stars chamber music programs, which bring some of the finest classical musicians from Philadelphia and New York each Thursday night in July and early August. Since 1980, the Auditorium has hosted an annual memorial service for New Jersey law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. The service includes a full honor guard, bagpipe procession, and singing by state high school choirs (Princeton High School and both West Windsor-Plainsboro High School choirs have performed in the past). Police, soldiers, National Guardsmen, executive-level officials, and the governor typically attend. The Auditorium is also used during the month of June for high school graduation ceremonies. ==Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association ==

The OGCMA was established in 1869 and incorporated in 1870. Its mission is to "provide opportunities for spiritual birth, growth, and renewal in a Christian seaside setting." Tent City From May to September of each year, 114 tents are erected around the Great Auditorium. These tents form "Tent City", a tradition of the Camp Meeting Association that dates back to 1869. Each tent is connected to a shed containing a kitchen and bathroom; the sheds are also used to store the tents during the winter. Tents are in such demand that there is a waiting list of over ten years for summer rentals. Programs 's Stabat Mater, performed in 1903 The Camp Meeting offers traditional and contemporary worship programs throughout the summer. Sunday worship services are held in the Great Auditorium. These services have featured preachers such as Billy Graham, Norman Vincent Peale, Robert H. Schuller, Billy Sunday, Ralph W. Sockman, David H. C. Read, Frank Thewlis, Tony Campolo, James A. Forbes, D. James Kennedy, Charles Stanley, William Jennings Bryan, Booker T. Washington, and Rodney "Gipsy" Smith. Gordon Turk accompanies at the Hope-Jones organ. Jason Tramm is the musical director. Lewis A. Daniels Sr. (1927–2012) was director of music from 1966 to 2004. Since 1955, the annual Choir Festival held in July has gathered thousands of church choir singers, predominantly from the northeastern U.S., to sing "to the glory of God". ==Hurricane Sandy==

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused extensive damage in Ocean Grove. Over half of the town's boardwalk was destroyed, and the town's fishing pier was significantly damaged. Ocean Grove was denied Federal Emergency Management Agency funding because the Camp Meeting Association is a nonprofit organization. While nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive FEMA funding, Ocean Grove was denied funding because the boardwalk was classified as being used solely for recreational purposes. The town formed a group called "Together" to address storm recovery. The group includes the Camp Meeting Association, the chamber of commerce, the homeowners association, the beautification committee, the historic society, the fishing club, and Ocean Grove United, a gay and lesbian group. Hurricane repairs were estimated to cost $3.5 million. Federal officials also denied the Camp Meeting Association's request for funding in the wake of Hurricane Irene. In 2013, members of the gay-rights group Ocean Grove United and the OGCMA joined up to co-sponsor an event aimed at raising funds to rebuild Ocean Grove's hurricane-damaged boardwalk. The third appeal by OGCMA to FEMA, supported by some New Jersey politicians, was accepted. As MaryAnn Spoto elucidated on NJ.com in 2014: "The storm destroyed about a third of Ocean Grove's nearly half-mile of boardwalk.... FEMA's $2.3 million to Ocean Grove includes $1.13 million for that project as well as money for three other recovery projects." ==Gay relations==

From the late 1990s through 2000s, Ocean Grove saw the opening of a large number of gay-owned restaurants, hotels, and stores. Cameron's lecture sparked a protest by gay rights activists. After Cameron's speech, a lunch was arranged between members of the Camp Meeting Association and members of the gay community. Camp Meeting Association President Dale Whilden said, "This is an opportunity to show that we respect them." Democratic congressman Frank Pallone attended the event. Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality noted: "We may not agree on everything, but we are, today, starting to see each other as human beings." In 2013, the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT rights advocacy group, included Ocean Grove in its Municipal Equality Index, a study that scores 291 American cities based on their inclusivity of LGBT people. Ocean Grove scored 77 out of 100, representing the second highest score for cities located in New Jersey. In July 2022 the CMA unveiled the design for the new fishing pier, which had been destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, in the form of a cross. Some members of the LGBTQ+ and secular community were upset that neighborhood input was not sought before the plans were finalized and that the donors were not informed of the design ahead of time. They reached out to local and state officials hoping to delay the start of construction until the matter could be fully reviewed. Civil union controversy In 2007, two lesbian couples asked to have their civil union ceremonies at the OGCMA's Boardwalk Pavilion. According to The New York Times, "the couples' requests were rejected, and they complained to the state's Division on Civil Rights, which began a discrimination investigation." The complaint stated that Scott Rasmussen, on behalf of the OGCMA, informed the couple it would not permit them to use the OGCMA's facilities for a civil union. In 2008, the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights found that there was probable cause to credit one of the two couples' complaints, but rejected the other. In an attempt to halt the state's investigation, the OGCMA filed a federal suit. In the suit, the OGCMA wrote that it would be "thrust into government compelled expressive association with those who promote same-sex 'civil unions'" if it is forced to allow them at its facilities, and "such forced association would severely compromise the Association's desire to communicate to the general public a message consistent with its religious views on marriage and family." The OGCMA's motion was dismissed. Complicating the dispute over civil unions was the fact that Ocean Grove's boardwalk and beachfront were held in a 1908 ruling to be exempt from property tax because they "had been dedicated years ago by the association as a public highway." The Boardwalk Pavilion lost its tax-exempt status in 2007 because the state ruled that it no longer met the requirements as a place open to all members of the public. From 1989 until the Pavilion lost its tax-exempt status, the OGCMA had received $500,000 in annual tax breaks through the state's Green Acres program. The boardwalk and beach remain tax-exempt. On January 12, 2012, Administrative Law Judge Solomon Metzger ruled that the Camp Meeting had violated the state's law against discrimination. The OGCMA discontinued use of the pavilion for weddings for the general public after the controversy started. While the Association reports that it no longer offers any of its property to the general public as wedding venues, they have a process in place that grants use on an exception basis, provided the couple meets additional criteria. ==Transportation==

Roads and highways Interstate 195 provides highway access to Ocean Grove from the New Jersey Turnpike, Philadelphia, and points west. I-195 has its eastern terminus southwest of Ocean Grove at the Garden State Parkway, which connects the community with points north and south, such as New York City and Atlantic City. Public transportation Frequent rail passenger service to New York City is provided by NJ Transit on the North Jersey Coast Line from the nearby Asbury Park station. New Jersey Transit offers bus service between Ocean Grove and Philadelphia on the 317 route and local service on the 830 route. Additionally, Academy Bus has regular service to area shore towns and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. The nearest airport having scheduled commercial airline service is Newark Liberty International Airport, north, while Monmouth Executive Airport for general aviation airplanes is just away. ==Climate==

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Ocean Grove has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average temperature above , at least four months with an average temperature at or above , at least one month with an average temperature at or above and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are slightly humid with a cooling afternoon sea breeze in Ocean Grove, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values above . Since 1981, the highest air temperature was on August 9, 2001, and the highest daily average mean dew point was on August 13, 2016. The average wettest month is July which correlates with the peak in thunderstorm activity. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was on August 27, 2011. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is . Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was on January 22, 1984. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below . The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is , and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity. ==Ecology==

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Ocean Grove would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak (104) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest (25). The plant hardiness zone is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . and fall color typically peaks in early-November. ==Notable people==

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Ocean Grove include: • Mary Porter Beegle (–1966), dancer, theater professional and college administrator • Perdita Buchan (born 1940), author • Thomas Chisholm (1866–1960), Christian songwriter who wrote "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" • Fanny Crosby (1820–1915), composer of over 8,000 hymns and gospel songs • Michelle Davidson (born 1970), English Channel swimmer and U.S. Master Swimmer All-American • Tali Esen Morgan (1858–1941), longtime music director at Ocean Grove • Shep Pettibone (born 1959), record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, who was most prolific in the 1980s • Haydn Proctor (1903–1996), member of the New Jersey Senate • Scott Rasmussen (born 1956), co-founder of ESPN and political analyst • George A. Sheehan (1918–1993), cardiologist and running advocate • Southside Johnny (born 1948 as John Lyon), singer songwriter • David Spelman (born 1966), curator and music producer • Richard R. Stout (1912–1986), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1952 to 1974 • Ronald R. Thomas (1949–2023), writer, educator, and 13th president of the University of Puget Sound • Gordon Turk (born 1949), organist and artist-in-residence of Ocean Grove's Great Auditorium since 1974 ==References==