Dorothy McMonagle Kulisek, So You’ll Know, llc. © 2020
Sweet 16 Vol. 1
JULY - AUGUST 2020
NO BEACH BAG CAN BE WITHOUT IT!
Where YESTERDAY and TODAY meet by-the-sea
watch
the
tram
car
AL BRANNEN’S 1934 FORD DELUXE ROADSTER PHOTO BY DOROTHY KULISEK
M.S. Brown Jewelers SINCE 1950
Brand New Exclusive Items for Summer 2020!
please
!
RON, JORDAN & COOPER SIMONE STORY ON PAGE 16
Fresh air dining and fun for the whole family! MOREY’S MARINERS PIER WILDWOODS BOARDWALK
3304 Pacific Ave., Wildwood, NJ 609-522-7604 MSBrownJewelers.com 5 South Main St., Unit 103, CMCH, NJ 609-463-8799
THE SUN BY-THE-SEA MAGAZINE P.O.BOX 2101 WILDWOOD, NJ 08260 609.214.5608 SUNBYTHESEA.COM THESUNBYTHESEA@GMAIL.COM
2 "When I breathe in the scent of the salt air and hear the cry of the seagull, I know that I am home." ~Salt Life
Celebrating 20 Years. . . of helping you Love where you Live!
Thank you my friends, I couldn't have done it without you!
COLLEEN SOWERS
Broker Associate CELL: (609) 602-2008
www.ColleenSowers.com 3300 Pacific Ave. • WILDWOOD, NJ • 609-523-1112
Happy Summer 2020
3
“We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.” -Anne Frank (1929-1945) Love this paper! It’s truly informative, inspiring and innovative. We are able to really connect to many of the features in the issues. Thank you for sharing sunshine and memories! It fills us with rays of hope! ~ Emma V., Sun Reader dorothy’s
See what’s inside
SUN by-the-sea Ingredients:
Paper Sunshine , Salt Air and Sea Breezes, with a Blend of Nostalgia. An All-Natural Delight!
EVERY SUMMER HAS A STORY Tuffy the Lion and WPD John Gares 10
w h e r e y e s t e r d ay
&
t o d ay m e e t b y - t h e - s e a
Bill Markee’s Memories on 2nd 11 Step Back Foundation 12 Al Weiss’ Old John Bright House 14 Ron & Jordan Simone 16 Harriet Tubman/Sydnei SmithJordan 19
The Sea is calling and I must go. . . Do you remember that loooong car ride to Wildwood when you were a kid, when that ever-popular question, “Are we there yet?” echoed throughout the jam-packed stationwagon (much to the annoyance of your parents) until you were ALMOST there…? …the intoxicating scent of salt air wafts through the car windows as you drive across the Grassy Sound meadows…you reach the top of the bridge and your eyes light up and your heart smiles with the first sight of the sun glistening like diamonds on the sea…your soul moves to the sway of the seagulls as they welcome you back to the island…you are home and feel alive….filled with a magical kind of peace…you’ve returned to happiness in your own little world by the sea. After months of Coronavirus Quarantine, our Summer by-the-sea is sure to be sweeter than ever, and at The Sun, we’re excited to start our sweetest year yet! With the 16th Year of The Sun officially upon us, my heart overflows with thanks to you dear readers, friends, and especially our advertisers for your part in the creation of what some readers call ‘a little piece of heaven.’ We invite you to reminisce with every turn of the page as The SUN celebrates being SWEET 16! Although this is the one and only Sun this year, it is a Wildwood-inspired issue overflowing with homespun stories and photos lovingly woven together over the wintertime for your summer reading pleasure…honoring our sandy haven’s memorable past, while reporting on all those memory-in-the-making stories sure to occur this summer. As our front covers suggest, we were made for Sunny Days and plan on filling our summer bucket lists with Fun in the Sun! Knowing every summer has its own story to tell, and how much we love telling stories, we can’t wait for you to enjoy your time by the Sea reading The Sun! There’s so much to do and only so many summer days to do them in! But we fill our buckets with moments … walks along the beach… bike rides on the boardwalk… witnessing sunrises, then sunsets, concerts under the stars, dips in the deep blue sea…crabbing, dining out, backyard barbecues, rockin’ on the porch with friends, family reunions…
Welcome Back to the SeaShore!
Dorothy
Artist / Editor / Publisher The SUN by-the–sea, Wildwood, NJ
DeSatnick Serendipity 22 Velma & Tony’s Thunderbird 24 Poetry by-the-Sea 25 True Love In Grassy Sound 26-27 Aunt Eva’s Spaghetti Dinner 30-31 Ed’s Zaberville 32-33 The Love Nest 34 Linda Crane’s Grassy Sound Memories 40 Dorothy’s Sunrise Adventure 41 HAVE a BLAST on the BOARDS 43-49
SUMMER BUCKET LIST WHILE YOU WERE AWAY 3-9 All Gave Some ...Some Gave All George Coleman 4 Fishing with Capt. Gary 10 Bronze Goddess 12 From Scratch Clam Chowder Recipe 14
gggggggggggggg Artist, Editor & Publisher, Ad Sales
Dorothy McMonagle Kulisek
609.214.5608 The SUN by-the-sea©2020 The Original, Nostalgic, Magazine published by So You’ll Know, inc. Published, Edited & Designed by Dorothy Kulisek with the help of those listed here:
Assistant Editor, Meg Corcoran Contributors:
Al Alven • Michael Bautista Jerry Doyle • Paula Gallagher • Taylor Henry • Anita Hirsch • Bob Ingram • Regina M. • Anthony Policastro • Colleen Heston Reynolds • Rachel Rogish Gary Sloan • Ann Stiles • Cathy Tchorni Hello from The Sun, the Wildwoods only magazine of its kind, loved by both young and old... tourist and local alike. Once a bi-monthly publication, it has become even more sought after with just one big Summer issue in print. Its thought-provoking positive news, inspirational articles and historical features, with memories on every page, have made it a breath of fresh air in the face of the challenging climate of today’s world. I encourage you to please support the local merchants whose advertising pays the cost of this quality publication. Let them know you saw their ad in The Sun. May The Sun bless you and refresh you and truly knock your flip-flips off!
HoJo’s Clam Strips 15 Greater Wildwood Yacht Club 16 Rising Shack at the other Grassy Sound 18
Mark & Eileen’s Blue Heaven 20 Blue Heaven was Linneous Bright’s Home 21
Hopf’s 4th Ave Beach House 22-23 Ramsey’s on Poplar Ave. 24 50 Years at Ravioli House 25 Churches on the Island 26 The Galley Beach Stand 27 Dr. Mace & Hattie Long Babies 28
Remember our Veterans!
Harry Wheaton 28 Juniper Ave. Memories 30 Kretschmer’s in West Wildwood 34-35 Charlotte’s Bathing Beauties 36 Tribute to Phil & Eddie 37 High School Yearbook Throwbacks 38 Mrs. Janet Nash 38 Mrs. Betty J. King 39 DOWNTOWN 40-47
Disclaimer The Sun by-the-Sea Newspaper© and So They’ll Know Inc. cannot pledge the accurateness or comprehensiveness of all editorial content in all of its constituent parts.
“Any society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers.” ~Erik Pepke
KEEP CALM AND READ
4 One thing’s for certain. . . *Everything is subject to change.
~The SUN
Events July Hath 31 Days.
Full Buck Moon
July 5th 5:44 pm
Summer Races
*Everything is subject to change. I apologize for printing any events that may be cancelled... this list was com- 7/10 Cape May County Lifeguard Champipiled before Covid, and many things onships, Rambler Rd. Beach, 6:30pm were still uncertain at time of press. 7/17 Beschen-Callahan Memorial Lifeguard FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORKS! New location... the beach at Rio Grande Ave. Boardwalk SID Craft Shows 7/3-5, 18-19, 8/1-2, 8-9, 9/4-6 All handmade products. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Daily. Free. 609.522.0378 or 609.522.0198. BoardwalkCrafts.com 7/ 1 0 W I L DWO O D C R E ST SA N D SCULPTING FESTIVAL Heather Rd. beach, 9am-2pm 7/11 SIDEWALK CHALK COMPETITION at Bill Henfey Park. North Wildwood. 9am. 7/16 Miss North Wildwood Crowning Ceremony. Interviews Wednesday, Thurs: 6:30 p.m. Crowning. Lou Booth Amphitheater.
Race 15th St. & Beach. 6pm
7/18 BOOGIE BOARD Races 15th Ave. 10am 7/18 ESA SURF CONTEST - ANDREWS AVE. WILDWOOD (NSD 7/25) 7/18 Sun and Sand Police & Fire Survivors 5K Elks Lodge, 1st & Olde NJ, 9am start 7/15 & 21 WBP USLA Lifeguard Competition Lincoln Ave. 10am 7/31 Dutch Hoffman Memorial Lifeguard Races Lincoln Ave. Beach, 6:30 pm 8/1 WBP Pier to Pier Challenge 1 Mile Ocean Swim 6pm. Lincoln Ave. 8/2 Life Rolls On Baker Ave. 9am
7/17-19 Cape Express “MORE” Beach Blast Soccer between Spencer & Poplar. 8am-6pm
8/8 “Do It For Bill” 5K 16th & Boardwalk, 8am 8/8 Wildwood Crest 5K Beach Race 8:30am 8/8 Wildwood Navy Seal Challenge Lincoln Ave Beach 6 pm
7/25 Christmas in July with Santa Claus on the Beach in North Wildwood. Candy canes and entertainment. 1pm. 609.522.7500 7/25 WILDWOOD CREST CHRISTMAS in July Festival along Sunset Lake. 6pm-9pm
8/15 CMC Police & Fire Emerald Society Chicken Plunge 17th & Beach. 10am 8/18 Around the Island Row location TBA. 7am 8/29 Tri/Du the Wildwoods 15th & the Beach. Try It! 6:30am. Delmosports.com
7/25-26 Ultimate Beach Frisbee Tournament Beach at Schellenger Ave, Wildwood. 9-5
9/11-13 N. Wildwood Rec Surf Fishing Tourn. 9/13 First MUD RUN- 15th St. Beach 10am
7/28 The Wildwoods Love Waddler’s Baby Waddle - Wildwoods Convention Center Turnaround circle. 10:30am 7/29 Wildwoods Baby Parade Wildwoods Convention Center, Boardwalk and Fox Park 6pm
AA MEETINGS by the beach every Saturday morning at 7:30am at LOU BOOTH AMPITHEATER 400 E. block of 2nd Ave., N. Wildwood
SAVE THE DATE! BEACH WRITERS’ CONFERENCE Oct.23-25, 2020 Register at www.beachwriterswildwood.com at the Bolero Resort Wildwood, NJ
Sponsored in part by Atlantic Cape Community College, J. Byrne Insurance Coastline Builders, LLC. NWVFD All net proceeds will be donated to Literacy NJ Atlantic Cape
Steven James, Author & Storyteller Lorraine Ranal Lorrai Ranalli li,, Author & Marketi Marketing Guru Paul Di Dinas, New York Edi Editor
Cocktail Ki Cocktai Kickoff Headshots Goody bags Buffet Di Dinner wiith Speakers w
5
Have Fun in the Sun!
“Let the sand be your seat as the waves hit your feet.”
~Beach Bum quotes
Events
October 16TH & 17th
August Hath 31 Days.
Wildwood, New Jersey
Full Corn Moon August 3rd 6:59 pm
“A proper amount of sunshine is very necessary to good health. We need the sunshine from outside and the sunshine of love in our hearts and homes to make us happy.” ~The Old Farmer’s Almanac
*Everything is subject to change. I apologize for printing any events that may be cancelled... this list was compiled before Covid, and many things were still uncertain at time of press. 8/1-2 Battle at the Beach Mixed Martial Arts Tournament Wildwoods Convention Center. Sat: 10am - 6pm 860.295.0403 8/4 NATIONAL NIGHT OUT - FREE WILDWOOD - Fox Park 5:30-8:30pm NORTH WILDWOOD - Bill Henfey Park. 5:30 - 10pm WILDWOOD CREST - Centennial Park. 5:30-8:30pm 8/7 NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE DAY Hereford Inlet Lighthouse. 9 am - 5 pm 8/7-9 Wildwood Tattoo Beach Bash. Wildwoods Convention Center. 8/10 Annual SOCS Survivors of Cancer Fundraiser. Blue Water Grille, Bolero Resort, Wildwood. 2- 6 pm 609.465.7655
8/7, 14 Downtown Wildwood Art, Wine & Music Festival Byrne Plaza. 6pm 8/8-9, 15-16 Baseball on the Beach between Andrews and Rio Grande Aves. 9am.7pm. 609.522.2444 or WildwoodBeachBaseball.com 8/12-15 HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS Wildwoods Convention Center. 7pm. 8/23-27 WILDWOODS RESTAURANT WEEK www.ChewWildwood.com 8/28-30 Sports Card, Toys, Comics & Collectibles Show. Wildwoods Convention Center 8/30 NEW! Downtown Philly Food & Music Fest w/Mummers Byrne Plaza. 5-10 SEPT. 18-20 BOOTS AT THE BEACH (SEE AD W/MUSIC LINE UP ON PAGE 6)
2020
Tickets on Sale!
Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce 3316 Pacific Ave. Wildwood, NJ 609-729-4000 • Ticketmaster.com
Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce Presents
Fabulous ‘50s & Beyond Weekend and The Mahoney Brothers Performing as:
6 “It’s better to know some of the questions then all of the answers.”
~James Thurber
www.ricks-seafood.com
RICK’S SEAFOOD
Put Rick’s fish on your dish. You will have a great meal and fantasticl! you will fee
TAKE - OUT MENU
(609) 729-9443 (609) 729-9445
Celebrating 35 Years!
Open every day at 435 W. Spruce Ave. on the main road into North Wildwood
Refreshments • Live Country Music • Vendors • Food Trucks • Dancing • Country Bands
2020 FESTIVAL
DJ Steve Carroll ALL Weekend
TITO’S MOCKINGBIRD STAGE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH 40 North :1pm -4pm Parker Barrow Project : 4pm-7pm Lenny Martelli : 7pm-10pm
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH Steel Creek : 1pm-4pm The Wallace Brothers : 4pm - 7pm Triple Rail Turn : 7pm -10pm
The Anglesea Irish Society & 5 Mile Isle Events presents the 5th Annual Largest Country Music Festival in Southern New Jersey on Olde New Jersey Ave. in North Wildwood, NJ
Free Entry All in a Great Outdoor Setting by the Sea
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH
Colebrook Road Bluegrass Band : 12pm - 2pm The ALTimate Country Experience : 2pm - 4pm
www. AngleseaIrishSociety.net www.BootsattheBeach.com 609.770.8839
Happy Summer 2020
7
“Boredom is the feeling that everything is a waste of time...Serenity, that nothing is.” Thomas Szasz
North Wildwood Recreation & Tourism presents the Summer of 2020 North Wildwood, a place in the sun for family fun!
En oy
NW
northw
TM
ildwood.com
PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, AND SPECIAL EVENTS
900 Central Ave, North Wildwood, NJ 08260
Independence Day Family & Pooch Parade Saturday, July 4, 9th & Atlantic Aves. 8am
Concerts Under the Stars
at LOU BOOTH AMPITHEATER 2nd & Ocean Aves. FREE Concerts All Summer Long!
Fax: (609) 522-0402
North Wildwood Allen Park
22nd & Delaware Ave. Playground, Tennis Courts, Hockey Rink, Basketball Court,, Gazebos, and an observation pier overlooking the beautiful back bay wetlands area.
All ShowsThursdays & Saturdays 8pm
Sidewalk Chalk Competition
Sat., July 11 All ages. Bill Henfey Park. Start times will vary with age.
Miss North Wildwood Competition
Wednesday, July 15, Interviews 10am at North End American Grill Thursday, July 16, 6:30pm Crowning of Miss North Wildwood at Lou Booth Amphitheater, 2nd Ave.
Beschen-Callahan Memorial Lifeguard Races
Friday, July 17, 6pm 15th Avenue Beach, North Wildwood. 609.522.7500
Boogie Board Races
Saturday, July 18 Reg. 9am Contest Begins at 10am on the beach at 15th Avenue, North Wildwood. Prizes!
Christmas in July Saturday, July 25, 1pm on the Beach 44th Annual Around the Island Row Tues., Aug. 18 7am at 15 Ave. Beach th
Mummer’s Weekend Sept. 11 - 12
Summer Clinics/Camps
Buckets Basketball Summer Clinic for Boys & Girls
July 6 - 10 July 20 - 24 August 3 - 7 9am - 11am Ages 9-15 at Allen Park - Ages 6-8 at Bill Henfey Park
North Wildwood Soccer Clinic for Boys & Girls July 13 - 17, July 27 - 31 9am - 11am Ages 8-14 at Bill Henfey Park
New Logic Marine Science Camp
July 6 - 10 and Aug. 24 - 28 9am-2pm K-8 Outdoor Camp Experience
CHESS Aug. 10 - 14 1pm-4pm K-8 Children entering grades 2-6
Dean Randazzo Surf & Ocean Safety Camp
Do n’t forget yo ur ! Safet y Eq uip me nt
FREE Concerts All Summer Long! All ShowsThursdays & Saturdays 8pm
July 9 July 16 July 18 July 23 July 25 July 30 Aug. 1 Aug. 6 Aug. 8 Aug. 13 Aug. 15 Aug. 20 Aug. 22 Aug. 27 Aug. 29 Sept. 3 Sept. 5
Tribute to the Trammps Inferno “Lights Out” Frankie Valli Tribute Shirley Alston Reeves Jesse Garron’s Elvis Show 52nd Street Billy Joel Tribute Jimmy & the Parrots Jimmy Buffet Tribute The Diamonds Country Jamboree Asbury Fever Springsteen Tribute “Lights Out” Jersey Beach Boys Wallstreet Uptown Band Real Diamond Neil Diamond Tribute Legacy Band The Cameos Open Rain Date Beatlemania
The Best #1 Free Beaches!
North Wildwood’s Beach is 1.5 miles long and is guarded from the Inlet beach to 25th Ave. 22 Handicap Surf Chairs are available NWBP Headquarters 15th Ave. & Beach nwbp@northwildwood.com (609) 522-7500
North Wildwood Skate Park
23rd & Delaware Ave. OPEN EVERY DAY Free. * Weather Permitting * Helmets & pads required. No bikes or scooters.
Bill Henfey Park
8th & Central Ave. Playground, Basketball Court, Softball Field, Multi-Purpose Athletic Field
Playground on the Beach 16th & the Beach
5th Ave. Boat Ramp
5th & the Bay Seasonal Permits Available Kayak Storage Permits
Summer Basketball Leagues Please visit NorthWildwood.com for all league schedules
Fall Events
Your First Mud Run Sun.,Sept. 13 at 15th Ave. Beach, 10am-1pm Boots at the Beach Country Festival Fri- Sat - Sun, Sept. 18 - 20 3pm-10pm, 10am-10pm
Surfing Beach - 2nd & 4th Ave.
Snapology (LEGO)
Aug. 17 - 21 Drone Commander 9am-12pm, Ages 9-14 Advanced Engineers 1pm-4pm Ages 7+ Mon. - Fri. 10am-12:30pm, at 1st Ave. Beach
Tel: (609) 522-2955
Save the Date!
September 11 - 13
51st Annual North Wildwood Rec Surf Fishing Tournament
Fri: 7am-5pm, Sat: 7am-5pm, Sun: 7am-11am
2020 Exercise Class Sch e dule
Irish Fall Festival
Thurs., September 24 - Sunday, 27 8am-11pm daily
Halloween Trunk or Treat Block Party Sat. Oct. 31, Olde New Jersey Ave. Vehicle check-in 5pm; Event 5:30pm-7pm
$5. per class
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday on the Beach at 2nd & Ocean Aves.
*For Updated Information. . . Visit www.northwildwood.com
8 “There are times when we stop, we sit still… we listen ... and breezes from a whole other world begin to whisper.” ~ James Carroll Sponsored by the Tourism & Development Commission
PARAMOUNT AIR SINCE 1945 Presents the
T H E N AT I O N ’ S O L D E S T A E R I A L A D V E RT I S I N G F I R M
Summer 2020
Still Flying High
4400 New Jersey Ave., Wildwood, NJ 08260 tel: (609) 522-2444 fax: (609) 523-2444 www.WildwoodNJ.org
Due to Covid, many events have been cancelled or postponed. This list is also subject to change.
Summer Events
in Wildwood by-the-Sea
Ultimate Beach Frisbee Tournament July 25-26
6 0 9 -8 8 6 -9 0 9 0
Rockin’ at the Doo Wop Joe Stamile Amphitheater at Fox Park Ocean Ave. between Montgomery & Burk
*Every Sunday at 7:30pm FREE
2020 Schedule August 2 Don’t Call Me Francis
Andre Tomalino, WWII Glider Pilot
10 Member, multi-instrumental Ensemble, many styles of Music
One of Paramount Air’s first planes
August 9 WVLT Patti Lattanzi & Billy
Wildwoods Baby Waddle July 28 Wildwoods Baby Parade July 29
A Wildwood tradition since 1909 on the boardwalk at 5pm.
Carlucci Radio Review Multiple acts
August 11 Reign Band Pop, R&B, Oldies, Rock
July 31 Lincoln Ave. Beach
W.B.P. Pier to Pier Challenge Ocean Swim August 1 Lincoln Ave. at 6:30pm
Wildwood Beach Baseball Tournament August 8-9, 15-16
Wildwoods Restaurant Week August 23 - 27
ChewWildwood.com
America’s #1 Show Band
August 30 Forever Tina
Tina Turner Tribute
Wildwood Block Party and Music Fest
it With a Fla y i a by Air . . . . . .
Sept. 6 at Fox Park National Acts TBA
The Race of the Gentlemen Sept. 30 - Oct. 4
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Ocean & Burk Aves., Wildwood. The only permanent replica in the Northeast. It is an exact, half size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.
Founders, Andre Tomalino and Grover Kauffman with George Townsend and John Fare Sr. in front of a Paramount Air Service Autogyro in the late 1940s
r
Wildwood Navy Seal Challenge
August 8 Lincoln Ave Beach 6 pm
August 23 Fabulous Infernos
S
Dutch Hoffman Memorial Lifeguard Races
BARBARA TOMALINO
609-886-9090
Sales@paramountair.com
W W W. P A R A M O U N TA I R . C O M on the beach between Schellenger & Spicer Aves.
PA RT O F T H E W I L D W O O D S C O M M U NI T Y S I NC E 1 9 4 5
Happy Summer 2020
9
“I wish that Beach Therapy was covered by my Health Insurance.” ~Beach Bum
SPECIAL!
50
STEAMED SHRIMP
$ 8 .9 9
8606 NEW JERSEY AVE.
WILDWOOD CREST, NJ
Take-Out Delivery After 4PM Fresh Fish Market
(609) 522-9582 Online Ordering Available www.Fishfactorywildwood.com @FishFactoryww
Two
Online Ordering Available www.Fishfactorywildwood.com
MIRACLE AT TWO MILE BEACH Superman Rescued!
Mile Beach Visitor’s Center has many seaside stories to tell. One of them occurred on September 14th, 2019 when retired Wildwood Crest police officer Harry DiSilvestro (and proud Dr. Mace baby) was taking his daily bike ride. Harry is often seen riding around town, smiling and sharing his positive attitude with everyone he encounters. Pedaling south on Seaview Ave., he didn’t know a chance encounter would ultimately save his life when he collapsed upon entering the refuge. Fate intervened in the form of June Karp, a volunteer at the center and who was not supposed to be working that day but graciously agreed to fill in for someone and who fortuitously was trained in CPR. Also part of fate’s grand plan were Jim and Mary, who were visiting from Phila. where Jim is a detective with the Police Department and who were also on their way into the refuge riding their bikes. Everyone sprung into action to help including a call to 911, as June got the defibrillator from the office and Jim set it up, applying compressions while June
WILDWOOD
CREST
IT’S BETTER IN THE CREST Dec. 18, 2019~Wildwood Crest PD held a Christmas party to honor Phila. Police Officer Jim McLaughlin and his wife Mary and all others involved in saving Harry’s life after suffering cardiac arrest. gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation as the machine administered a shock, a cycle that continued at least six times. Mary directed the emergency vehicles, who arrived quickly and took over. Harry was helicoptered to Atlantic Care, where he would spend the next 14 days before being admitted to Bacharach for rehab. Harry aka Superman, is happily recovering, enjoying life with his beautiful wife Coleen. They’re so grateful for the caring people that God placed in Harry’s path that otherwise ordinary day by the sea.
Visit our Website for the latest info
www.wildwoodcrest.org RECREATION & TOURISM
5800 Ocean Ave. Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260 (609) 523-0202 Info Center: (609) 522-0221 Joseph Von Savage Memorial Pool (609) 522-0084
10 “There must be something strangely sacred in salt. It is in our tears and in the sea.” ~Kahlil Gibran
wildwood liondrome & Tuffy 1938
Joseph (Dobosz) Dobish & Pearl Dobish with Tuffy the Lion
T
hink a typical, thrilling night on the boardwalk includes a truly petrifying descent courtesy of AtmosFEAR (who’s name really doesn’t lie?) People, it would appear, love to be scared and our boardwalk attractions have been declared pretty darn frightening by the average thrill seeker. Generations before us, however, may have found the attractions currently displayed more tame than terrifying. They, of course, knew a thing or two about real-life terror in the form of lions Tuffy and Leo,
purchased by Joe Doblish in the mid-1930s and considered “fascinating” boardwalk attractions. While Leo maintained a safe space in a barred cage, Tuffy, who was trained by Joe’s wife, Irene, often traveled with her in a motorcycle side car. On October 5, 1938, Tuffy escaped from his cage, unspeakable chaos ensued, and boardwalk auctioneer Thomas Salto was attacked and killed by Tuffy. A search party was quickly formed, with police officer John Gares ultimately firing the shot that killed Tuffy and ending the tragic ordeal.
October 5, 1938, Tuffy escaped from his cage, unspeakable chaos ensued, and boardwalk auctioneer Thomas Salto was attacked and killed by Tuffy. A search party was quickly formed, with police officer John Gares ultimately firing the shot that killed Tuffy and ending the tragic ordeal.
Wildwood Police Department with Officer John Gares, c. 1938 Gares was known as a crack shot, having spent $5. per month for several years buying cartridges so that he could practice, not knowing how that skill would ultimately save him and countless others on that fateful night. He recalled walking along Schellenger Avenue, hearing a noise, then seeing a lion charging at him. Pistol drawn and one shot later, the lion was dead, a terrifying, two-hour hunt concluded, and Gares was deemed a hero. Following the tragedy, Leo found a new home courtesy of the Philadelphia Zoo
and then-Mayor George Krogman recommended an ordinance banning dangerous animal shows in Wildwood, the verdict was passed in 1938 and wild animal exhibitions were prohibited. The story of Gares’ heroism lives on through Wildwood history as well as through his proud daughter, Sue Farrel, who along with her family continues to visit their summer home, enjoying those Wildwood Days her father bravely protected so many years ago.
Still Local, Still Independent SINCE 1946
5200 New Jersey Ave. Wildwood, NJ 08260 (609)522-3406
917 Madison Ave. Cape May, NJ 08204 (609)884-3333
1032 Rt.9 South Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 (609)465-7710
200 Rt. 9 South Marmora, NJ 08223 (609)390-5566
1605 Bayshore Rd. Lower Township, NJ (609) 886-5888
A History of Experience, A Future of Excellence. We Look Forward to Ser ving You! www.jbyrneagency.com
Have Fun in the Sun!
“The past is a foreign country... they do things differently there. “ ~L. T. Hartley
A Family Tradition Since 1953
Italian Deli • Sub Shop • Grocery Store PIZZA, STEAKS, HOAGIES, PASTA Homemade Sausage, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Meatballs, Roast Beef & Pork
-522-357
6
6
09
Call for Pick Up or Free Delivery (609)
522-3576 Like us at A&LP
15th & New Jersey Aves., North Wildwood, NJ www.alpfoods.com
Memories of Family Moving to N. Wildwood. . . ~from Bill Markee
Bill and Marianne Markee, along with their children Bill and Pat, moved into their summer bungalow located at 120 E. 2nd Ave. in North Wildwood in 1950. Their seaside abode came with a kerosene heater, two bedrooms and one bath. Bill Jr. remembers his mom insisting the family move from Upper Darby to the shore while his dad, who was a bartender with a great sense of humor, continued to work in Philadelphia, taking the bus back to Wildwood every week before eventually moving to the shore and working as a house painter. Bill recalls his mom and dad working summers at Marty Bohns Nut Club as a cocktail waitress and bartender, respectively. Bill Sr. worked for years at Zaberers Anglesea Inn before working as a maintenance man in the winter and a bartender (by day) during the summer at the Windrift in Avalon for the Buckingham family until his death. Marianne worked at Burdette Tomlinson Hospital (now Cape Regional) for 20 years as a unit clerk, earning the name “Sarge” for her tough demeanor.
Bill and Pat Markee c. 1950s Like everyone with a treasured Wildwood story, Bill occasionally drives by his old family home to reminisce about his unforgettable childhood spent happily by the sea…
Our Cottage
by-the-Sea
11
12 “Now is the season for bathing, whether in river or ocean. How delicious is a plunge in this thirsty weather!” – Eliza Cooke’s journal 1850
HARBOR
Maddie McCracken’s
Step Back Foundation DO it for BILL 5K by Michael Bautista
BURGER BAR
Open every day in the heart of Stone Harbor on 96th St. at South Jersey’s only Dine-In Movie Theater (609) 796-5669 www.harborburgerbar.com
Island Art of Stone Harbor
SPECIALIZING IN BEACH AND TROPICAL ART SEASIDE ACCENTS, LAMPS AND FURNITURE
Located in the heart of Stone Harbor, we are the premier art store of our beautiful town. We have an eclectic mix of American – made art, furniture, nautical lighting and kitchen accents. We also feature etched glass barware by ROLF, Wade's internationally loved Gluggle jugs, Napa Valley wine barrel accents and beach-themed jewelry. Our artwork is affordably made by American craftsman. Island art is the perfect place to shop for your shore home or your home away from the shore.
COME SEE WHAT’S WAITING FOR YOU!!
Corner of 96th and Third Ave, Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
(609) 231-6777
(609) 368-9540
www.islandartstoneharbor.com
9501@verizon.net
At the age of 18, Maddie McCracken has transcended herself through the Step Back Foundation, a non-profit organization she created in the spring of 2019. The Step Back Foundation aims to encourage and inspire high school students to become involved in athletics. Each year, two separate scholarships are awarded under the name of Bill Bolle. The award is given to one 8th grade student and one high school student who intend to participate in a high school sport. The scholarship enables students to purchase essentials such as soccer cleats, basketball shoes, gloves, etc. “My goal is to give those who are struggling financially as many opportunities as I’ve had through that extra help.” said McCracken, who believes that students should be involved in extracurricular activities such as athletics or clubs because it helps them to build time management skills and relationships. Through the scholarship, Maddie hopes to continue the legacy of Mr. Bill Bolle, who sadly passed in October 2017 due to a work-related accident. Mr. Bolle’s genuineness and compassion for others, she believes, is timeless. “I truly believe he changed me and helped mold me into a kind individual.” Maddie said, “Mr. Bolle saw people as they were and treated all as though they were special. He never wanted to make others feel unworthy, or less than.” Maddie has been fortunate to know the Bolle family her entire life. She grew up playing basketball at The North Wildwood Rec Center after school with Tommy, their youngest son. “Basketball has definitely molded me into the person I am today. Throughout my basketball career, I have had countless experiences along with meeting many influential people. I’ve learned the basic social skills of life like learning how to communicate with others.” Throughout her high school career, McCracken successfully scored 43 career goals in soccer despite missing her senior season due to an injury. She was one of the best distance runners Wildwood High School had to offer. Maddie McCracken holds a record time of Wildwood High’s 1600- and 3200-meter runs. She graduated in June 2019 and is currently enrolled in Stockton University, where she plans to go to law school and become a bilingual lawyer.
BILL BOLLE
Vicky Bolle (center) with her family, Donna, Jeffrey, Zoe & Audrey
Basketball stars, Maddie McCracken (R) with sister Mack (L) & Caitlin McMullan A true Wildwood girl, Maddie hopes to give out as many scholarships as possible, plan events and become more involved within the Wildwood Community. She’s currently hustling to arrange two main events this summer including a three-onthree basketball tournament, a 5k run and a wine tasting at her family-owned store in North Wildwood, Spill The Wine, where a portion of the proceeds will go towards The Step Back Foundation, as Maddie continues to play an important role in helping Wildwood’s youth successfully move forward in life.
Happy Summer 2020
13
“The ocean humbles you and makes you feel like you’ve been baptized. I feel born again when I get out of the ocean.”
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14 “...I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” -F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
The Roaring Twenties:
Al Weiss Restores
the
John Bright House
by Taylor Henry
Al Weiss with his dog Gizmo take a moment to pay homage to John Bright who posed on the same porch stoop nearly 100 years ago.
This photo taken in the living room shows the exquisite restoration of the fireplace and French doors that lead into what was once John Bright’s office.
This is Al’s mancave
The Bright-Weiss home, c. 1920s
At the northwest corner of Atlantic and 21st Avenue in North Wildwood stands a handsome, prairie-style stucco estate lined by gardens. Although the house today looks like a perfect second home for the Great Gatsby, it wasn’t always so. Very recently, neglect threatened to end this home before its 100th birthday, but it’s thanks to current owner Al Weiss that his home lived to see the 2020s. This house was built in 1924 for the eccentric Bright family, a well-known name in the Wildwoods since the late 1800s. John Bright, esquire (b. 1878) married Emma, who was believed to be from the Carr family and they had three daughters, Emma, Naomi and Ruth. One of the daughters was a teacher at Margaret Mace grammar school. Bright passed the state Bar exam in 1921 and became a real estate lawyer. One of his cases which survived to the Internet age was 1927’s McKibbin v Pekarsky, wherein Bright defended Marine National Bank against a lien claim. Bright’s home stayed in the family until it was sold in the 1990s but, during the Great Recession of the 2000s, the economy took a hit and the house went into disrepair. It wasn’t until the year 2010 when Al Weiss purchased 2010 Atlantic Avenue. “I wanted this house,” Weiss said in October 2019. “The house was on the market for a year and a half, and the price slowly decreased, so I came in and offered asking price.” Up until his purchase, untrimmed shrubs and ivy had engulfed the house and hid it from the street. This fixer-upper took an independent contractor two years to return it to its original state. Everything from the fireplaces to the light fixtures to the doors and windows was restored. At the top of the front stoop is the original archtop front door. Latticed windows
let the morning sun shine onto the foyer, giving the original hardwood floors a golden glow. There are no condos blocking the sunshine from pouring in. The foyer’s winding staircase is guarded by a two-foot statuette holding a torch, like the Statue of Liberty without a crown. The inscription below the statue reads “Chant Des Pres” which is French for “A nearby song.” She is original to the house, as is the foyer’s chandelier. Like many Georgian Revival houses, the Bright home was built symmetrically: the rooms off to the left are the same size and proportions to the rooms on the right. The only exception -- a common exception in historic houses -- is the sunroom on the south side. This sitting room surrounded by fanlight windows originally served as John Bright’s law office. Weiss explained that the sunroom’s rear-facing exterior door was the entrance for Bright’s clients. The windows are made of blown glass with handmade imperfections to match; Bright’s brass nameplate still hangs on the door. Weiss hasn’t found any photos of Bright in his office, but he inferred how the office might have been arranged: “I know a couple of lawyers and they’re funny people because everything’s strategic,” he said. “[Bright] probably wanted the sun on his back and facing the fireplace, so I’m assuming his desk was arranged that way.” Weiss added his own touches to the house, customizing the kitchen and displaying an antique scale in each room. A mechanic by trade, Weiss spent years working for Toledo Scale Company and later as an auto mechanic. In addition to restoring the Bright house, Weiss also stabilized and restored the garage out back. He agrees that historic houses are worth the trouble and deserve to be restored. It’s thanks to Old House Heroes like Al Weiss that the Wildwoods’ history can be preserved for years to come.
Taken in the foyer, this photo shows the Statue of Liberty (without a crown.) The inscription below the statue reads “Chant Des Pres” which is French for “A nearby song.” She is original to the house, as is the foyer’s chandelier. Al made sure to include in the purchase agreement that she stayed.
For nostalgia’s sake, Al kept John Bright’s name plate on the back door
Al displays his family’s cash register from Weiss’ Meat Market Grocery store in North Camden. It is set at $20.10 to symbolize the year he purchased the home and its address
Have Fun in the Sun!
“There’s a place in the sun where there’s hope for everyone...got to find me a place in the sun. . .” ~Stevie Wonder
15
16 “Once in a while, in the middle of an ordinary life… love gives us a fairy tale.” ~MELISSA BROWN, PICTURE PERFECT
About our Cover Models:
R on & J ordan S imone became proud homeowners, buying a small cottage in North Wildwood, where they happily live today.
The Engagement ~ 2016 In the Summer of 2012, unbeknownst to them, Ron and Jordan Simone’s love story unofficially began when they met on the beaches of North Wildwood (where the greatest true love stories often begin). Ron was in his 6th year as a lifeguard on the North Wildwood Beach Patrol (NWBP) and Jordan was in her rookie year. In the Summer of 2013, Ron left the beaches (at least professionally) and took an internship in the North Wildwood Mayor and Administration Office while Jordan remained a lifeguard on the North Wildwood Beach Patrol. By the fall of 2013, fate (with the help once again of Wildwood’s beaches) stepped in when Ron and Jordan reconnected at the Bonfire on the Beach and began dating. In February 2014, they added to their Wildwood family by adopting their beloved dog, Cooper from the Cape May County Animal Shelter. Through their 2014-2016 seaside years, they enjoyed countless events and parties together with family and friends, strengthening their bond as a couple and planning their sunny future together. In the Summer of 2016, their love story added a significant chapter when Jordan became a happy Wildwood local alongside Ron while pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy. On Friday, October 21, 2016, after three years of dating, Ron proposed to Jordan on Poverty Beach in Cape May, NJ. In November 2016, they
Perhaps the sweetest chapter in Ron and Jordan’s love story occurred on September 15, 2018, when they were married at the Cape May Convention Hall, overlooking the beach in Cape May. With the potential of a Category 2 Hurricane hitting South Jersey head-on, it turned out to be a miraculously beautiful, sunny wedding day, with the storm moving more south-west, predicting a bright future despite life’s occasional storms.
The Wedding Day ~ 2018
The Honeymoon ~ 2019
In January of 2019, Ron was appointed City Administrator of North Wildwood. The sea clearly still calls to Ron, as he loves to surf and can be found most mornings before work on the water (as long as there are waves to catch, that is). Jordan, meanwhile, created her own business, Jordan Simone Wellness, LLC, jordansimonewellness.com, as a Holistic Wellness Coach and Reiki Master. “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
Taking much-deserved time out from their professional lives, they finally celebrated their honeymoon in Hawaii in April 2019. In May 2019, back on Wildwood terrain, Jordan was hired as the Wellness Director of the Atlantic County Joint Insurance Fund (ACMJIF) and by January 2020, Jordan Simone Wellness announced the creation of Grownd Herbal Rituals (Instagram: @shopgrownd), a plant based bath soak and face mask company.
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
@Shopgrownd
Sun Stars ~ 2020
As their love story continues to flourish where it all began, Ron and Jordan continue to make a positive contribution in our love-inspiring Wildwood by the Sea… We at The Sun are happy to feature this inspiring young couple posing for our cover with Al Brannen’s 1934 Coupe Deville ... on their favorite beach of course! ~Dorothy Kulisek
N.W.B.P. Alumni at the wedding
Cooper
17
Have Fun in the Sun!
“Food may not be the answer to world peace, but it’s a start.“ ~Anthony Bourdain
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OPEN 7 DAYS Outside Tables Available for Dining During Movies Begins at Sunset
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Watch Movies Under the Stars Affordable Concessions for the Kids
6200 NEW JERSEY AVE. IN WILDWOOD CREST • 609.305.4807
Bathing Beauties & Surf Bums
gggggggg
Wildwood Crest Surf Crew on Safari in Cape Hatteras c. late 70s (L-R) Joe Grotola, Joe Mike Mokary, Bob Scarborough, Eddie Lex & Lisa Roselli Alethia Miller’s children & grandchildren (L-R) Matthew, Nicole, Tahir, Tara, Khelin and Justin (cap backwards). The children from left to right - Preston, Kennedy and Kai.
Lisa, with camera on tripod and timer Wildwood local Alethia Miller by Sportland Pier back in the day
If you dig our old photos, then dig out yours, and send to The Sun! Snailmail: The SUN P.O. Box 2101, Wildwood, NJ 08260 Email: thesunbythesea@gmail.com
18 “The more you love, the more love you have to give. It’s the only feeling we have which is infinite...” ~Christina Westover
10th Annual
ROCK the DOCK at
5 MILES of Smiles! Come out and “Rock the Dock”
Donations top
$1,000,000. 2006 - 2020
West Wildwood residents John & Mary Ann Sharkey
Urie’s
Waterfront Restaurant
Saturday, August 15th, 2020
Lucky winner Anna McCafferty
12noon - 4pm
Package includes 4 hours of ballpark food
and domestic beer, wine & soda
• Raffles, Prizes & Give Aways • Live Music by Second Vision Family-Friendly
Wildwood Locals Myriam & Chuck Ramirez
$25 in advance
$30
Special Guest
JOE CONKLIN The Man of a Thousand Voices, Philadelphia Sports Radio Personality
Partnering with Coaches vs. Cancer
at the door FREE ADMISSION FOR Kids 12 and Under
Tammy Miller from Collings Lakes, NJ
The Cathy Miller Cancer Fund was formed in 2006 with a mission to “Help Another Person” in their battle against cancer. To fulfill that mission, the Cathy Miller Cancer Fund selected the AstraZeneca HOPE Lodge as its charity of choice. Located in Cheltenham, Pa., the HOPE Lodge provides free lodging to cancer patients from all over the world, while they are being treated at any of the cancer hospitals in Philadelphia. Not only does the HOPE Lodge relieve the financial burden of travel for its cancer patients, it provides access to the most advanced cancer treatments, administered by world renowned oncologists. With free lodging, advanced treatments, world renowned oncologists, the HOPE Lodge perfectly matches the Cathy Miller Cancer Fund’s profile for “Care, Comfort and Support” in our fundraising efforts. More information or questions, contact the Cathy Miller Cancer Fund at cathymillercancerfund.org or on Facebook; email: cmcfcares@gmail.com
All Proceeds benefit The AstraZeneca HOPE Lodge, Cheltenham, Pa.
cathymillercancerfund.org • uries.net 588 W. Rio Grande Ave. Wildwood • 609-522-4189 For more info Jean Diamond 609-320-4572 tisherselfjd@verizon.net Jeanine.Grafe@moreyspiers.com or 609.729.3700 ext.1101 Trisha Miller pmcosmos@aol.com 609-970-2128
Barbie the Bartender had some help ‘rocking the dock’
Happy Summer 2020
19
“... I will deliver you from slavery, I will redeem you with an outstretched arm... I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God...”
d Freedom’s Sweet Song: d New Museum Sheds Light on Local History
eTo God be the Glory! e
~Exodus 6:6-7
by Rachel Rogish
I
n the heart of Cape May, the usual calm of winter quivers with anticipation. Construction, in full force, hammers and saws through the final acts of winter, looking on to the June 19th grand opening of the Harriet Tubman Museum. The museum, housed in a historic building, stands adjacent to the Macedonian Baptist Church on Lafayette Street. In a city that thrives on tourism, the museum will help shed light on the struggle for freedom on a local level. On a raw January day, freelance journalist Barbara Dreyfuss and local artist Syndei Smith-Jordan gave an outside tour of the site, explaining its significance. Slavery ran a primary cog in America’s economy in Tubman’s day. Though banned in most northern states, the antebellum South still functioned on the forced labor of Africans. Cotton was king. For many slaves, they were the second or third generation born on American soil. However, the New Jersey Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery helped with the passage of the 1804 act that called for the gradual abolition of slavery. By 1820, 12,460 black New Jerseyans were free. Yet the Federal government remained at odds with the South (as a cultural whole) until the advent of war of 1861. The conflict known as the Civil War torn not only the nation apart but also families and churches; slavery affected everyone, whether they acknowledged it or not. Cape May was already famous as a seaside resort and drew Abolitionists from Philadelphia. While many came for clean air and respite from the heat, some came to propel the cause of freedom – and the new museum highlights this pivotal time. Cape May native Zach Mullock manages the project. He and his family continue to pour time and energy into the museum. In a November 2019 interview with ABC News, Mullock said he hopes to preserve “a major part of history that has disappeared.” Nearly $160,000 of the $500,000 needed for the exhibit has been raised by the local community.
“The (Macedonian Baptist) church is very excited,” Dreyfuss said. She explained how the house once served as a local post office. White cedar from a South Jersey sawmill is being used in construction – the exact same wood used over three hundred years ago. The house dates approximately from the 1820s. Harriet Tubman museums exist in other places along the Eastern Shore, but Underground Railroad artifacts will set the Cape May location apart. Dreyfuss said the collection comes from the late Rev. Robert Davis, the longtime pastor of Macedonia Baptist. Davis believed in passing on African culture to the next generation. Few know or appreciate the cultural riches of African civilization and it ignited a flame in Davis’ soul. A twist in Davis’ story reveals that his grandmother was a slave . . . and his great-grandfather the slave owner. This was more than a love of history – it was personal. The museum will occupy the first floor level and part of the second floor. SmithJordan’s artwork will also occupy a place of honor in the exhibit. “Harriet Tubman is my hero,” SmithJordan said. “Without her, I wouldn’t be free. And she was female. She’s my hero period.” Through the bogs and marshes of South Jersey, runaway slaves came through the area on their way north through the Underground Railroad. Coming by boat, they were ferried from Delaware, often hounded by bounty hunters who then had the “legal” right to recapture them. Tubman, who escaped from slavery in 1849, helped her people navigate the diverse network of safe houses and routes along the Eastern Shore. She served as a cook in Cape May in 1850-1852 to help fund her work. June 19, also known as “Juneteenth” was the target opening date, commemorating an official end of slavery in the United States. Yet many still struggle for freedom, making Tubman’s life a beacon of hope in the 21st century.
Local artist and member of the Artists Guild of the Cape, Sydnei SmithJordan’s powerful portraits will grace the walls of the new Harriet Tubman Museum in her honor. Born Araminta Ross c. March 1822 died March 10, 1913 also known as, Moses Occupation: Civil War Scout, Spy, Nurse, Abolitionist, Suffragette, Civil Rights Activist
20 “Peace is when time doesn’t matter as it passes by. “ ~ Maria Shell
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oehler Floor Covering Contracto For All Your Flooring Needs!
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You may have seen this happy couple around town, liking a concert at the Lou Booth Ampitheater on 2nd Ave., enjoying a meal at the Vegas Diner, riding the Tramcar on Wildwood’s Boardwalk or savoring an ice cream sundae at Hassles Ice Cream Parlor. This sweet couple was Henry “Hank” Rozborski and his wife of 67 years Natalie Rozborski, or as we called them, Pop and Nanny. Pop was a hardworking, World War II Veteran, who worked two jobs to support his wife and six daughters, the youngest, Susan, born with Downs Syndrome. Despite not having much money, Pop and Nanny made it a tradition to visit the Wildwoods every summer, a tradition that has been celebrated annually by their daughters, their husbands, ten grandchildren, their spouses, and recently by their great grandson. When Pop and Nanny came to Wildwood, it gave new meaning to the FiveMile Island. They were content sitting for hours on the Boardwalk, taking in the sights, sounds, and people. They enjoyed long walks on the Boardwalk shopping for fudge and would return with new Wildwood sweatshirts or hats that they didn’t need but were “on sale.” The family would laugh as they filled their car for their two-week vacation with enough food and supplies to last
months. Somehow, their condo always became headquarters for their lively family. Together, they had an incredible ability to make total strangers feel like long lost friends, and they always left you feeling like you’d witnessed a little bit of God’s grace. Sadly, in May 2018, our angel Nanny passed away, surrounded by her loving daughters. In April 2019, less than a year later, our beloved Pop reunited with his soulmate in heaven. Our family would tell you that evening there was an incredible sunset, as the two of them celebrated their beautiful, well-lived life together. This is our family’s tribute to our beloved Pop and Nanny, who we thank for giving us the gift of happy summer memories at the Jersey Shore and for teaching us the importance of family, kindness, generosity, and enjoying the simple pleasures in life, like feeding the seagulls, writing postcards and taking the time to just be with family. Thank you, Pop and Nanny, for a lifetime of love, laughter, and happy summer memories. The beach and boards will never be the same without you. Forever in our hearts, Your loving daughters, sons-in law, grandchildren, and great grand-son
Happy Summer 2020
21
“How to have a beach body: 1. Have a body 2. Go to the beach.” :-)
Haircuts for the Entire Family!
Open Wednesday thru Saturday Josephine & Gina
Walk-i ns Welc ome Like us at ‘His and Hairs Salon’
New Jersey & Chestnut Aves. North Wildwood
(609) 729-HA I R (4247)
Boogie Down Saturday Nights The Sperlak Gallery
Back-in-the-Day Dance Party
Live from Wildwood by-the-Sea 7pm-midnight
FINE ART & SCULPTURE GARDEN
on www.mybnr.com and on OCNJRadio.com
A new gallery featuring the art of Stan Sperlak, as well as selected historical and regional artists. Tour the 37 acre environmental and found objects sculptures. Open Saturdays 10-4 and by Appointment • 609-463-4805 521 Route 47 North, Goshen, NJ • 15 minutes from the Wildwoods
with your host D.J. JAMMIN JACK CHRISTY
Spinning 60s-70s-80s Dance Music For more info call Jack @ 609-408-5919 or go to BoogieDownSaturdayNight.com sponsored by Cape May Whale Watcher
22 “The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.” ~Duke Kahanamoku
BAGELS AND SPREADS • FRESH PASTRIES • SANDWICHES • SALADS FAIR TRADE COFFEE • ESPRESSO DRINKS • JUICES AND SMOOTHIES RISE & SHINE! Open 7am
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Serendipity at DeSatnick Real Estate in North Wildwood “There’s an analog for this life, where the succession of events, spread across years, and come together to reveal the path forward. It goes by a nicer name though, serendipity.” ~ Robert Lang
620 NEW JERSEY AVE. • NORTH WILDWOOD, NJ • 609.600.3613 2 Locations! Under Same Ownership
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One of our favorite things about The Sun is the serendipity that our seaside town inspires and the privilege we have of sharing such stories. Some call it six degrees of separation, the idea that all people are six, or fewer, social connections away from each other. In a small town such as ours, those heartfelt connections make life by the sea even sweeter. And so it goes with the story of a group of ambitious young realtors, one in particular being Kevin Quinn, who has dreamt of expanding DeSatnick Real Estate into North Wildwood, where he was born and raised. His license has hung in Todd DeSatnick’s Cape May office because Kevin has truly believed in his philosophy of business, but the majority of Kevin’s real estate transactions have been in his hometown. Serendipitously, when Kevin & Carli Quinn and Jimmy Catanoso scouted the corner property for DeSatnick’s new realty office, they “just so happened” to come across a property interwoven with connections and divine signs that the former Lamb Book Store at 9th & New Jersey Aves. in North Wildwood was meant to be. Serendipity entered through the friendliest of doors, ushering in Kevin Quinn, NDDLM Parish Administrator and DeSatnick agent, who shares a mutual
connection with Joe Olwell, a longtime prominent faithful servant of the parish. Olwell owned and operated the island’s only religious store, The Lamb Book Store, in this particular building from 1984 to 2010. Fate also made an appearance for Carli & Jimmy (Catanoso), who just so happen to share a connection with Joe’s brother Ed Olwell, who’s had a longtime working relationship with their family at Steel Pier. And then there’s Todd, who’s only connection to Wildwood, other than his team members, is that he made his Bar Mitzpha at Beth Judah Temple on Pacific Ave. Todd, perhaps, had the sweetest serendipitous moment, though, when he walked through the building and spotted a large plastic lamb sitting in a corner. It was as if he received a blessing from his late, beloved grandmother, who he fondly called “Baa,” a name born out of her love for reading him storybooks as a young boy, in particular Baa Baa Black Sheep. With destiny kindly directing their steps, they all felt a welcoming spirit the minute they walked through the door... a spirit they work hard to bring to each of their real estate clients. From all of us at The Sun and the entire Five Mile Wildwood Island, we wish the DeSatnick team a warm welcome, with endless, serendipitous moments to come!
Happy Summer 2020
Happy Sunny 2020!
“Every hour spent bybythe “Every hour spent thesea seaisishappy happyhour.” hour!”
Experience the deSatnick Difference! Seeking Sales and Rental Listings on the island of the Wildwoods Kevin M. Quinn Salesperson
James Catanoso Salesperson
Carli Quinn Salesperson
901 New Jersey Ave, North Wildwood, NJ 08260 Office: 609.551.4066 Fax: 609.551.2480
Zachary J. Ruffo Salesperson
Heather Delmonte Salesperson
Todd H. deSatnick Broker Owner
Ashley S. Peoples Managing Broker
Justine Kelly Griffin Salesperson
Jason Ruffenach Salesperson
Scott “Bick” Murphy Salesperson
Richard Parker Salesperson
Nikki Smith Salesperson
23
24 “Hold on to the Happy and throw the rest away... that is the key...”
The Thunderbird! The Good Life!
Velma & Tony Suppa
“It was like a little world of its own, a restaurant, nightclub, tiki bar and pool. “
Beautiful Velma was born at her family’s
home in North Wildwood in 1928, delivered by Dr. Tomlin at 426 E. 26th Ave. Although the house still stands (near Sam’s Pizza/Shore Plaza), a fire resulted in her family moving when she was 7 years old. Her parents, Theopholis “Arthur” and Velma Dare purchased the large stately brick home on the SE corner of Poplar & Pacific Aves. in Wildwood, a home that “little Velma” never left. She fondly remembers the coal being delivered down a shoot into the cellar until the train discontinued service during WWII. She recalls a boiler heating system installed that still works like a gem and radiators that keep the home so cozy warm through the cold seashore winters. Velma’s life was soon to change following graduation from Wildwood High in 1946 when she met Tony Suppa, her true love and Wildwood boy, at Jones Boys where he worked as a bartender and where Velma loved going with her friends to dance. Summer ended but happily their love was just beginning. They both headed off to college, Velma to Briar Cliff Manor for Woman and Tony to Duke University. Velma remembers weekends spent traveling to Duke to attend Frat parties. Through their college years, Velma’s father, Arthur was busy building shops on the first floor of his home which included a barber shop to rent and a realty office for Velma for when she finished college. Velma was clearly the apple of his eye.
Velma Dare Wildwood High 1946
Above: The late Tom Fallis, Velma’s bartender at the poolside Tiki Bar, “who would and could do whatever you needed him to do.”
Thunderbird Lounge piano player, John Primerano with Velma & Tony Suppa in 1974, the first of 5 consecutive happy summers of him appearing there.
Tony & Velma & children
Velma holds a favorite photo of “the Thunderbird help,” who she says were more like her & Tony’s family. Here they are with Ron Schmidt, gen. manager, Sandy Schmidt, front desk, John & Joyce Couts, bartenders, Roger & Pat Belly, CPA & bookkeeper. Also, not pictured were Bobby Moran bartender for 27years.
The couple were married following their graduation in 1950. Velma remembers how happy life was. Her father wanted to buy the newlyweds a house, but she and Tony decided to live with her parents in their house. Sadly, Arthur suffered a fatal heart attack soon after, leaving Velma and Tony to support her mother and eventually raise their two children, Cindy & Pamela, in their Wildwood home. In 1969, they met Skip Jastrambaski, who built themed motels on the island, and they purchased the Thunderbird from him. A new chapter in their Wildwood story began, containing 36 fun years for the happy couple. As with any good story, they met the most wonderful people and hosted many movie stars and entertainers. As is well known, Wildwood was dubbed the “Little Las Vegas” back in the day. Tony & Velma grew a strong business at the Thunderbird Motel & Restaurant and Lounge, which had the best pool and Tiki Bar opened to the public in the summertime. The lounge became Rumors Nightclub after renovations in the 80s. Velma credits her loyal, longtime help, who were more like family, for their success. The Suppa’s loved to take cruises and travel, and no matter where they went, it always amazed them how many people they met who knew of Wildwood and the Thunderbird. They were approached by developers during the building boom in the early 2000s, and since the property was in more need of maintenance than they could handle, they decided to sell. Although the Thunderbird could never be replaced, they were glad the new Thunderbird Condo complex had a nice, attractive look. Velma as well as anyone who ever spent time at this happening block between 23rd & 24th Streets near the beach and boardwalk can attest to a lifetime of memories forever residing there. Velma & Tony, however, were still not ready to retire and were soon on to their next Wildwood adventure when they decided to purchase the Anglesea Pub from Chuck Burns. Luckily, “Irish Sean McMullan,” the pub’s manager since 1991, came with the deal and became like a son to the Suppa’s. Ghandi once said, “Where there is love, there is life,” and the Suppa’s, through their 67 years together, remained very much in love up until Tony passed away on August 31, 2017, leaving behind an irreplaceable spot in Velma’s heart and Wildwood’s history. With her love and memories intact, Velma smiled and said, “Those were the happiest days of my life!”
Have Fun in the Sun!
25
“Sky above. Sand below. Peace within.”
Poet ry by t he Sea WILDWOOD BY-THE-SEA, N.J.
Stand Up Paddle Board Rentals
Free Delivery and Pick up One hour $30 24 hours $70 3 days $150 7 days $240 Hourly Rentals by appointment only
~The Beacon, Margaret Mace School ‘37
Count Blessings If I could count my blessings there would be a few First I’m thankful for me But mostly I’m thankful for You! And all the other things you made but especially the Sea. I think it was fun for you creating all the things I see all the different flowers And the multitude of trees. I really love how you sprinkle them with buds Then suddenly burst into leaves. When fall arrives you exquisitely paint them with brilliant colors for all of us to see Thanks for all the beautiful birds that fly in the air To the finest creatures almost impossible to see On this earth giant bull elephants lead their herds and tiny calf ’s are born the king of the jungle roars and the bald eagle soars. From the depths of the sea a whale breaches and nearby dolphins jump the waves before they break into the beach. The seashells on the beach are intricately designed with different colors and sizes too. However the best blessing is You created all these things For us to share with You
~Ann Stiles
My Yin Your raven hair surrounds you on the edge of night, ensnaring every man who comes into sight!
*we also rent kayaks
www.supguynj.com 609-435-4129
Your smile sparks desire hotter than the sun. I hear your lurid laughter at midnight having fun! Your crescent eyes, on the water, wane driving your lovers half insane. You hide all day behind the clouds longing to dance and sing out loud. But across the sea lies your mystery and only a storm will set you free. Stardust, your wanderlust, makes it hard to hold you down. You’re heaven’s ghostly shadow wearing a constellation gown.
Create tradition. Build your family legacy.
Like a beacon you burn bright shining for all to see. If you believe in fate, he might return to set you free. ©️ Regina Madden 2020
“My Fairy Sea”
“I know a deep and boundless sea That takes three fairy days to reach; And if you’ll go along with me, We’ll play forever on the beach....”
Nick Giuffre
Realtor® — nick.giuffre@compass.com M 609.224.3837 O 856.214.2639 Nicholas Giuffre is a Real Estate Salesperson affiliated with Compass RE. Compass RE is a licensed real estate broker and abides by equal housing opportunities laws. COMPASS RE 129 Chester Ave, Moorestown, NJ 08057
26 “Every now and then, when the world sits just right, a gentle breath of heaven fills my soul with delight...” ~Hazelmarie ‘Mattie’ Elliott,
I Met My True Love in Grassy Sound
The Story of Jim & Sue Walter by Dorothy Kulisek
Baby Jimmie, Grassy Sound 1943
Charles Walter first brought his family to Grassy Sound in the 1940s, the same place his father brought him as a young boy. Charles’ son Jim remembers stories of his grandfather coming by train from North Phila. in the 1890s and the conductor would slow down just enough for the fishermen to jump off. Charles and Ida Walter rented a cottage for years on the northeast side of the channel, now home of Grassy Sound Marina. During the summer of 1952, Charles came upon a cottage with a boat house for sale on the southwest side of the Sound for $2200. Back in the day, a handshake deal wasn’t uncommon, so he approached the owner saying, “I have no money to put down right now, but I’ll pay you in a week.” Charles was able to get back half the rental cost from his landlord to put towards his new cottage, a lovely structure built on pilings and made to withstand the stormy seas, with diamond-shaped asbestos tiles, which were all the rage back then. A row of diamonds at the top were painted a darker shade, giving it even more character, a feature that still remains exactly the same on the house today, 60 years later. Fast forward to the summer of 1958, when 15 year old Jim Walter would meet his true love at Grassy Sound. His brother saw her first and told Jim “he should check out the pretty blonde” up the way. Upon his brother’s prompting, Jim walked up the dock to meet her. He remembers it like it was yesterday, meeting Sue Buchanan by the drawbridge where there was a little bulkhead underneath where the kids liked to hang out, and, as fate dictated, “it was love at first sight.” Contributing to their destiny, Sue’s family rented Jackson’s Apts., which was a few cottages away from the Walter’s home. Jim fondly recalls a long boardwalk winding its way through Grassy Sound, which he and Sue would walk to work on every day for the next couple of summers. The path led from Len Atkins Boat Rentals (now Grassy Sound Marina) to Dad’s Place Boat Rentals & Cafe, where Jim was a bait boy and Sue was a waitress. Following the summer, Sue and Jim corresponded through letter writing. To this day, Jim has a special box full of love letters that he cherishes more with each passing day, tangible proof of the love he and Sue shared. They were married soon after graduating high school and shared a beautiful life together raising their family, spending summers at their shore house in Stone Harbor and the rest of the year at their home in Medford. They’ve been together for 62 years, but alas not without life’s heartbreaking trials. Around 2003, Sue began showing signs that their life was about to be irrevocably changed with an early onset
Charles Walter bought this cottage “As is” for $2200. in 1952. The docks had been damaged by “the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944” By the summer of 1955 he’d built an enclosed porch and new docks
“Walter Cottage”
Jim Walter and his “Grassy Sound Navy,” 1956
Jim Walter’s father & grandfather on a skiff, 1940s
Happy Summer 2020
27 “God is good.” ~psalm 86:5
I Met My True Love in Grassy Sound
The Story of Jim & Sue Walter Jim visited his old family home in Oct. 2019
ckson’s One of the m Sue’s family rental, Ja Sue sent to Jiamny love letters from y Apts. still stands toda at Grassy Soun d
Jim & his brotherinlaw Stan working on a dock
9 year old Jim Walter with a flounder, 1952
of Alzheimer’s. With an undying love, Jim continues to care for his wife with the only hope he knows, that one day she’ll be fully restored in heaven, and the love that began under the Grassy Sound bridge one summer day will never die. Somewhat of a testament to their enduring love, both of the cottages their family’s stayed in back then still stand today, holding the memories of a love story that was just beginning. Thanks in part to their love letters, albums of treasured photos and digitized films from his father’s Sears 8mm brownie camera (which Jim still has), their blissful days spent by the sea still exist and keep Jim smiling over those cherished memories, allowing him to hold those moments in time in his own hands. The sights and smells found in Grassy Sound, along with its natural beauty, all speak fondly of the sweet stories created only by the sea. Life was recorded on those waters right in front of their cottage, a lifetime of happiness was captured, witnessing both a boat fire and a bridge fire to add a bit of drama to their tale, all a priceless part of life at the shore. Time, however, passed, then came the day when everything at Grassy Sound changed. It was the late 1980s, and Jim’s father Charles was made an offer for a buyout or a three-year rental lease on the cottage. At that point, he had marked his calendar “the end” but sadly passed away before that devastating date came to pass. The bridge was not finished at the time of his passing which exceeded the 3 year rental agreement, but he never got back to his little heaven on earth. Life isn’t always fair, but because of God’s faithfulness, we endure. His mercies are new every day, with a love that humbly began long ago by the sea, quietly enduring through it all.
Ann Walter at Len’s (Grassy Sound Marina)
Jim & Sue on their honeymoon, 1963 SEND IN YOUR WILDWOOD LOVE STORY! THE SUN P.O. BOX 2101, WILDWOOD, NJ 08260 e: thesunbythesea@gmail.com
(L) Sue, Ida & Jim Walter and family celebrating Charles birthday at the cottage
Young Jim with Uncle Bill & Aunt Ann Walter, 1952
28
Vintage Grassy Sound
“There are times when we sit still and listen, and breezes from a whole other world begin to whisper.” ~James Carroll
Here at the SUN (where Throwback Thursday and Flashback Friday are dear friends), we proudly honor those tattered photographs of times gone by. We love to be thrown back to the days when life was simple and carefree, beautifully captured in black and white! It’s been our privilege to play a part in keeping the memories alive. These vintage photographs were sent in from Tom Snow, who is full of stories. You may recall one published in the summer of 2018 issue about his family living above Al’s Sea ‘n Surf Tackle Shop and Texaco Station
by Moore’s, which they purchased from the Chadwick’s. Tom fondly recalls his sister, who loved Grassy Sound, buying a home in the early 80’s, “up the walk” (towards the road now Old Route 147) from a man named Scotty Showalter who was the bridge tender on the old draw bridge before retiring in the 70’s. She lived there year-round, despite the brutal winters on the water. When she retired, she gave the house to her daughter, Stacy. One day, she had a visit from a family saying their grandfather had stayed in Grassy Sound as a boy and re-
Happy Summer 2020
Vintage Grassy Sound
“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” ~ Photojournalist Dorothea Lange
galed the family with fond memories. They discovered his photo album, scanned it and came to find who currently owned the home as a way of learning more about their family history. They, like so many of yesterday and today, loved this little place known as Grassy Sound, an oasis nestled by the sea, filled with stories and folklore. Rudyard Kipling expressed so well how we feel here at The Sun... “If history were taught in the form of stories and photos, it would never be forgotten.”
29
30 “There was a magic about the sea. People were drawn to it... people wanted to love by it... swim in it... play in it... look at it...”
Aunt Eva Gave Up a Spaghetti Dinner for an Empty Lot at 8th & Ocean
The Lista’s beautiful seashore bungalow
Builder Luigi Casanova laying the foundation in June 1951
Although she never had her own children, Eva’s brother Rudy and his wife Louise, happily married for 70 years, have eight children who’ve been her family... pictured here back in the day and more recently in the Fall of 2019. Sadly Eva Lista passed away May 12, 2020.
Lshores ike many Philadelphia Italian immigrants, Luigi & Michelina Lista found the sandy of Wildwood to vie close in beauty to the shores of Italy, making it their summer
Settlement Day for the Lista’s
Michelina & Eva in the front yard
Eva sunning in the front yard
vacation destination. For years they brought their children Eva & Rudy here, staying at various apartment houses until they found a place to call their own. Luigi was a swimmer and needed to be close to the sea. He dreamed of buying a plot of land to build his family home. In 1950, he and his daughter Eva, who was in her mid20s, were heading to the grocery store when they fortuitously passed an empty lot for sale located at 8th & Ocean. They approached the realtor about wanting the property and secured it with a down payment of $2.50 with the promise of returning the next day with a $25 check and in so doing, secured her family’s home by the sea. That moment also foretold a bit of Eva’s future as a conscientious realtor, helping other people make their dreams a reality. Seventy years later, at 95 years old, Eva fondly reminisces about how she gave up a spaghetti dinner for a lifetime of seashore memories and enough stories to write a book! Despite the passage of time, Eva still lights up at the mention of her and her little brother playing on the beach and her need to keep a watchful eye on him as he tended to drift away, happily lost in his own little seaside world. Sadly, Michelina died suddenly in 1955. Luigi retired from his city job in 1960, desiring to be at the shore year round after losing his wife. Eva, who never married, retired from her job at Sears in 1963 to live with her father. She got a job at the Schellenger Ave Information Center on the Boardwalk before meeting Larry Fenza, who owned a real estate company. She went to work for him before eventually buying the business, located by Sunset Lake, and renaming it Eva C. Lista Realtors. Ever the industrious Wildwood worker, her real estate experience also included a stint at longtime Hoffman Realty. Although she never had her own children, her brother Rudy and his wife Louise, happily married for 70 years, have eight children who have been her family. (pictured above) As is their summer tradition, they’ve loved staying with their Aunt Eva at the shore house that she, along with their grandparents, made their dream come true. Eva recalls her mother commenting how dark it was at 8th & Ocean Aves. back in the 1950s, when there were just a few cottages scattered on a mostly empty shoreline. She is amazed at the comparisons in between now and then, recalling a later time when the neighborhood was lit up with neon signs at every corner motel. Now condos and gigantic new homes have replaced those long-gone motels. If her mother could see it now! Although the scenery has been somewhat altered, a lifetime of sweet Wildwood memories remain intact, ever present in their story-filled home by the sea…
Luigi & Michelina
Eva
Rudy
Rudy & Louise
Luigi & Michelina’ Lista Looking east at 8th & Ocean towards the high dunes and beachfront
Michelina at her clothesline Looking southeast at 9th & Ocean where the brown cedar shake house still stands
Michelina Lista at 8th St. beach that was steps from her front door back in the early 1950s. Sadly she would only have a few years there before she passed away suddenly in 1955.
31
Have Fun in the Sun!
“Treat your family like guests. Treat your guests like family.” ~Anon.
w
A
t. Beach Bung S h t 8 s ’ a v E a t lo n Since 1950 u
p o o B m a ar h S
Walkin WELC s OME
let’s cut the covid!
COME AND GET YOUR SUMMER HAIR ON! 102 W. Spruce Ave. (Behind Flip Flops) North Wildwood • 609-522-8585
609-522-7786
S B N IKE E E S GR Est. 1963
Eva proudly poses at her beautiful Lista’s Cottage. {Looking north towards 7th & Ocean} Rest in Peace on the shores of eternity Eva... who passed away at 95, on May 12, 2020
Bathing beauties Eva Lista & Louise Lorenski
Second & third generations of Lista’s enjoying 8th St. beach
Eva Lista & Louise Lorenski at the Flying Dutchman Motel located across the street from Eva’s house. They continue to be best friends into their 90s!
Bathing beauty Eva Lista in her happiest place on earth, Wildwood by-the-Sea
FREE PARKING for BIKE RIDERS
OPEN 7AM
RENTALS • SALES • SERVICE BICYCLES • TANDEMS • SURREYS
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32 “Cooking with love provides food for the soul.”
by Michael Bautista his Anglesea home. He wasn’t the only one working there from his family though. His mother Martha (Carlson) Harkins was among one of the 25 waitresses hired to work at Zaberer’s when the doors first opened on May 29, 1955. “Mr. Zaberer was classmates with my mother at Wildwood High. One day he visited her and asked if she wanted to come aboard as one of his waitresses,” said Harkins. On opening day the establishment saw 13 diners, but as time went on, approximately 1,100 diners were seen on a busy summer night. For its 35 year history, there were lines wrapped around the block on any given night. For anyone who was fortunate to have dined at Zaberville, passing by that lot, now a fully developed complex of large houses, is a harsh reminder of what once was. Guests will never forget being welcomed by those famous stained glass Tiffany lamps that would flicker overhead, or the mouthwatering prime rib that dangled over their plates. While the restaurant no longer exists, many people fondly recall the famous landmark and the story of a penniless Wildwood boy’s hustle towards success as a businessman. Ed Zaberer, with his astute skills and gorgeous wife Anye, left behind a collection of priceless memories over this small town island.
{Photos Courtesy of John Harkins and the Wildwood Historic Museum}
Taken on a Saturday afternoon in July 1957. John invested in bringing this treasured tattered and torn photo back to life. It is autographed by many on the back including Ed Zaberer himself.
Wildwood Historic Museum
175 firefighters rushed to the withering building by the bay in North Wildwood. The inferno was discovered on June 10, 1992 around 4 a.m. by a police officer patrolling the Anglesea area. By the time first responders arrived on the scene it was too late. Only a few fire-blackened walls stood where Zaberer’s once was. To this day, how the blaze ensued remains a mystery. This establishment was not your average family restaurant. Locals don’t just remember Zaberer’s for the delicious and affordable homestyle family meals, but also for the spellbinding atmosphere Ed created. Upon stepping inside one would be amazed by the expansive building of maplewood beams and high ceilings. After Zaberer’s brother Charlie Zaberer was stationed in the alpines of Germany, he’d brought back an idea to replicate the establishment after an old German inn he’d visited often during WWII. It became known as Zaberville, home of the Zaberized cocktail, $5.95 earlybird dinners, and enough kitschy decorations, such as the barber shop chair and carousel animals to spin your head around while you waited to be seated for dinner. Zaberer was brilliant at marketing and had many slogans, apart from the term “Zaberized” one of his favorites was “Ed Zaberer loves kids and the kids love Ed Zaberer.” He knew how to cater to families. Almost everybody on the island worked at Zaberer’s during its heyday from the mid 50’s to mid 80s. John W. Harkins, 78-year-old, former Deputy Firefighter Chief of North Wildwood recounts a time when he worked at the restaurant throughout his high school years. It was within walking distance from
Eldorado Cafe - Ed Zaberer’s - Sunset Bay Rest., Ice Cream & Mini Golf - Coconut cove - Housing Development
Matchbook of famous Have you ever been Tiffany Lamp logo “Zaberized”?
Located on Spruce Avenue in North Wildwood, The Eldorado was purchased by Ed Zaberer and first opened on May 29, 1955, when 13 dinners were served. It evolved into 8 dining rooms, 4 lounges and bars, serving over 4000 dinners on a busy summer weekend. It was sold in the late 80s and burned down in 1992. ~Wildwood Historic Museum
33
Have Fun in the Sun!
“ Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind. “– John Milton
E D Z A BE R E R ’ S World Famous Anglesea Inn
Dockside Dining & Take Out Fish House Clam Bake • Seafood by the Pound Sandwiches • Soups • Salads Broiled & Fried Combo Platters Coconut Shrimp • Clam Strips • Sea Scallops Ahi Tuna • Calamari • Mussels Little Neck Clams • Soft Shell Crabs Backfin Crab Scampi • Lobster Tails • Fish Tacos Salmon • Flounder • and more
Ed & Ayne made sure that everything met their expectations with the highest quality
at Starlight Fleet Dock 6200 Park Blvd. • Wildwood Crest, NJ
Waitress uniforms were very particular to Ayne & Ed. If you’ve ever worked for them, you will remember!
This photo taken of the original “B” line, a small room with it’s own integral bar, the original portion of the Hotel Eldorado Bar & Nightclub, which became the famous storied Ed Zaberer’s. The front entrance door once led directly into this room. Later construction isolated the “B” (bar line of tables) farther back into the growing restaurant. (photo John Harkins)
Corner of Park Blvd. & Sweet Briar Rd.
www.fishhousemarket.com 609.522.8329
Both long time Anglesea guys, Kurt Merkling (L) and John Harkins Sr.(R) both busboys at Zaberer’s Anglesea Inn during their high school years when Zaberer’s was open 12 months of year. They were there during all construction phases of that famous restaurant and have a lifetime of memories. They are also both in the July 1957 photo pictured here.
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OWNED & OPERATED BY THE RULLO FAMILY SINCE 2009
Al Alven at Zaberer’s in 1980, where his love of the Wildwoods all began.
Al Brannen, VP of the Wildwood Historic Museum stands next to the Zaberers clock, showing its actual size
An eclectic eatery at 25th and New Jersey in always sunny North Wildwood
ShoobiesGoodEats.com (609)522-7466 (Shoo)
34 “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” ~ Henry D. Thoreau
The Love Nest
Aunt Ann & Uncle Eddie happily enjoying their honeymoon at the Love Nest
T ypical of beach cottage stories, its ownership gets passed from generation to generation, and sometimes between in-laws. Although the Love Nest was technically in Chris’ family for 100 years, it was in his immediate family from 1968 until January 2020. The original owners were the Cannon family, which included his Aunt Jean on his mother’s side, who inherited the cottage from her parents, Edna & Bill Cannon, who inherited it from their parents, Alfred & Adele Cannon. It was aptly named “Love Nest” due to all of the ‘courting’ that went on there:-) Chris’ passion and memory for old Anglesea and its businesses and landmarks is uncanny. He remembers when there was a beach behind the cottage, known as Beach Creek, where his grandfather once docked his party charter boat and as a young boy, Chris would love to swim. He recalls the Nellie Bly ferry boat being beached in the marshes behind his cottage for the longest time in the 70s and Capt. Cramer skillfully navigating his charter boat through Hereford inlet before it was dredged and loaded with sandbars. He also remembers names of past neighbors like Libby Halfpenny, who would’ve been about 120 years old today, as well as all the clubs and their former names in the bar district like Wally’s Cafe, Cozy Morley’s Club Avalon, The Red Garter, Marty Bohn’s Nut Club, Joe Ellis’s Supper Club, Mary Marlowe’s and Pete & Marge’s and Sylvia’s... Sadly, some beach cottage stories must come to an end, as was the case with the Love Nest, whose final chapter concluded when it was sold in January 2020. Happily, its long, memorable history will live up to its name “Love Nest” and last forever... a little bayside bungalow filled with love... always overflowing with family.
Chris Unger removes the most significant part of the cottage before closing on the cottage.... the Love Nest sign
Sweet Summer Memories
with the Unger family
35
Have Fun in the Sun!
“Don’t think twice, it’s all right. . .” ~ Bob Dylan T he L aw O ffice
Of
Seth A. Fuscellaro, P.A. Quality Workmanship & Design AWARD-WINNING LANDSCAPING Foundations • Block • Stone • Pavers Masonry • Concrete • Landscaping HOUSE RAISING
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Phone: 609.522.6633 Fax: 609.522.5030
Specializing in Divorce & Family Personal Injury Traffic Real Estate Wills, Estates & Trusts seth@fuscellarolaw.com
100 E. Rio Grande Ave. Wildwood, NJ 08260
hair
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specializing in COLOR. CUTS. WEDDING DESIGNS.
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6401 New Jersey Avenue • Wildwood Crest, NJ www.hairwildwoodcrest.com
HAIR is sure to Exceed Your Expectations.
Grab Some Homemade Goodness For Service with a Smile!
BOBBY McMICHAELS 609.522.7210 w w w.1 9 t h h o l e c o n s t r u c t i o n . c o m
Partners in Preservation Save ! the Date
“Preserving our history”
Historical Holiday Tour Dec. 12th Holiday Tour 6:00-9:00
Take a self guided tour of Historical places. B&Bs, Museum, Churches and homes. $10. Donation collected at first place visited.
Espresso • Coffee Homemade Baked Goods Quiche • Soup • & more Puppy Follow us on facebook & instagram Goodness for daily menu & seasonal specials 100 E. 24th Street • North Wildwood, NJ • 609-854-3042
Mike Leeper’s Tax Service Inc.
IRS Registered Tax Return Preparer
Wildwood, NJ 609-522-6392 Del Haven, NJ 609-602-8243 Cell: 804-894-0654 mjleepersr@comcast.net
Complete list of events at www.wildwoodnjhistory.com e-mail: partnersinpreservation@yahoo.com tel.: 609-214-2253
w w w. We L o o k C l o s e r. c o m
36 “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” ~Eckhart Tolle
5 MILES of Smiles! FRIENDS, I TOOK SO MANY MORE PHOTOS THAT HAVE TO WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR :-(
Whatever you’re looking for... You’ll find it at the North Wildwood Flea Market!
*At the time of print, it was uncertain as to whether or not the Flea Market would be postponed or not. Hope to see you there! Aug. 9, 2020
Nicole Pandolfo & Adele Bob, Mary Kate & Emmy of WW Deals
Fran & Peggy (Mansfield) McGovern
Chrissy, Jim, Hope, & Kathy
Barbara McGrath Toroni
Damon & Lisa Costantini
Dan & Arlene Boyle
The Blute’s, Maura, Barbara & Tim :-)
Gary & Dawn Rawly
Ellen & Sam Zangaro & Mary Plochke
Dave & Lana MacDonald & Carol & Mike Leeper
Kelleigh & Chopper
Carrie, Megan & Vince Mulray
Debbie & Anthony Idone
37
Have Fun in the Sun!
“Happiness isn’t something you experience; it’s something you remember.” ~Oscar Levant
5 MILES
of Smiles!
Thank you all for loving The Sun! xo Dorothy
Because of your Smile, you make life more beautiful.
SAVE THE DATE!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9TH
Hopefully I’ll see you at the Flea Market... if it’s not cancelled! Look for me around 7th St. ~Dorothy xo
Guy, Kelly & Meghan Harry & Janet Corcoran & Noelia
Sharon & her Succulents by-the-Sea
Dorothy & Diane Jeanne Marie :-) George & Judy Bakely They “Love love love The Sun”
John & Colleen
Emmie Vogelman
Steve & Diane Lubrano
Mary & Don Henderson
Karen Boehme & Eileen Vance
Kristen & Steve Griet Moe & Vicky, Flea Market Organizers with the City of North Wildwood
Thank You!
38 “Creative work needs solitude. It needs concentration, without interruptions.It needs the whole sky to fly in...” ~Mary Oliver
5 MILES of Smiles! FRIENDS, I TOOK SO MANY MORE PHOTOS THAT HAVE TO WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR :-(
Whatever you’re looking for... You’ll find it at the North Wildwood Flea Market!
*At the time of print, it was uncertain as to whether or not the Flea Market would be postponed or not. Hope to see you there! Aug. 9, 2020
Rita & Jean “LOVE The Sun” Quizzo Peg, Frassee & just Randy with “the Best Mop Ever!”
Lisa & Taylor Henry Pam & Mary with “the Best Knife Ever!”
Stephanie Romano & Donna Riccardelli
BFFs, Tracey & Kim
Steve, Richard,Walter & Marsha Giardina
Rita DeBruno & Joei
Tramcar Mary
Susan Greenspan & Joe Odorisio
Rex Garrison & Lena
Valerie, Danielle, & Debbie Raabe
Sissy from Little Flower Thinks The Sun “is the best thing in the Wildwoods!” Thank You!
39
Have Fun in the Sun!
“May the Long Time Sun shine upon you... Surround you and guide you...” ~an Irish blessing
Shop Online at Sunstore.bigcartel.com Handpainted Cards, Books . . . & a new Sun Calendar by Dorothy! Stop by my booth at the Downtown Wildwood Art, Wine & Music Festival at Byrne Plaza • Friday 6pm • July 17th & August 14 dorothy’s
Enjoy The Sun All Year Long!
TIMELESS
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” G E FLI HT
SUN
OF THE
Christmas in the Crest $15 per doz. Girl by the Sea PostCard $15 per doz. (5” square)
THE SUN BY-THE-SEA P.O.BOX 2101 WILDWOOD, NJ 08260 609.522.2721
Tree on Jetty $15 per doz.
Our Favorite Spot $15 per doz.
North Wildwood Christmas $15 per doz.
WWW.SUNBYTHESEA.COM THESUNBYTHESEA@GMAIL.COM
SUN CALENDAR $10. Readers will be delighted to flip through 12 months of quotes, poems, writings & clippings taken from The SUN, and all the vintage postcards, paintings and artwork that make up this inspired collage of all-thingsWildwood. Filling in your own days, makes this calendar “timeless”.
Boardwalk Christmas Tree $15 per doz. Christmas Mermaid $15 per doz. Everyday’s a Holiday! $15 per doz. Hereford Lighthouse Note Card $15 per doz. (5” square)
Wildwoods Sign $15 per doz. Wildwood Vacationland $15 per doz.
G
Dorothy McMonagle Kulisek, So You’ll Know, llc. ©
Chapel by the Sea $15 per doz.
UL
L
FOLLO
W
TH
ALL CARDS INCLUDE ENVELOPES
Hereford Lighthouse at Christmas $15 per doz.
Please write your order on a separate sheet Add S&H: $2.50 per item / $1.50 for each additional
HaNdmAdE
wiTh LoVe by Dorothy Kulisek
It’s Always Summer on the Inside Greeting Card $15 per doz.
40 “The memories bring back memories...”
MEMORIES OF UNCLE CHARLIE’S GRASSY SOUND SHACKS IN THE 60s & 70s
Thank you to Linda Crane for sharing these wonderful memories and treasured photographs. As anyone who has ever spent their summers in Wildwood can attest, the drive in on North Wildwood Blvd instantly creates a feeling of being home. Author Sandy Gingras words capture it well, “A day moves not from hour to hour but leaps from mood to moment. We go with the currents, plan around the tides, follow the sun. We measure happiness by nothing we can hold, nothing we can catch. Everywhere, life is jumping and elusive and momentously momentary.” Linda Crane fondly remembers that drive in on North Wildwood Blvd. on Friday nights and the feelings it would conjure up, when she would count telephone poles on the way to the shack because there were so many shacks and it was very dark out there. Like Linda, many readers taking that trip down memory lane will also remember the infamous Coppertone billboard that greeted travelers for years, letting them know they had finally arrived. Upon arriving, there were three shacks and an outhouse (just imagine the horrified looks that outhouse would instigate in kids during these modern times!) The main shack had just bunk beds for piling as many kids in as possible (one of the greatest memories of anyone who ever had the privilege of growing up in a little bungalow at the shore). Crammed in like sardines was the ultimate in family togetherness! Before heading to the beach for the day, Linda and her sisters liked to set down the Minnow traps, knowing when they came back they’d have fun throwing them up to feed the gulls. This was one of the many simple pleasures of life spent on the bay, when following the sun was the only GPS anyone ever needed and time briefly stood still, happily measured in priceless memories acquired, and a humble shack held an abundance of treasured, unforgettable moments now safely tucked away in Wildwood’s remarkable history…
Hold on to Summer! Remember the good ol’ dog days . . .
Love,
Tans fade, but memories last forever!
Happy Summer 2020
41
Rise and Shine! Every morning has a new beginning, a new blessing and a new hope!
Sunrise dorothy’s
adventures
by
D orothy K ulisek
“Every morning, arising from the death of sleep, the happy plants and all our fellow animal creatures great and small, and even the rocks, seem to be shouting, “Awake, awake, rejoice, rejoice, come love us and join in our song. Come! Come!” ~John Muir
It is a Monday morning in the middle of Spring and the week is about DOROTHY
“Red sky in the morning, Sailors take warning!” ~adapted from the Bible, Matthew 16:3
BY JOE EBERT
Me walking my granddog Goose on the Seawall
DOROTHY
Hereford Inlet Beach DOROTHY
Hereford Inlet Lagoon Creek
to begin. I step outside and the front door clicked itself close. The intoxicating sea air met my face, like a friend who’s been waiting for me to come out. I paused on the steps and breathed, delighting in the first hint of that moment, when night becomes day. I could hear it and feel it all around me... the growing stirring movement, like an overture to a great symphony. The stars were fading and the moon was descending and the dawn was about to break. I’ve been wandering along the same path every morning, but some would think it not a wander, but just a walk. But to me, routine as it has been for many years, my walk is still a wild and spontaneous event (one that occurs with a certain predictability) and so, on this morning, like all mornings, I wander... down to the Seawall. The prelude of colors begin to appear, the palette of the sunrise, it is that (ungraspable) time that is neither day nor night as if not one page or the other, but the very turning of one to the next, the anticipation of what’s to come. The island is still sleepy, with just a handful of people walking, quiet in their own thoughts, and a dog or two sniffing about... With every step, a sense of peace grows within me, for I know that something very wonderful is about to happen. I stroll along the wall, the town on one side and a wilderness on the other... echoes of seagulls singing their morning prayers, waiting patiently at the water’s edge, as if to welcome an honored guest... the beacon from the lighthouse perpetually shines and circles the skies, the sandy beach like a meadow, drenched in colors of marigold and dandelion, whole fields of them, the ocean rolling in and out and over, sprinkled with golden glitter while the sun rises up over its crests, emerging like a lantern in the eastern sky... its beams brightening everything... The world was beginning all over again in the most magical way... and there I stood, amongst the beauty and tranquility... the woman who wanders every morning, at the very same time, to the very same place, beside the sea. The day has arrived, and it is glorious! It is still new every morning.
“Hello Sun” is a full color hardback book, 8” square, that features 50 sunrise photos matched with 50 perfect quotes and verses and makes a wonderful all-occasion gift. Available for $10. at Sunstore.bigcartel.com
Follow me for your daily dose of Sunshine at . . .
@wildwoodsunbythesea The Sun squeezing through a cloudbank in front of 2nd St. Jetty
DOROTHY
Hereford Inlet Glassy Lagoon
“The Wildwood Sun by the sea”
My book of sunshine makes a perfect all-occasion gift for just $10.
42
Have a Blast on the Boards. . . Morning, Noon & Night! “America’s Best Boardwalk!” ~FamilyVacationCritic.com
www. D o0 WW . com
BIKE RIDING
HOP ON
F HOP OF AND WRISTB AY EVERYD‘TIL
10
$
$4.00
5PM
THE WATCH CAR TRAM E! PLEAS
DoWNLoAD The new Wildwoods Tram Car APP! Your Safety is our Top Priority!
• Touch-free, Cashless transactions
$10. $75. $4.00
everyday ‘til 1:00 PM
$4.00
• Real-time Tracking lets you enjoy dinner at your favorite restaurant without rushing. Check the App to see when the next Tram car will arrive • Exclusive discounts & giveaways Search “Wildwoods Tram Car” in the App Store to download
PUT THE BOARDWALK BACK 43 ON YOUR SHOPPING LIST ! Everything WiLdwood under 3 roofs!
e Welcom Back r! Summe Find what you need for the Beach & more! Souveniers & Gifts Galore! Quality Clothing for Men Women & Children Largest Selection of worldwide Shell Ornaments Biggest & Best Selection of Hermit Crabs & Accessories
3 Fun Places to Shop! Between Cedar & Schellenger Aves.
The Largest Stores on the Wildwood Boardwalk! On the corner of Glenwood Ave.
3 Gifts & Variety Stores on the Wildwood Boardwalk! Between 25th & 26th Aves.
44
Have a Blast on the Boards. . the SUN by-the-Sea
“Every day’s a holiday, and every night is Saturday night! Oh those Wildwood days!” ~Bobby Rydell
BOARDWALK SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Craft Shows
on the Wildwood Boardwalk just south of the Convention Center
Summer of 2020
July 3-4-5 July 18-19 Aug. 1-2 Aug. 8-9 Aug. 15-16 Sept. 4-5-6 Family Holiday Show December 12, 2020 Wildwood Convention Center
www.boardwalkcrafts.com 9am - 5pm
FREE Admission
Parking Available
Rain or Shine
Call 609-522-0198 or 609-522-0378
. . Morning, Noon & Night!
45
“America’s Best Boardwalk!” ~FamilyVacationCritic.com
PALACE
26th & Boardwalk Wildwood, NJ 609-522-6017
27 HOLES AND THREE UNIQUE COURSES
ES
PIZZA
18 HANDICAP
on
27 HOLES AND THREE UNIQUE COURSES
ACCESSIBLE HOL
Ythe
Sam’s
P ED
6eaBoa
d A re te IZZ Sho m Vo P ey .co ST ers illy BE he J xPh t Fo on my
3rrsdwalk
AT THE CORNER OF RIO GRANDE & OCEAN AVES WILDWOOD, NJ 609-846-1048 STARLUXMINIGOLF.COM
DOG FRIENDLY 18 HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE HOLES KOHR’S BROTHERS ICE CR EAM FIRE PIT FOR LOUN AND SMORE’S ROASGITING NG
Where the Wild Things Par
46
Have a Blast on the Boards. . .
TOP REASONS TO PLAY AT ED’S FUNCADE 1. #1 BEST VALUE ARCADES, Play More, Spend Less, Win More than other NJ arcades. 2. Our PLAYcard “DEALS” save you up to 52% over cash, it’s cheaper to play and win at Ed’s Funcade 3. FREE drawings every 1/2 hr. non-stop day & night, WIN up to $50 in Free FUNbucks every 1/2 hour! 4. Download ED’s Funcade APP from the APP & PLAY store, Get HUGE DEALS, reload $ from your phone! 5. LONGEST... Game play for less money using our PLAYcard or still use cash 6. ED is there for you, owner-operator on site daily, for well over 4 decades, since 1976! 7. We use Biocide & 70% alcohol in sanitizing our arcades. Touchfree handwash stations too!
Use the $5 BONUS PLAY
Ocean View Patio Dining
% 10 OFF
(609) 435-7319
Have the most fun TODAY!
3401 BOARDWALK & OAK AVE. WILDWOOD, NJ (609) 522-0034
ANY PURCHASE Limit one coupon per person. Not to be combined with other offers. Expires 10/2017
$5 BONUS PLAY IS AMUSEMENT ONLY, after Bonus play,
trade card for 25 Tickets, get prizes
Limit 1 offer per player. 2020 Season
no photo copies, no cash value, valid 2020 << TEAR OUT NOW>>
Magnolia Avenue ardwalk o B d o o w d il W e on th
SINCE
1953
WWW.WILDWOODSOUVENIRS.COM OAK AVE. & THE BOARDWALK IN WILDWOOD
VISIT
9-849-9255 609-770-8538 • 60 Come dine on our • Fountain Classics Roof top Patio • Floats providing more • Ice Cream comfort & • Appetizers protection from • Burgers the elements • Many Favorites!
Oceanfront Dining!
Come enjoy our 5000sq. ft. expansion with a New Bar and Dining Area including ocean views!
Beer, Wine & Cocktails Lunch • Dinner Late Night Menu
2701 BOARDWALK (609)523-1700 in front of the Old Hunt’s Pier on the Wildwood Boardwalk
.NET
INFO • NEWS • EVENTS
. Morning, Noon & Night!
47
“America’s Best Boardwalk!” ~FamilyVacationCritic.com
• Established in 1982 • Fully enclosed Air Conditioned & Heated Arcade!
Located on Mariner’s Landing Amusement Pier OPEN EVERY DAY AT 9AM
3501 Boardwalk at Cedar Ave • Wildwood, NJ www.marinersarcade.com
l
The Origina
CAPE MAY
STONE HARBOR
WILDWOOD OCEAN CITY
Whipped Creamy Fudge • Premium Chocolates • Saltwater Taffy
fudgekitchens.com 1-800-23FU D GE facebook.com/theoriginalfudgekitchen
Celebrating our 49th Year!
Visit us and watch our creamy fudge being hand made in copper kettles. Thanks for making us one of your Favorite Seashore Traditions for 49 years!
10
% BRING THIS COUPON TO THE ORIGINAL FUDGE KITCHEN FOR OFF
YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE
Wildwood Locations 8th St. on Boardwalk Roberts Ave. & Boardwalk (Across from Music Pier) 609-522-4396 Ocean City 609-398-7457 22nd St. on Boardwalk 254 96th St., Stone Harbor 609-729-6022 609-368-3003
Cape May Locations 513 Washington St. Mall 609-884-2834 728 Beach Drive 609-884-4287
48
Have a Blast on the Boards.
Beach Dining for the whole family. Enjoy BBQ and brews, live entertainment daily, beach games, spacious cabanas and more! LOCATED ON MOREYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MARINERS PIER SCHELLENGER AVENUE, WILDWOOD, NJ
. . . Morning, Noon & Night! Enjoy delicious food in our expanded, open air, dining on Marinerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pier.
New for 2020 - Surfside Pier Food Hall! Enjoy all you boardwalk favorites in our spacious open air dining area. NEW TASTY SELF-SERVE MENUS!
NOW SERVING CRAFT BEERS!
49
50
DOO
WW
SHOP • DINE • PLAY & STAY
BAGEL TIME CAFE ALL BAGELS & PASTRIES BAKED FRESH DAILY
3 GREAT LOCATIONS OPEN 7 DAYS!
1. BAGEL TIME CAFE
BURKE & ATLANTIC AVE. WILDWOOD, NJ
(609) 600-2624
2. BAGEL TIME CAFE
WE DELIVER!
3. BAGEL TIME CAFE
at AQUA BEACH RESORT 5501 OCEAN AVE.
HOWARD & BEACH DRIVE
CAPE MAY (609) 408-7596
WILDWOOD CREST
ONLINE ORDERING AT WWW. B AGEL T IME NJ .COM
12 BAGEL TIME 3 GOOD FOR ENTIRE PARTY 9 CAFE Expires 10/31/20 6 EAT IN TAKE OUT CATERING
10%
OFF LUNCH
MORE THAN JUST BAGELS
BREAKFAST
$10. Expires 10/31/20
LUNCH
BAKER’S DOZEN OF BAGELS
WITH PURCHASE OF LARGE CONTAINER CREAM CHEESE
Downtown Wildwood
51
DOO
WW
52
DOO
WW
SHOP • DINE • PLAY & STAY 5210 Pacific Ave. 609-729-1817
Home Made Ice Cream
46 sweet years
U nde r w a t e r
Ad A dventuRe 18
. . . 18 Hole
breakfast lunch & dinner menu De-elicious food ! gift shop gifts galore in this little store ! arcade win prizes ! come see the
toy train
10
3
Miniature Golf Course
5210 Pacific Ave. 609-729-1817
NewWildwood Jewelry Exclusively Available
Wildwood Wave OPEN YEAR ROUND
Serving Dinners from 4pm
Earlybird Special
Outside Dining! Reservations Fri & Sat 609-522-8300
4pm - 5:30pm Daily
includes soup, sald, entree and dessert
M.S. Brown Jewelers 3813 Pacific Ave. Wildwood, NJ 609-522-8300
Free Parking on Corner of Garfield Ave. by Chubby Checker Mural
SINCE 1950
3304 Pacific Ave., Wildwood, NJ 609-522-7604 MSBrownJewelers.com 5 South Main St., Unit 103, CMCH, NJ 609-463-8799
53
Downtown Wildwood
DOO
WW
OUTSIDE PATIO BAR Featuring 2 Taps from Cape May Brewing Co. OPEN EVERY DAY
FLORAL DESIGN & GIFTS
MON - THURS 3PM FRI - SUN 11AM
Thrift Store
and I mean cheap!
A Really Cool secondhand clothing shop
We’re more than just flowers!
Wedding Specialists
. . . new merchandise arriving daily!
202 E Rio Grande Ave Wildwood, NJ 609.523.9500 Petalswildwood.com
Come to Goodnight Irene’s Where every night is a good night!
LIVE MUSIC ALL SUMMER LONG
Women’s Men’s Children’s Clothing Shoes and so Much More
Corner of Taylor & Pacific Ave .
WILDWOOD 523-1166
Serving Cape May County for 3 GENERATIONS!
WELCOME BACK! Poplar & Pacific Ave. Wildwood, NJ (609) 729-3861
TOTAL IMAGE
A FULL SERVICE SALON
O! D R IN K S T O G
OUTSIDE PATIO DINING On the corner of Rio Grande & Pacific Avenues Wildwood, NJ {COMPLIMENTARY PARKING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET IN OUR LOT}
Open Wednesday thru Saturday
Specializing in Gas Forced Air Heat & Central Air Conditioning
Dedicated to High Quality Service Since 1948 Call for Your Appointment
609.523.8700
• Coppola Keratin Smoothing Treatment • Foil Highlighting • Body Waves • Waxing • Matrix Color & Precision Cutting • Corrective Color • Airbrush Makeup • and more. . .
e s t W C afe y e K
a i Open year round 7 days a week 8am - 1pm
from m 11:30a i mon-fr
99
$for .
NJ License # 13VH01834100
5104 PACIFIC AVENUE, WILDWOOD • 609-522-0121 • FAX 522-7313
WWW.BOWMANSAIR.COM
l
sPecia
55
lunch
800-638-4393
Follow us on Facebook
ich andw g soup-s na, eg u t , n hicke heese c d e blt, c , grill - coleslaw salad - chips e l k pic
Take-Out
(609)522-5006 Where the Locals Love to Eat!
Limited Outdoor Seating du ring co vid
CORNER OF ANDREW & PACIFIC AVES. WILDWOOD
54
DOO
WW
SHOP • DINE • PLAY & STAY
55
Downtown Wildwood ! d e it v n i e r ’ u Yo
DOO
WW
UNCLE BILL’S PANCAKE HOUSE
! s e i t f i F fab E S U O H OPEN
OPEN EVERY DAY 7AM ~ 2PM
Sat., October 17th 11am - 3pm
G eorge F. B oyer M useum 3907 Pacific Avenue
B y - t h e - S e a, N.J. www.WildwoodHistoricalMuseum.com
Museum Hours:Mon-Wed-Thur-Fri-Sat 10-3, Sun 12-5
OPEN 5PM-5AM DELIVERY TIL 5AM! • PIZZA • SUBS • SANDWICHES • STROMBOLI & MUCH MORE!
3707 PACIFIC AVE., WILDWOOD • 523-1515
JU
E NK
&
3 % 1/2
SALES TAX
4712 PACIFIC AVE. WILDWOOD 609-522-2379
for 25 Years Here
HOLLY BEACH TRAIN DEPOT 1994-2019
Cape May County’s Only Authorized Lionel & MTH Dealer
TOY TRAM CARS IN STOCK HollyBeachTrainDepot.com
OPEN 10AM - 4PM CLOSED SUNDAY
WE BUY, SELL & REPAIR TRAINS
�rriving YO U R # 1 T R A I N STO P Soon TRUMP Handcar! TRUMP Buttons in stock
WILDWOOD & OCEAN AVE. WILDWOOD, NJ
609-729-1555
1-800-4-LAURAS
“Where the old meets the new” Old, New Unique Gifts & Home Decor. . . a treasure for everyone!
WW
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday • 609-214- 2253
South Jersey’s �ost Complete Train Stop “Watch the tram car please!”
ASU RES THRIFT & GIFT SHOP
$ale 4501 Pacific Ave. in downtown Wildwood
PLENTY OF FREE PARKING
HOLLY BEACH TRAIN DEPOT
TRE
clearance
INDOOR - OUTDOOR SEATING
Burk & Pacific Aves. Wildwood 609.729.7557
Since 1926
Our Gift to You!
www.laurasfud ge.com
10%
off
YOUR TOTAL PURCHASE
MUST PRESENT COUPON. NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER OR MAIL ORDERS
the sun
56
DOO
WW
SHOP • DINE • PLAY & STAY Outsideg! Dinin
Rose
Call for t! u O e k a T
“In the Heart of the Wildwoods” Huge Selection of Beer • Wine & Liquors
FINE DINING
FEATURING VEAL, STEAK, CHOPS, CHICKEN, SEAFOOD & PASTA DISHES
Every Friday & Saturday Night A Wildwood Favorite Since 1985
DJ & LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Oak & New Jersey Aves. WILDWOOD, NJ 609-729-5755
Outside PatiO dining
Like us
at facebook.com/Roxy’s
26TH & ATLANTIC AVE. WILDWOOD 609.729.4300
dOwntOwn’s newest sPOt
OPen 7 days
MADE-FROM-SCRATCH MENU • FRESHLY MADE PASTA • FRESH-CUT MEATS • DAILY SEAFOOD SPECIALS 3001 Pacific Ave, Wildwood, NJ 08260 • (609) 770-7738 • Follow us on Facebook for Specials
57
Downtown Wildwood THE NEWEST SHOP ON THE BLOCK!
DOO
WW
Th� Yello� Umbrell� Gift Shopp�
NEW! QUAINT SHOP WITH UNIQUE GIFTS! • Home Decor • Pantry Items • Gourmet Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil • Custom Gift Baskets • American-made Products
Bathing Suits Sundresses Resort Wear Jewelry & Gifts
• Candles & Soaps • Pottery • Ornaments • Handsewn Face Masks
NEW ITEMS ARRIVING DAILY!
NEW ARRIVALS DAILY!
3415 Pacific Ave. Wildwood by-the-Sea, NJ (609) 408-3871
3419 Pacific Ave.,WILDWOOD, NJ • 609-522-0650 • 609-374-4483
Theyellowumbrellagiftshoppe@gmail.com
• Voted Best Book Store at the Shore • We Have Books You Can’t Find anYWHere else!
www.hookedonbooks.info
CATEGORIZED & ALPHABETIZED
“You won’t believe it’s a used books store!”
30
Lite ra r y Ye a rs !
USED-BOOKS LOWER PRICES GREAT SELECTION 3405 Pacific ave. @ Oak in DOwntOwn wilDwOOD (609) 729-1132
$7.95 �pecial �undaes
The Elvis • The Girl Scout Summer Night Smore • Carb-a-nator Twisted Pretzel • Gregg’s Dream
ICE CREAM
“�ild Thin�”$11. e HOME of the
�erves 2 Peopl
95
Mounds of Ice Cream on a Waffle,
Hand Scooped • Soft Serve covered in Powdered Sugar, Hot Fudge, Two Toppings of Your Choice, Water Ice • Gelati Whipped Cream and a Cherry Milk Shakes • Waffles
3411 Pacific Avenue • WILDWOOD • (609) 600-2282
58 “Trust me friend, 100 years goes faster than you think.” ~Kenny Chesney
Remembering WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
G eorge F. B oyer M useum 3907 Pacific Avenue 609-523-0277
B y - t h e - S e a, N.J.
www .w ildwood H istorical M useuM . coM
Mrs. Janet Nash
A Blast From the Past ! Tell Them You Saw them in The Sun!
Mrs. Janet “Dolly” Nash 1924-2004
Small but mighty seems like an accurate description of Mrs. Janet Nash, at least according to her former students at Wildwood High, who fondly recall one of their most influential teachers. The spirited Mrs. Nash, who began her teaching career in the Wildwood school system in the 1950s, taught Physical Education, Health and Driver’s Education. She left an indelible impression on the young students lucky enough to call her teacher, mentor and friend. The following comments were from a facebook post on The Wildwood Sun by the Sea Page After I saw your story about Mr. Moultry and Mrs. Betty King of WHS, I thought of our wonderful gym teacher, Mrs. Janet D. Nash... She taught us about every sport and even modern dance. She had an incredibly strong spirit. With whistle around her neck and clipboard, she would call us by our last name.. “Bebee, Bickle, Bozarth” like in the military. She left an indelible impression on me and all of us. Who can forget the girls gym uniforms? Onesies with snaps? Mrs. Nash was always after us to take them home and wash them... did anyone? She was the best... so cool” ~Patty Bebee “She was also our Behind the Wheel instructor.. wrong move and Wham.... out came the ruler on your hand...lol” ~ Paul Klineburger “She was a truly amazing woman. I can’t imagine my 4 years at WHS without her. So many stories, so much fun. I could write for hours and just break the surface. And it wasn’t until after graduation that we learned what she did for the community. THANK YOU, JANET NASH. Miss you!” ~Patricia McAndrew Tarleton “She was our gym teacher many years ago. Wow! “ ~ Dottie Wigand Lemke
“I had Mrs. Nash as a teacher from 1956 through 1969. She began teaching in the Wildwood School System when I was in Kindergarten (‘56 at Glenwood Avenue School and I had her for Gym, Health and Drivers Ed during Jr. High and High School. I graduated in 1969. She was a tiny woman in stature and when she spoke you’d better be paying attention Not only was she my teacher, she was my friend.” ~ Alethia Miller
LOUANN CATANOSO WCHS 73
ALETHIA MILLER WHS 69
JOE CATANOSO WCHS 80
MICHAEL A. DECINA WHS 79
MONICA WOOLSTON WCHS 75
PHILLIP J. BONNELLI, JR. WHS 67
DONNA ROSSI WCHS 70
GILES HUDSON WHS 73
JIM McVEY WCHS 75
JIM MOOERS WCHS 75
“Mrs. Nash was my PE teacher - wonderful lady!” ~ Joan McLaughlin “As P.E. peer with Janet I can tell you she was a mentor to me. She was so full of energy and spunk and I took that away with me. She was a positive influence to me in my career.” ~ Carol Bahniuk “She was a great lady. I did dislike those royal blue, one-piece gym suits though:-)” ~ Judith Ludman Aubin
KEVIN ANDERSON WCHS 75
“Mrs Nash was a wonderful lady. She always had a smile for you. Always called us by our last name.” ~ Lola Peard Borden “She was fun, small in stature, but could be mighty with her whistle. I enjoyed her in every class.” ~ Carol Leeper “I had her for PE in high school...she made gym class fun, though it wasn’t cool to admit it!” ~ Judy Moore Emmert “She was a remarkable women. One of the best at WHS.” ~ Donna Phillips Borden “She remained our friend long after we had graduated and she had retired.” ~ June Senekoff Bogushefsky “I remember her uniform was always crisp and clean, No nonsense. Loved her!” ~ Harriet Carter Sanders “She was small in stature but a giant personality, I remember we had all in one gym suits, white socks tennis shoes:-)” ~ Maxine Fashaw Edwards
STEVEN BELLANTINE WHS 80
Happy Summer 2020
59
“Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.” ~Edwin Hubbel Chapin
Remembering
WILDWOOD HIGH SCHOOL Mrs. Betty Jackson King
Stefankiewicz & Belasco Trouble with the Law?
Call
609.729.5250 Experienced, Driven & Effective
Mrs. Betty Jackson King, 1928 - 1994
Thanks to the gift of music, Mrs. Betty Jackson King brought sweet melody to the young lives she crossed paths with as the Wildwood High Vocal Director. She was the President of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. from 1979 to 1984 and the writer of many choral works, art songs and arrangements of widely-performed spirituals. Small in stature but with a big heart and kind soul, Mrs. King, who passed away in 1994, is fondly remembered by her former students, who saw her as more than a music teacher. To them, she was an indomitable spirit whose memory forever lives on.
The following comments were from a facebook post on The Wildwood Sun by the Sea Page “She was the best. Little lady with a huge spirit. She always made you feel like your contribution to a performance was extremely special and valued. She was the classiest!” ~Michele Sexton “I had her 7th thru 12th for music appreciation, theory, and history, as well as choir all those years. So many songs that are still in my head some days. One of my favorites is The Declaration of Independence. I not only learned music from her, but she was socially conscious of mentoring and bringing us all together. A very loving, dedicated person.” ~Sandra Mollica “Loved, Loved, Loved her. A beautiful soul. Inside & out! She gave us a love & appreciation of music. She made each & every student feel loved.” ~Kathy Thomas “She was a wonderful, talented person. We learned so much from her. Some of my favorite memories of WHS choir and performing with her King Singers group involve singing her beautiful arrangements of Gospel and Spiritual music. A few years ago I joined my church choir and the alto parts I learned with Mrs. King such as the Hallelujah Chorus and Amazing Grace all came back to me as if it were yesterday, and not over 40 years ago. She gave me a gift for a lifetime. In my retirement, I am singing in two choirs. I think of her often.” ~Carol Clark Korzienowski
“She was such a wonderful teacher. I had her for choir. She was the only person that could get me “out of my shell”. I still think of her often.” ~Kim Zsitkovsky Bishop “I loved Mrs. King! Small but mighty!” ~Tracey Cooke Kita “One of the finest people ever put on earth.” ~Kerry Hall
David A. Stefankiewicz, Esq. dstef@sblawteam.com
111 East 17th St., Ste. 100 North Wildwood, NJ
Robert T. Belasco, Esq. rbelasco@sblawteam.com
HOW WE USED TO FIND OUR FRIENDS
“I didn’t have her but she was always very kind, beautiful smile!!” ~Steven Bellantine “I loved her she was the greatest teacher I ever had. She was very sweet and kind.” ~Margaret Anderson She was very kind and gentle and had a mighty command of presence. She knew exactly what she wanted from her students and she knew exactly how to bring everyone together. What an amazing choir teacher.” ~Gypsy Entertainer “She was the best teacher I ever had. Always a smile to share.” ~Michele Wilson “She was a great music teacher, loved her.” ~Sean Breslin “Mrs. King had such positive energy. She challenged us to do our best. We sang the Hallelujah song in choir and every time I hear it I think of her.” ~Joan Taylor Maurer “She was incredible !!” ~Natalie Demick “When she would. teach the graduating class their class song or God Bless America she would always say pronunciate! You have to pronunciate!” Diana Gant Brunell “I worked with Betty in the 70s. I remember her being an energetic, dignified and happy professional. She was and will always remain well respected!” ~Ed Rosenberg “Mrs King was so much more than a music teacher. She made each person reach their fullest potential and make sure they all felt as though they belonged, which as a child is a very difficult accomplishment. Her cultural history was a very deep part of the music she introduced us to and really helped to educate us into a world we’d heard of, but with the music inside us we were better able to understand that world.” ~Susan Gail
SINCE 1979
PUT THE PLAY BACK INTO THE PLAGUE !
ALGIE’S PLACE BICYCLES
BICYCLE SHOP SPECIALIZING IN SALES, SERVICE, AND PARTS FOR 42 YEARS
6207 New Jersey Ave. • Wildwood Crest, NJ • 609-729-5669 ALGIESPLACE.COM
Marie’s
FLOWER SHOP 5918 New Jersey Ave. WILDWOOD CREST
(609)729-0199
www.mariesflower.net
Since 1973
60 “By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea, You and me, you and me, oh how happy we’ll be!”
h B B t t a n i s e o g e’ u t i l a s r t a h e C “Bathing beauties & Beach bums” Charlotte & Jack
Charlotte
Little Charlotte the bathing beauty
Jack & Charlotte with their 3 fur babies on the Seawall across the street from their home
Charlotte’s reflection with her beautiful bathing beauty collection
Charlotte’s love for Wildwood by-the-sea began months before she was even born (nine to be exact) as her mother liked to tell her. She and her Wildwood-loving parents spent their summers by the sea, from the last day of school until Labor Day. At 27 years-old, she purchased her own cozy cottage on East Hand Ave. Charlotte and her husband Jack spent many happy years there, but ultimately desired to be closer to the sea. They found a perfect coastal cottage by the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, complete with a beautiful inlet view. Their piece of seaside paradise also houses its own extraordinary Bathing-Beauty collection worthy of a gallery of its own. As our readers well know, we love to share our “fellow bathing beauties”, whose seaside tales fit perfectly into the pages of The Sun! The collection includes trinket boxes, figurines, old photos, sheet music and paintings, all acquired courtesy of eBay, antique stores and gifts, and all a tangible part of Charlotte’s immeasurable love for all things Wildwood by-the-Sea.
Happy Summer 2020
61
“Those who saw the most, say the least...”
Eddie & Phil
U.S. ARMY EDWARD S. ROSSI SR., 92 - A beloved and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend departed from this world on January 5, 2010. Ed was born on June 15, 1917 in Atlas, PA. His family moved to the Wildwoods at a young age where he attended Wildwood High School. He was a standout athlete and graduated in 1936. Some of his most notable athletic achievements include bowling a perfect game, three hole-in-ones, and playing semi-professional baseball, where he was scouted by the Yankees before being drafted into the Army. Ed served his country with honor and valor as a member of the U.S. Army during WWII in the European Theater where he was severely wounded and was awarded the Purple Heart, three Battle Stars, the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Defense Service Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. Rossi was the last of the original nightclub owners from the island’s “glory years” as an entertainment mecca. Together with his business partner of over five decades, Phil Bonelli, he presented top name talent at their Phil & Eddie’s Surf Club on the corner of Atlantic & Cedar in the early 1960s. They featured such legendary acts as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, The Platters, The Righteous Brothers, Bobby Vinton, The Fifth Dimension, and many more, for years to come.
Ed, Mary, Donna & Eddie Rossi
Ed Rossi’s bent Dog Tag, his Guardian Angel in Action
Phil & Eddie
Written by one of his grandchildren. . .
“God knew he had something special in Edward Rossi and made sure he was around for many years. As a young man fighting in Europe during World War II, he was crawling towards the German lines in a fierce battle. Unknown to Pop Pop, a German bullet was headed straight towards his chest, a bullet that would have surely ended his life. But instead of this German’s bullet striking his heart, it struck his dog tag hanging from his neck and richocheted off, saving his life. Many who paid their last respect to Ed may or may not have noticed the Purple Heart and the bent Dog Tag draped upon his chest. Good fortunes, good luck or divine intervention... whatever it was has allowed us the opportunity to enjoy Ed for an additional 60 years in the Wildwoods. This was one of many adventures that he had shared with our family, and one that I wanted to share with those who knew him…
Phil Bonelli & Ed Rossi owned the famous “Phil & Eddie’s Surf Club” for over 50 years together until it’s sale in 1998. They brought top-name entertainment to their Surf Club in the Biltmore Hotel in the 1950s. Later, in their new Phil and Eddie’s Surf Club during the 1960s, they featured the likes of Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Sonny Turner and The Platters, The Righteous Brothers, Bobby Vinton, Jerry Vale, The Fifth Dimension, and many more.
Rossi and Bonelli reminisced to a reporter how they first got into the nightclub business. The way they told it, they were mixing drinks at a bar on Pine Ave., and they decided to bring a little flare to the job. The two of them began wearing roller-skates, and Phil sometimes added a giant sombrero. They led a singalong with the help of a piano player named Mickey Brua. Then one day, a bar owner named Nicholas Gerace just walked in and offered to sell them Gerace’s Bar. He wanted to get it into the hands of two good people, and Phil & Eddie were the first ones he thought of. In an interview Gerace said, they were “The two best-liked people that Wildwood ever had.” The duo worked together from 1947 and remained best friends until Phil’s passing on Aug. 11, 1999. Eddie passed away Jan. 5, 2010.
Phil & Eddie’s Surf Club with Bobby Rydell headlining in the glory days
62 “Behind you, all your memories. Before you, all your dreams. Around you, all who love you. Within you, all you need.” ~Anon.
Generations of Kretschmer’s in West Wildwood since 1922
Albert Kretschmer, II, in West Wildwood 1930s
Albert, I & Ida, the 1st generation of Wildwood lovingKretschmer’s
Albert Kretschmer, II, Joe Kline, Walter Edelman, Roland Harding West Wildwood 1927
Albert Kretschmer, II, in West Wildwood 1926
Albert, I & Ida Kretschmer, (on right) with friends, 1920s
Every little cottage has a story... this tale began 98 years ago and includes three generations of Kretschmer’s in the little town of West Wildwood, NJ. The story of 624 W. Glenwood began in 1922, when Ida & Albert H. Kretschmer, Sr. chose to purchase the larger style bungalow over the available smaller style one. Their new shore house came complete with two stories, two bedrooms and two bathrooms (and still has its original claw foot tub and wooden ice box). In 1952, the home was passed down to son Albert H. Kretschmer, Jr. and his wife Connie. In 2001, it was inherited by Albert H. Kretschmer III and his wife Mary, who are the current owners. Albert the third was born in Camden, NJ, raised in Wilmington, DE and now lives in West Fenwick Island, DE, that is, when he’s not at his home in West Wildwood, where he has happily spent the past 79 summers of his life. Albert’s sister Dorothy, along with her husband Calvin and their children have enjoyed the Kretschmer shore house and being a part of its celebrated story, where a lifetime of memories reside, initially created courtesy of Albert Sr. and Ida. Included in the adventure-filled story of all island homes, of course, is the inevitable coastal storms. When one of the worst storms in recent history hit the barrier islands of NJ in March 1962, West Wildwood suffered most of the devastation. Miraculously, their solid, twostory bungalow stood strong, with the unfortunate exception of their front porch floating away because of a row boat that was tied to it. The bungalow took on some water, but after drying out, returned to its original charm. On Halloween 1992, another “Perfect Storm” hit, bringing with it extreme flooding, and by 1993, the home was raised. Since then, many homes have been raised, but now they have an added measure of security because the borough of West Wildwood has undergone extensive infrastructure road work to help alleviate some of the flooding, giving more protection to homes like the Kretschmer’s along with an enduring promise for future Wildwood generations to come and the seaside stories they will one day tell.
Albert II, & Connie Kretschmer, c.1930s
The Kretschmer’s in a classic front-stoop family photo
Albert Kretschmer, III Wildwood beach c. 1950
Happy Summer 2020
63
“We’ve always held to the hope, the belief, that there is a better life, a better world beyond the horizon.” ~Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Generations of Kretschmer’’s Kretschmer
Albert H., III & Mary Kretschmer (current owners who inherited in 2001) photo taken Sept. 2019 1952 Albert H., II & Connie Kretschmer inherited 1922 Albert H. & Ida Kretschmer purchased Albert, I & Ida, the 1st generation of Wildwood lovingKretschmer’s
Connie & Albert Kretschmer, III c. 1950
Al points to a porch sign
Al, II & Connie with a few grandchildren, the 4th generation of Kretschmer’s at 624 W. Glenwood Ave.
The 4th generation of Kretschmer’s at the one and only Bedrock Mini Golf in West Wildwood
Al, II Kretschmer introducing his grandson to the beach
Albert, II & Connie Kretschmer with Albert, III 1943
Lee & Mary Lupton, Ray Stingle & ‘Albie’ Kretschmer,III
64 “He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.” Marcus Aurelius
Serving You The Best Seafood at the Shore!
Greater Wildwood Elks
Samuels is Proud of our Customers in the Wildwoods and Thank Them for Supporting our Business! -The D’Angelo Family
SamuelsSeafood.com • 800-580-5810
Happy Summer 2020
65
“Just get me near the sea... it’s earth’s most potent remedy.” ~Beach Lover
Crab Cake Hotline
Rick’s Seafood
66 “Memories pressed between the pages of my mind...” ~Elvis
Charles and Catherine’s B E A C H H O U S E Since 1964
The Heston family on Hunt’s Pier and at the beach... the happiest days of their lives!
Irene Heston, 1957
Heading down the shore... to have a ball once more!
(Sent in by Colleen Heston Reynolds)
M
y grandparents, Charles and Catherine McAninley, descendants of Ireland and England, purchased our seaside cottage on W. Poplar Ave. in 1964, according to my mom, who dates the house at about 100 years old. My grandparents were the first owners after the storm of 1962. Although he was a barber in North Philadelphia, my grandfather bought the house so my siblings and I would have a place to spend our summers. My father would drive everyone down when school let out, then come down on the weekends all summer. I arrived in 1975, the youngest of the clan. I remember my dad, Bill Heston, walking us to Hunt’s Pier to ride the rides. We loved The Flyer Rollercoaster and the Golden Nugget. Dad always had his little transistor radio with him on the boards to listen to the Phillies games. My mom, Irene, is a true Wildwood lover. She loved sitting on the beach and was always the one to walk us there every
day and stay until the lifeguards left. She is the heart of the family, keeping our home and our family together, and because of her endless love, energy and dedication, we are still able to enjoy making wonderful memories in Wildwood, our Happy Place! My parents met in 1953 at 26th and Atlantic Ave. and were married in 1957. They had six children and we all spent our summers at the shore, working in various locations. My brother worked at Groff’s Restaurant as did my mom, who also worked at Douglass Fudge for several years. I spent seven summers working at the waterpark on Mariners Landing. My grandmother, who lived to be 103, like my mom loved to sit and rock on the porch. She believed in the health benefits of Wildwood’s saltwater and sea air. Because of my grandparents, five generations were able to enjoy (and still do!) the many benefits of being by the sea and the wonderful memories we’ve made here.
Billy, Cathy, Chalie, Trudy, Joanne and Colleen Left~ Grandmom Catherine at the shore Right~ Mom Irene with one of her granddaughters
Have Fun in the Sun!
67
“Want to soak up life for a while in laid back mode. . . No boss, no clocks, no stress, no dress code. . . “ ~Kenny Chesney
North Wildwood’s Only Bayfront Restaurant Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner! Shrimp • Oysters • Crabs • Clams • Pulled BBQ Chicken • Pork • Smoked Prime Rib • Sweet & Smokey St. Louis Ribs
Key West Style Waterfront Restaurant & bar
Completely New indoor/outdoor Deck! island inspired Breakfast
Our Key West Style Waterfront Restaurant serves one of the best breakfast’s on the island! Walk along the palm trees and slide up to a table either under the deck, in a gazebo, or under an umbrella. Soak up the sun and the waterfront views of the bays of the Wildwoods.
island inspired Lunch & Dinners
Looking for Authentic BBQ or ‘Almost jumps off your plate’ fresh seafood? The Surfing Pig brings together the best of Waterfront Dining,
Real Wood Smoked BBQ & Local FRESH Seafood. If the mouthwatering food isn’t enough to entice you in for dinner, how about a Spectacular Sunset? Every table in the restaurant has a spectacular sunset view…
Serving a Full Selection of Beers & CocktaiLs! A LW ays SerVing Sunsets. . . LIVE MUSIC DAILY 3PM-7PM
Check our Social Media For Entertainment Schedule
Rentals: P ontoon B oats - P addle b oards - K ayaks
Pontoon Rentals
RESERVE YOUR BOAT ONLINE
18’ 20’ 22’ 24’ seats up to 14 people
609-522-0900
Home of everything watersports for the Wildwoods.
Spend a day on the water crabbing, fishing, cruising or anything your seafaring heart desires aboard one of the pontoon boats in our fleet. Looking for something a bit more energizing or eco-friendly, rent a paddle board or kayak and take in some of the wetlands and wildlife of the back bays of New Jersey.
www.SouthdockCafe.com
10TH & THE BAY • NORTH WILDWOOD, NJ
Restaurant & Marina Open 8am
68 “If you wish to live long you must be willing to grow old.” ~George Lawton
Only a handful of Wildwoodians can say. . .
“I’M A DR. MACE BABY!”
“Dr. Maggie Mace’s 2020 CaNcellEd! Very Special Babies!” Save the Date! 1. Carol Turner Leeper 4/29/49 THE BABY OF THE BABIES
2. Larry Lillo 10/20/47 “The Original Native” tshirt 3. H. Bergen Ellingsen 8/12/40 4. Edward Thomas 10/10/39 5. Irene Nesbitt 6/24/42 6. David Labor 3/23/47 7. Dennis B. Reed 11/13/48 8. Gordon Hansen 4/8/36 9. Bob Speigel 8/10/47 NOT Bonnie James Speigel 2/27/49 SHOWN 10. William Bierbrunner Missing his siblings...
Dr. Margaret Mace Dec. 21, 1871 - Dec. 15, 1951
Only a handful of Wildwoodians can say. . .
“WE WERE BORN AT HATTIE LONG’S!”
7. Brook Koeneke 3/29/36
at Hereford Lighthouse
PHOTO REUNION
Dr. Margaret Mace Baby Hattie Long’s Maternity & Babies Born at Home in Wildwood
Call (609) 522-2721
Ray Bierbrunner 7/13/37 - 6/14/14 and Adelaide 4/7/38 and Anna who couldn’t make it 4/13/43 11. Gordon Liebsett 8/29/36 12. Harry DiSilvestro 11/9/41 (aka Superman! Make sure to read his story in this issue!) OUR 13. Leah Dare 7/18/25 OLDEST BABY
Only a handful of Wildwoodians can say. . .
“Hattie Long’s Very Special Babies!”
Mrs. Hattie Long delivered over 500 babiers in her home on Montgomery Ave.
July 12, 2021
Janet Bierbrunner 9/10/33 - 10/15/12
“I WAS BORN AT HOME!”
1. Inge Friesenborg Laine 8/2/39 2. Karla Svard Frederick 4/17/40 3. Paul Dare 2/16/49 4. Ann Gaskill Rea 2/1/38 5. Rex A. Garrison 12/14/47 6. Jack Dennison 4/20/33
Monday 10am
1. Gus Laine 5/15/31 Born at home, 320 W. Walnut Ave. “Dr. Maggie was busy and his mom couldn’t leave his big sister home alone who was 5 at the time...”
This year would have been our 15th Annual “Baby Photo Reunion”. Because our “babies” are near and dear to us, it is best to cancel and keep them safe. I hope to see you next summer July 12, 2021, same place and time. Please spread the word if you know any “babies”. The SUN has been celebrating the island’s rich history since its inception. It was Mr. Bill Morey who said to me in a conversation once, “I’m a Dr. Mace baby!” I wanted to know what was so special about that. I had no idea that Dr. Mace delivered most of the population here, over 6,000 babies in the Wildwoods. I’ve learned so much history through The Sun (as readers tell me they have as well.) Then I was informed of another maternity house run by Hattie Long, who delivered over 600 babies. Then of course, are all those who were born in their homes here on the island. From this annual event, their ‘kids’ share in a special reunion and I’ve gotten to make dear friends... remembering so many who are no longer with us. I am honored to be a part of Dr. Mace’s and Hattie Long’s legacies. Much love to you all, Dorothy
Happy Summer 2020
69
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” ~Mark Twain
Margaret Wheaton’s
S pecial B aby B asket
North Wildwood Native Remembers Blacksmith Orator, Family Roots
Harry Wheaton
HARRY C. WHEATON’S ANVIL 11-23-1857 to 2-22-1922
Blacksmith Mayor of North Wildwood NJ State Senator Jimmie Wheaton in his basket, Jan. 1933
JIM WHEATON AND HIS GRANDFATHER HARRY C. WHEATON
by Rachel Rogish
Margaret Wheaton’s original basket
Moses baskets may be popular among young mothers today, but they’ve been around for a long time, well, since Baby Moses was placed in one and hidden in the reeds alongside of the Nile River. The baskets are designed for sleeping newborn babies for the first few months, providing a cozy space for infants alongside their mother. But did you know Wildwood, being the ultimate storyteller, has its own special, Moses baby-basket story to tell, thanks to Jim Wheaton, Wildwood-born native, Dr. Mace Baby and the keeper of his mother Margaret’s basket? Jim shared his “basket story” at our Annual “Baby” Photo Reunion last summer. On April 15, 1932, he became the first of many babies to be placed inside that basket. His mother shared the basket with many women ~ friends and family alike, and it continues to this day to welcome newborns, giving the basket its own part in the Wildwoods history.
Some families boast of blacksmiths - some boast of orators in the family tree. Yet only a handful could probably claim a “blacksmith orator” who served not only as mayor and postmaster but also as state senator. The principles of hard work and honesty still guide the Wheaton family as they reflect on the past and look to the future. Jim Wheaton opened his doors to The Sun Feb. 7 as harsh winter winds blew in whitecaps across the gray waters of Hereford Inlet. Wheaton, born and raised in North Wildwood, is proud of his family’s pioneer roots, stretching back to the early 1700’s when they left England for the New World. Settling in South Jersey, the Wheaton’s carved out a life for themselves in Vineland, being distantly related to the Wheatons who founded the Glassworks. Born in 1932, Jim Wheaton said he has never left North Wildwood except for military service during the Korean War. “I’m the last one,” Wheaton said, sitting in his living room offering a commanding view of the sea. Wheaton and his late wife, Lorraine, raised 3 sons as he made a living in the insurance business. So who was the “blacksmith orator”? Jim’s grandfather, Harry C. Wheaton, whose portrait hangs on display in Jim’s home. Harry’s life spanned the social and political realm of Anglesea and in Trenton when he served as senator from 1913 -1916.
As World War I raged in Europe, Harry pressed for progressive reforms at home, including the State Prison Parole Bill and a closed season for lobster. According to his biography in the Legislative Manual from 1914, Harry was “an ardent democrat, but always fair to his opponent.” Today’s political landscape would benefit from another Harry Wheaton! Born in 1857, Harry grew up in Cape May Courthouse and later settled in Dennisville where he set up his forge. Family accounts reflect his keen interest in politics from an early age. Lively debates mingled with hammer blows on the anvil as Harry interacted with his neighbors. But Harry’s life was more than politics. He married Edith Hoffman in 1885 of Cold Spring and two sons, Leon and Joseph, joined them in due time. Harry’s warm nature contributed to spiritual affairs at the First Baptist Church of Cape May; he cared about people and gave generously. Harry may have lacked formal education, but he engaged in conversation and was known as the “blacksmith orator.” The Wheatons stand as one of the first families of Anglesea, no more than a fishing village in the late 1800’s. Harry served as mayor from 1910-1913 and later was appointed postmaster under President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. He saw the borough transform from fishing village to a thriving community. During the first years of the First Baptist Church of Anglesea, Harry served as a lay-preacher. In spite of influence and power, Harry is remembered for “never once forsaking the yoke of Christian office in the pursuit of his gain.” On Feb. 22, 1921, Harry passed away, leaving a legacy of integrity and generosity in North Wildwood. His grandson, Jim, never met him but speaks fondly of his famous relative.
70 “Do unto others.” ~Jesus, Sermon on the Mount, Golden Rule S U M M E R
Churches in the Wildwoods
2 0 2 0 !
Printed with compliments of The SUN with blessings.
SURFSIDE WEST DINER
To update your listing call 609-522-2721
Flipping eggs for over 50 years!
First Baptist Church of Anglesea 3rd & Atlantic Ave. 609-522-2951
Open 7 Days a Week I 6:30am - 1:00pm Cresse & New Jersey Aves. I Wildwood by-the-Sea www.SurfsideWest.com 609-522-3392
Sunday 10:30am
Eve. Prayer Meeting 6pm Weds Family Bible 7pm
Sunday 11:00am
NOTRE DAME DE LA MER PARISH
bethjudahtemple.org
Eureka Transformation 142 W. Spencer Ave. 609-522-1028 Sunday Service 11am Wed Prayer 7-8pm
Assumption RC Church 609-522-4114
St. Ann’s RC Church
Thank you for your vote!
Pacific & Spencer Aves. 609-522-7541 Shabbat Services Saturday 9:30am
7110 Seaview Ave. Wildwood Crest
Sat. 4:30pm Sun. 8:30 & 10:30 Mon-Fri 8:30am
Surfside West wishes you all a safe & happy summer
Beth Judah Temple
Young & New Jersey Ave. 609-729-5584
FRESH DAILY BREAKFAST & LUNCH SPECIALS
TripAdvisor
“God offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life.” ~Psalm 23:2-3
Asbury A.M.E. Church
{Catering Services Available}
“Home of the Hangover”
Ah, Sunday. What do ya say we invest in some rest?
2900 Atlantic Ave. Wildwood 609-522-2709
Sat. 4:30pm Sun. 7:00, 8:30 & 10:30 Spanish Mass: 7:00PM
transformingnj.com
Holy Trinity Lutheran 2810 Atlantic Ave. 609-522-5000 8am Spoken Service w/Communion 10:30am Traditional Service w/Communion ~ Sunday School. Third Sunday of each Month 10:30am Contemporary Blended Service w/ Communion
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox
HIGH SCHOOL MASSES HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED
BRITTON’S GOURMET BAKERY
OPEN 6:30AM
301 Anglesea Ave., 609-522-0152 Orthos 9am Divine Liturgy 10am
Central Bible Church 18th Ave. & Central Ave. 609-522-5917 Sunday 11am & 6pm
Angel Visit Baptist 435 W. Garfield Ave 609-522-0056
Crest Community Church
Sunday Worship 10:45am
609-522-1618
St. Simeon’s by-the-Sea Episcopal
Crocus & Pacific Aves
Sunday 9:30am Breakfast, Worship and the WORD! FOOD PANTRY, SOUP
26th & Central Ave. 609-522-8389
Sun. Morning Liturgy 10am
KITCHEN & CLOTHING ROOM: Mon 4:30-6:30
First Baptist Church
VOTED Best at the Shore PhilaDelPhia Magazine south Jersey Magazine Mainline tiMes
Maple & Atlantic Ave. 609-522-2981
The Only Britton’s
location for over 25 years!
Sunday School 10am Coffee Hour 10am
Sunday Service 11am
The Carpenter Shop
tcsministries.org
5600 Pacific Ave. Wildwood Crest, NJ • 609-522-5600 HECTOR, LENA, MARIANNE, DECLAN, ALEXIS, JOSE, HANNAH, MARIA, DEMARIS, MARIE, MAECY, ROSIE
Pastor Leo Dodd
9 Neptune Avenue Sunday 9am
North Wildwood United Methodist
4505 Park Blvd. 609-523-1444 Sunday 10am Sunday Bible Study 2p Tues. Intensive Care Prayer 6:30pm
ALL BAKING DONE ON PREMISES
Donuts • Pastries • Muffins • Bagels • Cakes • CinnaMon Buns • WorlD faMous aPPle fritters
West Wildwood Bible Church partnership with First Assembly of God
BOARDWALK CHAPEL July-Aug 4312 Boardwalk 609-523-2307 NIGHTLY PROGRAMS Mon-Sat 8PM SUN EVE Service 7PM
2nd & Central Ave. 609-522-2271 Pastor Kate Aaronson Hymn Sing: 9:15am Worship: 9:30am
HOPE PREGNANCY CENTER Herald Building Rio Grande 609-886-7022
321 West Ave. Ocean City 609-398-9449
71
Have Fun in the Sun!
“Always be yourself. Never take yourself too seriously. And beware of advice from experts, pigs and members of Parliament.” ~Kermit the Frog
Bar! All New Inside
Live Entertainment Sindi Raymond Band Saturdays all summer The Juliano Brothers Wednesdays & Fridays
7 0 8
W E S T
B U R K
AV E N U E
The Paul Moore Band Jamison Celtic Rock Animal House
For Reservations or Entertainment Schedule
Call 609-522-6336
Plenty of Free Parking for Cars & Boats
www.thewharfnj.com
INDOOR & OUTDOOR DINING • SERVING DAILY 11AM-10PM • HAPPY HOUR DAILY 11AM-6PM
THE GALLEY Beach Grill
This essay was written in 1976 by Holy Ghost Prep student Jerry Doyle and sent in by his mom, Irene, who confessed to keeping everything her children wrote or made. Industrious Jerry always wanted to own a hot dog stand, and so, in 1975, he did just that, alongside his mom and brother. They owned and operated The Galley, which was located at the end of Mariner’s Pier on Schellenger Ave., for three years before selling it.
The sun had risen from its bed beneath the sea and was already a few hours into morning as I slowly walked down the deserted Boardwalk. The amusements and concession stands were all closed and the walk reminded me of the deck of a ghost ship. It was as if an enemy pirate sailing vessel captured the thousands of people who danced on the boards the night before and left the ship to be beached along the shores of Wildwood New Jersey. The sun was now painting pictures on the water of beautif ul shades of red, orange, and yellow. It was simply magnificent. The sand aimlessly whipped around the
Brothers, Jerry & Joseph Doyle Getting The Galley ready for Summer! beach trying to find a place to hide from the bathers who are now bringing their accoutrements with them. Down by the water side a great white gull held some sort of meeting while the younger ones played with a crab who had wandered from the protection of the sea. With all this excitement, I nearly passed the pier at which I worked. I opened the gates slowly and proceeded on to the pier. The toy boats were empty and seemed to be calling for their happy young visitors of the night before. The only inhabitant
of the pier, at this time of the day was Lou. Lou was a warm hearted gentleman and referred to everyone as sonny. He arrived from Italy, so he says. with high hopes and plenty of determination but after 40 years of hard work all he had to show for it was a little patch that read “Lou , Head Janitor”. He begins each day picking up Coca-Cola cans, popcorn, cartons and gum wrappers. These unappreciated jewels are placed upon the pier by its many patrons, a right, I guess they think they have, although the pier has numerous waste baskets. But I arrive just in time to catch him leaving and listen to his problems. He’s a great man. I walked on slowly and finally realized that these were the hatch covers. The hatch covers had taken the winter punishment very badly. The locks were thoroughly rusted and covered with the white film left by the salt air. From the speckled white dots which covered the doors it didn’t take me long to realize that this had been one of the gulls favorite aerial bombing places during combat drills. The hatch covers were made of wood fit with oversized hinges for added protection. The rope handles snapped as I lifted the doors to lean them against the rusted face. Before proceeding down the stairs I looked out
over the beach and knew it was going to be a good day, for the people were already swarming onto the beach. I walked down the steps and at the bottom my feet found a puddle. I thought I had forgotten the routine of a year ago, but it all came back just like riding a bike. I open the door, turned to my left and fumbled for a while but finally found the ice machine switch, walked toward the back and flipped the grill, the bun warmer, carbonator and jet spray machine circuit breakers on. I then went to the phone, placed my orders for the week and called my friend John. The season has begun, 60 straight days of labor, but who was I kidding? Heck! I loved every minute of it. I threw open the shutters with a newly found joy and politely welcomed my first customer.
Brothers, Jerry & Joseph Doyle by their summer home in N. Wildwood c. 1960s
72 “If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.” Andrew Carnegie
The Ramsey’s Old House on Poplar Ave. WILDWOOD by-the-Sea, N.J.
Jay & Susan Ramsey
“Every old house has a beautiful story.” ~The Sun The story of Jay & Susan Ramsey’s house located on Poplar Ave. in Wildwood began in 1903. At the time it was built, the ocean was a half a block away, providing the perfect view and sea breezes from the comfort of the front porch. Jay’s grandparents bought the house in 1949. Prior to the hotel boom in the fifties, the island was filled with rooming houses. The house once operated as the Devon Apartments. Jay & Susan wanted to keep the room numbers on all the doors but have a bit of a mystery on their hands since they discovered there was no Room #8! Mystery aside, the Ramseys have spent the past five years restoring their old house, uncovering the beauty of the wood outside and, in particular, inside, which was once
hidden behind layers of carpet and flooring. They’ve been hard at work removing layers of wallpaper, replacing the entire electric and plumbing before working on the cosmetics of the house.. During the summer, they commit two hours every morning to scraping old wooden windows and door frames on the outside, following in the path Jay’s parents and grandparents lovingly paved, while setting a standard for their own children to follow, a true labor of love for their home by the sea…
If you have a Wildwood story to share with The Sun, please email thesunbythesea@gmail.com
The 2nd generation of Ramsey’s enjoying their Wildwood summer on Poplar Ave.
Happy Summer 2020
73
“Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.”
~Sophia Loren
WiLdWood by-the-sea: Nostalgia & Recipes
Originally written by Anita Hirsch, Author of “Wildwood-By-The-Sea: Nostalgia and Recipes”
Aunt Esmeralda and Teresa DeSanctis in front of the restaurant in the 1960s
Teresa making the gravy
Teresa with her grandchildren Arianna and Joseph
Teresa at the Ravioli machine in the kitchen
Aunt Esmerelda’s Restaurant
Lprobably ove ravioli or pasta? If so, you’ve eaten at the Ravioli House at
Bennett and New Jersey Ave., or had their prepared ravioli and pasta, which is sold and distributed within a 150 mile radius of Wildwood. Teresa and Antonio DeSanctis immigrated from Italy to Philadelphia as teenagers and met when they worked at a suit factory. They married in 1961 and spent their summers visiting Antonio’s Aunt Esmerelda, who made pasta in a storefront building she owned at Bennett and New Jersey Avenue. At 80 years old, Esmerelda taught Teresa, who dreamed of one day owning a restaurant, the secret to making pasta. The DeSanctis family moved to Wildwood and purchased the building from Esmerelda in 1970, and the rest, as they say, is delicious history. They worked hard and made their business a success. Popular nightclub acts stopped by during their Wildwood appearances just to taste the ravioli. Teresa and Antonio became good friends
with Tug McGraw, Wayne Newton, Joe Pesci, Al Alberts, and Julius LaRosa, proudly displaying framed photos of their famous guests on the walls of the Ravioli House. Hardworking Teresa eventually decided to open a pastry shop, which naturally meant more hard work, but it truly was a family business with her daughter, Anna Marie and now her grandchildren, Joseph and Arianna Alosi helping and giving her the incentive to continue baking her many Italian pastries. Their sweet addition was intended to offer a comforting, old world Italian feeling this side of Italy, and now even moreso with the recent addition of the bar. Celebrating 50 years of feeding the Wildwoods locals and tourists, Teresa still works part time baking specialties and making her ravioli and gravy, making sure her recipes are followed. You can find her most days in the kitchen or conversing with customers at the bar while Anna Marie remains an active part in the restaurant alongside her son Joseph, who is a proud third generation member of the Ravioli House family.
In the Ravioli House kitchen, in the 1970s, Uncle Vince, Teresa and Tony DeSanctis
The original building, C. S. Saul Hay and Feed business, next to the Ravioli House on New Jersey Ave. was located conveniently near the Pennsylvania Railroad which pulled right up to the loading platform of the warehouse. This year, the lot has been turned into a lovely outdoor dining area. Come see for yourself!
One thing that hasn’t changed in 50 years at the Ravioli House... it’s still worth waiting in line for.
The Ravioli House family, Teresa and Tony DeSanctis, Anna Marie, Joseph & Arianna
74 “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!” ~F. Scott Fitzgerald, Great Gatsby
Philadelphia’s Hopf Family during the Roaring 20s Preserving the past is our passion here at The Sun!
DN 219 E. 4th Ave. N. Wildwood 2020 Now & Then 1927
ND
Every picture contains the story of Richard & Margaret Hopf and their family in their summer bungalow that they built in 1927 at 219 E. 4th St. in North Wildwood. With each turn of the page, The Sun nostalgically brings a sense of simple pleasure, reflecting back in time when our Wildwood was first theirs. These treasured photos were found in an album in the Wildwood Historic Museum donated by the Turchi’s.
Breaking ground on 4th Ave. 1926
Richard & Margaret Hopf
Margaret Hopf with her children Richard, the youngest child and Helen the middle child
Top Step: Silver (employee of owner) Bill Hopf (brother of owner), Margaret & Richard Hopf (owners) and Albert & Elsie Briggs (sister and brotherinlaw of Margaret)
Moving Day! Lawrence Hpf (nephew) <<Hopf family photo at 219 E. 4th: (L-R) Larry Hopf (brother of owner), Harriet Whitaker (Mother of Margaret Hopf, Bill Hopf (Brother), Bill Hopf, Jr., Margaret Hopf, Richard Hopf holding daughter Helen, Dorothy Hopf (eldest daughter of owners), Christine Hopf (mother of owner) George Hopf (nephew), Albert & Elsie Briggs (sister and brotherinlaw of Margaret)
The Hopf’s on the Boardwalk
Happy Summer 2020
75
“The beach is where we remember how to shine, how to shed our shells, how to reduce speed.” ~Sandy Gingras
at their 4th Ave. Beach Bungalow
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(L-R) Dorothy Hopf Wood, oldest daughter, with husband Francis Wood, Richard Jr., mother Margaret and Helen Hopf, 1937
New Construction • Modular Homes • Renovations • Kitchens • Baths • Decks • Roofing & Siding • Fire, Flood, Storm & Wind Damage • Water & Fire Restorations The Hopf’s ~ Richard, Margaret, Helen & Dorothy at 4th St beach 1920s
Hopf’s family & friends at their summer bungalow
Helen Hopf & her summer friend, Rita Pappert, 4th St. beach 1927
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Aunt Lucy with Helen & Dorothy Hopf heading to the beach
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76 “Give me the sun and the sea and a little spot just to be.” ~Beach Proverb
For Mark & Eileen, it’s nothing but blue skies smiling at them...
My Blue Heaven, 1924 ”What makes the world go round? Nothing but love When whippoorwill calls And evening is nigh I hurry to my blue heaven I turn to the right A little white light Will lead you to my blue heaven...”
& k r a M s ’ n e e l Ei
For Mark & Eileen there’s no truer words... “Where living all year ‘round is a vacation every day!”
For Mark & Eileen Smith, their heaven on earth was discovered in a bright blue
cottage by the sea located on 3rd Ave. in North Wildwood. They purchased this historic property in 1999, once owned by Lineous & Ella Bright. The house was built somewhere between 1909 and 1917. It truly was a labor of home-renovation love. After years of being a neglected rental property, with its heavily carpeted floors and cheap paneling on top of layers of wallpaper, among other shoddy renovations, Mark and Eileen have painstakingly brought it back to its original glory. They worked on one room per year, beginning with renovating the kitchen, which opened up the proverbial “can of worms,” leading to a complete rewiring from the existing knob and tube electric. Three years into their seaside adventure, when they were almost finished, the stateof-the-art boiler system failed to work and the pipes froze due to the fact that the heat never came back on, causing the floors to buckle and forcing them to redo them all over again! The Smith’s got to work, replacing the old radiators with beautiful, more efficient, European style ones that take up less room. Today, about 99% of the wood, including moldings, window, door frames, doors and flooring, are all original. A set of French doors grace the living room, separating it from the front porch. Thanks to a visit to the Wildwood Historic Museum, the Smiths learned the reason for this design. During the days of influenza plagues, it was common for homes at the shore, which was advertised as a “health resort,” to be built with “sick rooms.” Cottages came complete with front porches that included heat and many windows to let in an abundance of sunshine and sea air. (It was the epitome of a health resort at home). Mark and Eileen have created years of good-for-the-soul summer memories with their sons, fondly recalling a past summer job when they worked at Adam & Zebes, a quaint cafe once located at 1st & Central. They lovingly dubbed their seaside abode Blue Heaven, a reflection of their love for the color blue, which can be found in almost every room of the house, as well as their love for Key West and a favorite outdoor restaurant named Blue Heaven. Since 2010, Mark and Eileen have lived in their heavenly cottage full-time and are so thankful for the road that led to their very own blue heaven...where their dreams were realized right here by the true blue sea…
Even the bathroom is heavenly in blue with a new-vintage tub
Every room is a different shade of blue
Happy Summer 2020
77
“As you get older, three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can’t remember the other two.” ~Sir Norman Wisdom
Mark & Eileen’s ‘Blue Heaven’ was once home to Lineous & Ella Bright
dear
Thanks to Lineus’ grandkids, the Fath’s, for the Old Photos Clara Bright Fath was born in 1914 to Lineous and Ella Bright in North Wildwood. She grew up at 214 E. 3rd Ave. (now “Blue Heaven”) with her older sister Beatrice and younger brothers William and Lewis . Clara married Dr. Marcus Fath in 1937. They had 8 children. Clara was a registered nurse and worked alongside her husband Dr. Marcus A. Fath in his family practice at their home on Glenwood Ave. She lived to be 102. (This photo is taken in the same spot where Mark & Eileen are standing!)
The photo is of my parents, Dr. Marcus & Mrs. Clara Fath that I believe were taken in North Wildwood in August 1935. I have so many fond memories growing up on Glenwood Avenue. Your paper is fantastic! Keep up the great work! ~Mary Jane Kemmerling Dr. Marcus & Mrs. Clara (Bright) Fath, c. 1935
Clara
1924
Blue Heaven ~ The Bright’s Rooms
The Fath’s in their Glenwood Ave. home
The Fath’s c. 1960 (L-R) Bob, Mary Jane with Jimmy in front and Tommy. The story about this photo that they still laugh at to this day is the day they lost Jimmy on the beach at Glenwood Ave beach where they spent most of their summer days.
NOW & THEN Clara
Clara and her children on her 100th birthday in 2014
1920
Lineous & Ella Bright and kids in front of their house on 3rd Ave. The little tree in front of the house is now a 100 yr. old Sycamore
Lineous Bright in his later years
Lineous & Ella’s daughter Clara’s family, the Fath’s, c. 1978
78 “I’m gonna sit right here on the edge of this pier, watch the sun disappear. . . and drink a beer.” ~Luke Bryan
COASTLINE CONSTRUCTION
FISHING SHACK RISES FROM GRASSY SOUND by Cathy Tchorni
How many who cross the George Redding bridge into Wildwood notice the collection of cottages below? This vibrant community, Grassy Sound, finds its origins in the early development of Wildwood. Small shacks, functional and strong, were built by fishermen that chugged the intracoastal waterway to earn a living. Side by side with small marinas and eateries, the area thrived. Grassy Sound stretches along the waterway from Wildwood to the tip of North Wildwood by its bridge.
This old fishing cottage was built in the 1930s. A couple bought it about 8 years ago, thinking it only needed to be raised, a deck added plus relatively minor, necessary repairs. They hired a contractor. In the process of raising the cottage the back fell off into the bay, a worker was injured and the company abandoned the project, uncompleted and vulnerable. The town of Wildwood and Rick Davis, owner of Coastline Builders LLC, who is a lifelong resident of Wildwood and builds/renovates all his jobs here, worked together to secure the home. Rick added sturdy stairs and a deck to allow safe access for his crew, crossbraced the pylons, and put plywood across the back of the house. Kudos to the owners for opting for renovation instead of demolition. The owners requested Coastline Builders salvage the old, while adding to it. All supplies needed to be lugged by hand across catwalks from West Rio Grande Avenue. However, the house could not be saved, another blow to the owners. The front wall and footprint of the old shack remained, and an addition and restoration began. As Rick mentioned back in the autumn of 2019, while working on the house, “Progress is coming along day by day! Not a bad place to work! View, breeze, sunshine. What more can you ask for?” Rick told me that his employees often preferred to eat their lunches on the deck to watch the boat traffic and enjoy the abovementioned delights. Because of its unprotected location, zoning required hurricane straps and extra ceiling and wall joists for the cottage to withstand hurricane-force winds. The house has been sided, but interior work has not resumed because the unexpected problems created difficulties for the owners. Work will resume within a year. Rick showed me the wooden pathway that leads from the house into the sound, which is part of the property. He is replacing wood as he obtains scrap from other builds. At the end of the walkway is a new ladder that will lower owners and visitors’ access to the water. He also said that the City of Wildwood runs above-ground water and sewer pipes to all the houses in Grassy Sound. The water is turned off, pipes flushed usually around November 1, then turned back on around April 1. All the homes are seasonal. On a beautiful day in March when Rick gave me a tour of the house, it was hard to imagine the dangers associated with high winds and driving rain, and its punishing assault… Instead owners look forward to 7 months of Heaven on Earth.
Happy Summer 2020
79
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The Wildwood Kid Fourth grader Chase Kelly has such enthusiasm for Wildwood that puts him in a class by himself. Don’t let his young age fool you! Chase loves Wildwood so much that he even created a brochure as a school project! His love for this “Five MIle Beach” makes him the perfect person to welcome visitors to the island. He can’t wait to return every summer with his family and do all of his favorite things! Here is Chase, front & center, with his parents and brother and his brother’s girlfriend during their 2019 summer vacation. (Their names have been lost in cyberspace... so sorry!)
ERNEST TROIANO, Jr. President CONCRETE & MASONRY CONTRACTORS
Four Generations Serving THE WILDWOODS & Cape May County for over 100 years! QUALITY COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL WORK troianojr@comcast.net P 609-522-3355 C 609-517-0970
80 “Well, it’s not far down to paradise, at least it’s not for me. . .And if the wind is right you can sail away and find tranquility...” christopher cross
Summers at the
GREATER WILDWOOD YACHT CLUB by Taylor Henry
Commodore Cheryl Gublo with her husband Jake and sons, Steve, Dave and Michael
On Forget-Me-Not Road in Wildwood
Crest overlooking Sunset Lake is the Greater Wildwood Yacht Club (GWYC). This club has been a staple of the island since 1938, when four men originally met on the yacht of Crest Mayor Palmer Way. Although called a yacht club, today GWYC has no vessels longer than 23 feet in its boat slips. Rather, the club has a clubhouse, youth sailing program, adult sailing and facilities for boats and jet skis. “We’re the fun club”, said Commodore Cheryl Gublo. “If you ever come by at sunset on a summer Sunday, you will see many of our members on the back deck.” “We have a grill that’s accessible to our members to use at any time.” Gublo got involved with GWYC almost ten years ago, when her family joined so their youngest son could learn to sail. One of the club’s most popular programs is its 7 week youth sailing program that started decades ago. Children, ages 8-17, learn the art and discipline of navigating the waters without the help of motors and local children from Crest Memorial School have even been offered sailing memberships through an essay contest. “How awesome is it to be on the water all day?” Gublo asked, “Sailing is a wonderful thing for kids to learn.” Gublo estimates over 100 families take advantage of the various activities offered by the club. Every summer, the youth sailors show off their skills in the Mid-Atlantic Yacht Racing Association (MAYRA) South Jersey Summer Series Regatta held on Sunset Lake. Gublo believes that sailing builds character because it requires honesty, integrity, perserverance and patience. “Sailing, like golf, is a sport where you
have to police yourself,” Gublo said. One example of this discipline was when a sailor missed a mark while making a turn during a race. “He took himself out of the race. They said to him later, ‘Nobody would have known’, and he said, ‘I would have known.’ In the off season, the club members gather for winter dinners at local restaurants. Another aspect of GWYC which helps it stand apart from other yacht clubs is its casual atmosphere. “Other clubs may look at us and say “they are such a small club,” Gublo said. We’re the blue collar club, not the pinkies out club. You can come to most Saturday night dinners in shorts and it is okay. Gublo is proud of how the club balances its storied traditions with inclusivity. Today the leadership of the club is made up of a majority of women. “We’ve got social members, without boats or children,” Gublo said. “They are just looking for a place to go, either to sit on the back deck, come to a dinner or use the club paddle boards and kayaks.” “We’ve got motor boaters, jet skiers, and sailing families…our members are young, old, male and female.” GWYC is always welcoming new members from all walks of life. Stay tuned for a rescheduled Regatta date in August! www.greaterwildwoodyachtclub.org
GWYC 2020 Flag Officers (l to r), Vice Commodore - Colleen Xydis, Commodore - Cheryl Gublo and Rear Commodore - Heather Long
Happy Summer 2020
81 “Always be humble and kind.” ~Tim McGraw, Ephesians 4:2
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82 “In the pot of life, if you want to keep cooking, you have to keep stirring.” ~The Platte Philosopher
CANAL SIDE CRABBING BAIT & & FISHING TACKLE SINCE 1947 SUPPLIES SUPPLIES CLAMS DAILY LIVE - STEAMED CRABS - SHRIMP -
My Father’s Clam Chowder Submitted by Paula Gallagher
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Paul Harmonson and Bill Parkinson with their bounty of clams Paula Gallagher fondly recalls the house her family had in Holgate, LBI back in the 1970s, when the bay was beautiful with just a few marinas and miles of untouched beach at the southern end of the island. Her dad expertly mapped out where the best clams were and he and Paula, or whoever his clamming companion happened to be that day, would walk for hours at low tide, raking up clams and filling his special clamming basket. Her dad even crafted his own version made from a round laundry basket tied inside a big, black inner tube that would float with the basket tied around his waist (a proud invention).
Paula fortunately had no fear of the crabs but remembers her dad spotting a shark a few times (thankfully never during her clamming days, but during a time when the movie Jaws was petrifying beachgoers everywhere). Paula misses those long days of being burnt, tired and water logged and the times she spent with her dad in the bay where they had the best talks. Initially, their house was just a tiny bungalow right on the ocean her parents bought for “practically nothing” in 1967. Her dad was a builder and got to work, putting on 26 foot pilings (they slid it forward, then jacked it up, then slid it back with the help of Ivory soap, another proud invention). They added a 2nd floor, complete with a deck and amazing views, and covered the house with fresh cut Jersey white cedar shakes from her dad’s sawmill. Sadly, her dad passed in 1987 at only 60 years old. That house, however, was his baby and being there made everyone feel closer to him. Around 2002, her mom decided to sell the house, which happily led to them switching coastal gears and going to Wildwood. Now Paula is a proud Wildwood lover. She studied its infamous history, collected postcards and fell in love with the island. The SUN also became a big part of their Wildwood days, teaching them so much about their newfound, seaside paradise.
PAUL HARMONSON’S CLAM CHOWDER Dice 2 med. onions, 2 green peppers, 1 cup celery and sauté them in 8 tbsp. of butter. Add 6 tbsp. of flour to this mixture. Scold 16 large clams and their juice and 5 cups of water. Add to vegetable mixture and bring to a boil. Add 6 cups diced potatoes and 2 cans of diced tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes then add 8 tbsp. of ketchup, 2 tbsp. chopped parsley, 1 tsp. salt, half tsp. pepper and 1/4 tsp. each of red pepper, marjoram and thyme. Bring to a boil and serve! Enjoy!
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Happy Summer 2020
83
“When asked if my cup is half-full, my only response is that I am THANK-FULL I have a cup.” ~Daily Bread Come gather around the table!
Beautiful Beach-Themed Atmosphere Large Screen TVs
Clams �o Fame!
Specialty Cocktails Wine List Extensive Gluten Free Options
Back in the day, the Wildwood Boardwalk had its own HoJo’s (From the postcard collection of Woody Garrison) BY THE IRREVERENTLY RETIRED
OPEN DAILY from 12 noon OUTSIDE PATIO DINING
BREAKFAST Coming Soon!
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Cathy Tchorni Here’s another contribution to Wildwood’s claim to fame – clam provider to Howard Johnson’s! The first restaurant first opened in 1929 in Quincy, Mass. – and clams were on the menu along with 28 flavors of ice cream. The Soffron Bros. Clam Company originally provided Howard Johnson’s with Ipswitch clams but did you know Howard Johnson’s struck a deal for surf clams in Wildwood with Don Long, a businessman and founder of Duffer’s Ice Cream Parlor. Don rented space from Erik Kirkeberg, a man with extensive docks that sold fish and repaired dredging machinery. Eventually, Howard Johnson, the founder, developed his own fleet of boats, called the “Howard Johnson Navy” that went out at 5am, and returned at 10:30pm, traveling three hours to get to the clam beds. In 1948 less than 5 million pounds of surf clams were pulled from the Wildwood area. Just a few years later the catch jumped to 50 million pounds. 130,000 pounds of clams daily were shucked and cleaned in Wildwood, creating 2600 pounds of white clam flesh to be processed into strips. Refrigerated trucks delivered the clams overnight to processing plants in Queens Village, New York and Brockton, Mass. There they were sliced, dusted with a seasoning mix, dipped in batter, rolled in seasoned breading, fried quickly, then frozen.
20 BEERS on TAP including large selection of local brewery beers
Howard Johnson’s became an immediately recognizable icon all over the U.S., with its orange roofs, low profile and similar menus. The chain expanded after the Depression. Howard Johnson’s restaurants was the exclusive food service on the New Jersey Turnpike. Until Wildwood’s pairing with Howard Johnson’s, clams were largely unknown west of Pennsylvania. Because clam strips appeared on Howard Johnson menus all over the United States, the menu item introduced clams to middle and western United States. Wildwood enjoyed two Howard Johnson eateries on the Boardwalk. One was a walk-up to order one of 28 flavors of ice cream. The other was a full-service restaurant, pictured above on Cedar Ave. Note: This information is from “Clams are King of the Coast”, an undated article, or possible advertisement. The full article is located at the Wildwood Historical Society Museum, 3907 Pacific Avenue.
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84 “We got banned from the pool forever that day, but everytime we walked by, the lifeguard looked at Squints and smiled...” ~Sandlot
“THe Bronze Goddess” by Anthony Policastro
Laura Policastro
Anthony & Billy trying out the bicycle built-for-two
“Laura”
M
Anthony & Laura Policastro
y name Is Anthony Policastro and at the age of 16, during an otherwise ordinary day at the beach, I had an extraordinary encounter with my very own goddess (who up until that point was unaware of my devotion, or my existence). That would soon change... I observe the bronze goddess. She is sitting next to Atlas atop the lifeguard station keeping a watchful eye on the bathers swimming and floundering around in the waves of the ocean. She never takes her eyes from them and suddenly I am jealous. I saunter across the sand to the edge of the water and waddle into the breaking and foaming white waves. Although the water feels much warmer now, under the hot afternoon sun, than it did in the early morning, I am still chilled when it splashes up against my legs and thighs, wetting my bathing trunks. The beach is crowded with little children running in and out of the shallow water. They appear to be racing the waves. I can hardly swim without bumping into someone. I swim further out to get away from the crowd and before I know it, I hear a whistle – a series of long shrilling blasts coming from the direction of the shore. I look back and I wonder what all the commotion is about. It occurs to me that perhaps someone – some unfortunate bather - is in danger of drowning. As I crest a wave, I see my bronze goddess as she jumps down from off her lifeguard station and runs across the sand. She dives into the water and swims vigorously making long, strong, and powerful strokes. I am amazed and astonished by her upper-body strength. When I crest
another wave, I see the windmill of her arms and her body cutting through the water like a dolphin. In the meantime, Atlas pulls the rowboat from its berth and single-handedly drags it across the sand and into the water. I see him as he jumps into the rowboat and rows vigorously against the tide and the pounding waves. I see the bow of the boat cresting the waves, being lift precariously into the air one moment, and then descending the next, like a ton of bricks falling from a skyscraper, leaving a wake in its path. It occurs to me that my bronze goddess is swimming in my direction. She is swimming directly toward me. I turn around in the water and look at the vast ocean to see if some fool had swum further out than I had and might be in trouble with cramps in deep water and too weak to swim back to the shore. But all I see are the rolling waves, the Laughing and Herring seagulls circling and skimming the water for fish, and a few steamers – small, metallic, iridescent dots reflecting the sun – chugging along at the illusory horizon where the sea meets the sky. Suddenly, I realize that my bronze goddess and Atlas are swimming and rowing out here to rescue me. I am horrified by the idea. What am I to do? I decide that I should make it look good or else I shall never hear the end of it from Billy. He will laugh and ridicule me in front of my friends, and, perhaps, even in front of my bronze goddess. So, I start thrashing about in the water, flailing my arms wildly and creating a spectacle. I gulp some water, so the bronze goddess and Atlas might have something to pump out of me besides the hot dogs and fries and the fudgy wudgie bar I had consumed for lunch. The bronze goddess is the first to
reach me and I am nervous, and I hope she doesn’t see through my innocent charade. Just as she reaches me, I sink below the water and feel her prehensile arms sliding and wrapping themselves around my chest and upper torso. She pulls me up to the surface and I spit out water. I get a good close-up look at her and she is gorgeous and beautiful. I see strands of yellow blond hair peeking out from beneath her cap. She has deep, blue eyes (like the sea) that sparkle against her tawny soft complexion. Her nose is a small and straight and narrow. Her teeth are like the mother-of-pearls a diver might find in some mollusks – pearly white and perfectly shaped. I think I’m in love! In fact, I know I’m in love! Before I realize what is happening, she has me floating on my back and she is supporting me with her body and her breasts are pressed up against me. I don’t know how long I can manage this without screaming. Atlas comes up alongside of us now and he wants to lift me into the rowboat, but my bronze goddess waves him off and takes me all the way back to shore. She plops me down on the sand and begins mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and I think I am in heaven. By now, six or seven lifeguards from nearby lifeguard stations run over to assist my bronze goddess and Atlas. A large crowd gathers and presses in around us. Atlas shouts to the crowd, “Step back! Step back!” I open my eyes and I see my brother Billy smirking and grinning at me. My mother and father have a worried look on their faces and my mother is wringing her hands. I spit and cough up some more water and my bronze goddess – her gorgeous face is right above mine – says, “So, you’re alive? How do you feel? Take it easy. You’re gonna be all right.”
Anthony’s family vacationed at the A&J Motel, privately owned by Mr. and Mrs. Miele - located between Spicer & Spencer Avenues A jeep pulls up with a stretcher and Atlas and several other lifeguards pick me up and place me on the stretcher. Then, they lift me into the jeep and drive me over to the first aid station. As the jeep pulls away, I lift my head from the stretcher and see the concerned and tawny face of my bronze goddess. I am thinking God is she lovely. My mother and father and brother meet me at the first aid station where I am examined by a physician and then released. The physician, a young man in his late thirties, says I’m lucky to be alive and that I should stay out of the water for the rest of the day. He also says that I should thank the lifeguard who saved my life. My mother and father are relieved that I’m still alive, but I am not so sure about Billy. He is laughing and grinning at me as we are walking back to our blanket. He tells Mom that I had faked the drowning, so I might be rescued and kissed by my bronze goddess. I call him four eyes and I am ready to knock his glasses off his face but I’m too tired to even bother with him. Instead, I lay myself down on the blanket, under the umbrella, and close my eyes. I fall asleep dreaming about my bronze goddess.
Happy Summer 2020
85
“Life is full of give and take. Give thanks and take nothing for granted.” ~a Thankful heart
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86 “Tight lines, warm breezes, good friends, plenty of bait it doesn’t get any better. . .” ~Happy fishing!
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PARASAIL TOURS 609-522-6060 My Memories of West Wildwood KAREN & POP POP 1971
Nostalgically submitted by Karen Kruszawski Coyle
My love for West Wildwood began in 1971, when I was barely two years old. We’d cross that old rickety Grassy Sound Bridge and see Wildwood on the horizon. My Pop Pop rented a small bungalow on Maple Avenue for a week’s vacation. For the next 16 years, my family spent our summer vacations in West Wildwood, first in a house across the street from Dino’s Motel, then we rented the second floor apartment above the only variety store on Glenwood Ave. from a woman named Inga Dewald, who had the patience of Job!
The kids would go to her store and just stare at all the candy because they had a hard time picking out what they wanted to buy with their nickels and dimes. She made the best pizza. I remember her walking her dog, Neptune and hearing her calling him in her German accent. I remember from a young age swimming in the bay in my inflatable canoe and my grandparents teaching me how to crab in that very bay. As I got older, I made friends with other kids on vacation. We’d ride our bikes around West Wildwood, play miniature golf at Bedrock Golf Course (West Wildwood’s only golf course) and participate at the annual block party held near the municipal building. I remember people asking me, “Where is West Wildwood?” I would simply answer, “go over Glenwood Ave., cross the little bridge over the lagoon, check to see if the tide is in or out, and you’re in West Wildwood, where the best memories were made by a little girl and her family.
I hope this past winter has been kind to all as we waited for the start of a new fishing season. I am sure between the pandemic and the confusion about surviving it has been concerning to most of you. If you have been spared the loss of a loved one count your blessing. As we gradually return to our normal lifestyles, we will understand how fortunate we are to live in this wonderful country of the U. S. Well on a good note the locust swarm was called off so we can concentrate on the fishing season. Fishing has always been one of a few ventures which keep me sane thru these crazy times. The spring has been difficult due to unseasonal cool water temps and consistent winds kept boats tied to their docks. Stripers in the extreme southern part of New Jersey have been difficult t0 locate and hard to find them willing to bite. Schools of herring and bunkers in the ocean kept them content with full bellies. Early spring catches of short stripers in the back-bay waters seemed to be the best option. Some nice sized stripers leaving the Delaware Bay after spawning were bigger fish. The herring and bunkers provided free dinners for the Bluefish which showed up in mid July in pursuit of free dinners. The drum fish arrived early in the Delaware Bay on the South Jersey side. The full moon in April had the bite full on and they brought their appetites. I always enjoy tying into one of largest inshore fish that we can catch. This year I used real light tackle and enjoyed reeling in two fish in the 50-pound range. Doug Nordberg (see picture) caught his first drum and was all smiles. He found out that drum can give you a heck of a fight. This year has been a string of good years for the drum fish. Drum will leave the Delaware bay in June. July will bring the flounder to the forefront as they migrant from the back bays to the shoals and reefs in the ocean. No question that they are the prime species for most anglers. Seabass will also be available but will be limited by regulations. Weakfish (grey trout) seemed to be increasing in numbers and size for
anyone who makes the effort to catch them. As the water continues to warm up you can add trigger fish to the growing list of species to be caught. The offshore fishing will start to heat up in late June. The canyons tips should hold some gulfstream water with Mahi, Tuna, and White Marlin creating a unique opportunity to experience something unique. The diversity of species with cobalt colored water gulf stream water with clarity of 60 feet. Inshore trolling (20-30] miles off the beach could give you the chance for some small yellow fin tuna, bluefin tuna, and some Dolphin fish. Chunking is another option for the Tuna. The availability of charters for these offshore fish can be arranged thru out Cape May County. Local tackle shops can also provide information on fishing on bridges, jetties and back bay. Now is the time to get outdoors and clear your brain of the toxic captivity we all have experience lately.
God Bless,
Captain Gary Sloan, North Wildwood, NJ
Doug Nordberg with his first Drum
Happy Summer 2020
87
“Desserts are the fairytales of the kitchen; a happily-ever-after to supper.” ~Terri Guillemet
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Wildwood through Time
1916 Photo from the Wildwood Historic Museum
1930s Photo from the Wildwood Historic Museum
This iconic photo was sent in by Celeste Mariner of her mother Carol behind the Wildwood sign, with her sisters Jane and Celeste and a friend behind the wheel at the Casino Arcade on the boardwalk in Wildwood, N.J.
Jesse Hawkins & Charles Cook in the 1930s on North Wildwood beach. An interesting note, especially during these days of the plague, Charles, who was born in 1913 in Philadelphia, had polio as a child. The doctor told his parents he needed to get to the shore for some healing salt air. They bought a bungalow on Mace Ave. in Anglesea which is still in the family. ~Submitted by Debbie Mooers of her grandfather Jesse and his cousin
88 “The day you decide to do it is your lucky day.” ~Fortune cookie
“WHILE YOU WERE AWAY. . . “ “Long stormy spring-time, wet contentious April, winter chilling the lap of very May; but at length the season of summer does come.” ~Thomas Carlyle
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A bit of breezy chat about the island’s happenings from Labor Day 2019 through Memorial Day 2020 Following the memorable Summer of 2019, the cold, fortunately, took its sweet time (never really) arriving, as we enjoyed a sunny autumn in Wildwood by-the-sea. With warm, summer memories in our hearts, the seaside party continued well into the fall, as we enjoyed the always-popular Irish Fall Festival and the crowd-pleaser Boots on the Beach. Pumpkin-flavored, well, everything, blended perfectly with our ever-present “sea salt” as the holidays arrived in family-friendly, Wildwood style. The celebration continued into a brand-new seaside decade, where much needed beach construction and renovations took center stage. The stage was being set for the Summer of 2020, beginning on such a promising note with a major headliner country fest on the horizon as well as the president taking the stage at the Wildwoods Convention Center in January. . . but oh how times have changed since that chilly winter day. As Spring was about to arrive, all the island was wearing their green in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day, when we were suddenly hit with the arrival of an unexpected guest in the form of COVID-19. Along with quarantines and school closures, so many of our plans for the golden Summer shining on the horizon, came to a screeching halt. While so many events cancelled, we’re hopeful they will return next year. In true Sun-fashion we choose to look on the brighter side of life and be grateful for what remains during these uncertain times, a sunny spot for our beach chairs, conversations on our favorite porches, Seawall strolls and Boardwalk bike rides, all still happily found right here on the sandy shores of Wildwood by-the-sea…but before we (and the calendar) get there, we invite you to take a brief step back in off-season time to the noteworthy events that happened... While You Were Away. . .
Weather Report
As George Carlin once said, (in what is
probably the most accurate weather forecast of all time): “The weather will continue to change on and off for a long, long, time.” Wildwood experienced balmy weather during the Summer of 2019, with the exception of one little heat wave that arrived just in time for Christmas in July weekend. Temps reached triple digits... with no sea breezes, the heat caused many to stay inside the air conditioning for the weekend. September offered perfect weather (the calm before the storm) until Hurricane season hit…thankfully, there were no direct hits, but the storms kept the ocean swell very high. Along came October… Followed by a perfect September and five weeks of dry sunny beach days, including a 96° day on Oct. 2nd, which extended locals’ summer at the shore, causing many to take the day off and head to the beach. A colorful October soon turned into “Oct-colder.” On October 10 th, a storm surge had the ocean barreling over the North Wildwood Seawall ... Nor’easter Melissa sat out at sea for several days bringing severe beach erosion. The Harvest Full Moon was also to blame for the seven consecutive cycles of above normal high tides that caused coastal flooding that tore apart the beaches, penetrating the north end dunes, leaving up to 15’ cliffs. The beach erosion in North Wildwood was significant enough to have the Cape May County Office of Emergency Management request the state to evaluate the assessments by the county towns for potential federal funds from a declaration of a disaster. Mayor Patrick Rosenello held a press conference at 7th St. beach overlooking the storm’s aftermath. October 16th brought with it another Nor’easter but a mild November and December would soon arrive, ushering in perfect weather for the Christmas parade! Byrne Plaza was jam packed for the festivities! Unfortunately, it was followed by a rainy week that luckily cleared up in time for the first but well-attended Holly Beach Park Christmas Wonderland. Continues on next page. . .
Happy Summer 2020
89
“Lively up yourself-and have a good time.” ~Bob Marley
“ W ILDWOOD - A NEW SEASON“ With December 11th came the first and only inch of morning snow that was all gone by 9am! Overall, the Christmas holidays were some of the warmest on record finishing out 2019 as one of the warmest years in recorded history. A brand-new decade began by the sea, with mild temps until mid-January, when Mother Nature reminded us that it was indeed winter and seasonably cold weather settled in, freezing over the meadows on Grassy Sound. Despite having escaped the typical Winter in Wildwood weather, we happily entered an early spring, with a very mild February and early Spring predictions from the famous groundhog of Puxatony. March offered mild temperatures and sunny skies, however, a storm of unexpected and unprecedented proportions arrived like a slow moving hurricane, Corona. March Sadness While the nation slowly shut down due to the Coronavirus, as people everywhere practiced “social distancing,” while relying on social media, we here in Wildwood by-the-sea used our time to appreciate life’s quieter things, like seawall strolls, walks on the beach, and boardwalk bike rides... patiently awaiting Summer!
North Wildwood News
Mitigating Floods - The City of North Wildwood and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) are working on a Flood Hazard Mitigation project to build a pump-station in the City’s Olde New Jersey/Spruce Ave. parking lot in an effort to lessen flooding along the City’s emergency access route. The pumps will be below ground level and powered by electricity, with a backup generator constructed in the municipal parking lot that borders Old New Jersey Avenue. Beach Erosion and an Extended Bulkhead North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello’s office was inundated with calls over the concern of the new bulkhead installed along JFK Boulevard from 7th-13th Avenue. The Mayor explained, “This winter was particularly hard on our beach between 2nd-15th Avenue. While our inlet beach has grown tremendously over the past few months, the dune and beach profile between 7th and 15th Avenue
Owen’s Pub
has been dramatically altered due to erosion. I am confident, however, that we will have a reconstructed dune and beach front in place to protect our infrastructure, provide natural habitat and access to our waterfront in time for Memorial Day Weekend. Together with the City of Wildwood Public Works, a private contractor and our own Public Works Department, we are stockpiling large amounts of sand to help reconstruct our dunes and our beach front prior to the coming summer.” North Wildwood Sewer Rates Increase City Council voted to increase sewer rates during the three offseason quarters of the year from $4 per 1,000 gallons to $5 per 1,000 gallons, said North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello. Rosenello stated sewer users should be responsible for sewer repairs as opposed to being paid equally by taxpayers. Sewer expenses were passed along in tax rate for several years. The more a homeowner used, the more they paid. Rosenello believed it was unfair for people who used sewer minimally to have to split the cost with people whose sewer usage is higher. “We’re getting hammered right now,” Rosenello said, pointing to beach replenishment, seawall extension and repair, a pump station project and other projects on the city’s books. “The taxes are not going up as much as they would,” Rosenello said. “That’s not to say that the taxes haven’t been going up because of these huge capital projects that have been hitting us.” Tearing Down and Building Up In February plans were being devised to knock down the volunteer firehouse located at 15th Street & Central Ave. in North Wildwood and restore its paid fire company’s home, located between 4 th & 5th Streets on New Jersey Ave., to house the volunteer department’s volunteers and equipment, allowing volunteers and paid members to work together in case of a fire. Children’s Fresh Air Home News The summer of 2019 marked the 123rd consecutive year for The Children’s Fresh Air Home, with their “If Just For A Day” summer program providing over 250 kids a day of beach, boardwalk and even barbeque. Continues on next page. . .
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90 “Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought life would be like and learn to find joy in the story you are actually living.”
Celebrating Our 12th Season Overlooking Historic Otten’s Harbor
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“WHILE YOU WERE AWAY. . . “ They launched their “Help Us Cut the Ribbon” campaign, with an additional $250,000 still needed to complete the first two floors’ interior, which includes heating and air conditioning, enabling them to offer day trips and overnight programs. With the exterior finished, they can expect a soft opening for the Summer of 2020. They are gratefully accepting donations care of The Children’s Fresh Air Home, P.O. Box 413, Haddonfield, NJ 08033. North Wildwood Italian-American Festival Ends In October 2019, Grand Knight Joseph R. Rogowski Jr. announced his retirement as chairman of the Knights of Columbus Council 2572. The Knights of Columbus will no longer be hosting the city’s ItalianAmerican festival due to a lack of volunteers. Sun Shines on the Fallen Heroes The Fallen Hero Plunge, organized by Dennis Dool, took place on February 22nd. Beneath sunny skies, a recordbreaking 1250 were running, skipping and walking their way into a 42 degree ocean. Proceeds support the Philadelphia Fallen Heroes Fund, MRSA Awareness and local scholarships.
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A Greater Gateway in Wildwood A $10 million grant was received from the county working hand in hand with the city of Wildwood to create an improved gateway onto the island by installing a water pump system, with final phase this year of adding DooWop Wildwood signage and stunning sculptures designed by Stokes Architects. The project began under the direction of former Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano with the main priority to reduce flooding by redirecting floodwaters to the back bay. It looks amazing! Road Improvements The City of Wildwood plans on reducing flooding while updating infrastructure within the next three years, according to head of Public Works Christopher Damico, with a master plan to “rebuild Wildwood from the ground up,” as stated by former Mayor Ernie Troiano. The majority of the project consists of repaving streets, replacing sidewalks and curbs and renovating the foundation, of which the majority of underground pipes have not been replaced since the turn of the 20th century.
The 2020 phase involves Hildreth and Lake Avenues, with the infrastructure work coinciding with Cape May County’s pump station project. New Decade New Wildwood Government In 2020, a new slate of commissioners was sworn in, including new Mayor Pete Byron, deputy mayor Steve Mikulski and Krista Fitzsimons, who will oversee the Department of Public Affairs & Public Safety. Fitzsimons, a Wildwood school board member as well as the program coordinator/planner for the Cape May County Division of Aging and Disability Services, while Mikulski, a Navy veteran and owner of Key West Café, promised despite difficult challenges ahead, 2020 would be a historic year for the city, with positive changes ahead. Trump Comes to Town Trump on a Tram? Well, no, but President Trump, alongside newly Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, did, indeed come to town on January 28th for a rally, marking the first time a sitting president visited Cape May County since Benjamin Harrison appeared in 1891. The city of Wildwood sprang to life, with many local boardwalk shops and restaurants open for business. Red, white and blue banners reading Trump hung from otherwise empty motels and more than 100,000 tickets were given out forTrump’s appearance at the Convention Center. Nearby, a pop-up shop was selling Trump-themed merchandise which included flags, hats and clothing items. Historical Society Happenings Following Al Brannen stepping down to a regular board member position, Taylor Henry, newly-elected President of the Board of the Wildwood Historical, gratefully acknowledged all the organization achieved during their 56th stellar year of operation, hosting thousands of visitors from across the globe in 2019, reaching 10k followers across social media and TripAdvisor’s Top 10 must-see places in the Wildwoods. Traveling by Tram The cost of riding the tram car increased by 50¢ to $4. in response to the New Year’s Day 2020 increase in minimum wage. Continues on next page. . .
Happy Summer 2020
91
“Music is the divine way to tell beautiful poetic things to the heart.“– Cellist conductor Pablo Casals
“ W ILDWOOD - A NEW SEASON“ Wildwood Crest News
Recycling in the Crest The Borough of Wildwood Crest’s Green Team, a committee of local volunteers tasked with creating plans, applying programs and supporting educational prospects backing the foundation of an environmental community through successful government practices, is taking part in an initiative through the Trex Company to gather and recycle plastic bags and related items. If the borough collects over 500 pounds of plastic refuse in a six-month period, Trex will donate a composite bench to the borough. For more information, contact Deborah Rogers at (609) 729-8089. Safer Bike Riding in the Crest Police Department Commissioners recently discussed permitting bike riding on the sidewalk along Sunset Lake, possibly painting a bike lane wide enough for two directions of bike traffic. Police Capt. Robert Lloyd, the officer-incharge, cited that riding in the street is too dangerous. Mayor Don Cabrera stated, “People have to learn to peacefully coexist. Be mindful and courteous to one another.” Sunrise Park Renovations A threeblock-long beachfront park located between Lotus and Rambler Roads in Wildwood Crest, will be refurbished by means of a grant from the county’s Open Space Board. Revised plans included additional parking in a lot along Beach Avenue. Sunrise Park contains a gazebo and a small playground, with plans to include another playground for older kids, making an interactive, programmable water feature and more exercise equipment. Planning a Unique Pier ExperienceWildwood Crest Borough Commissioners planned to complete a renovation project for the borough’s historic fishing pier at Heather Road and the beach, with the pressure on to complete the project before the Army Corps of Engineers dune elevation project, scheduled to be completed within the next two years, according to Borough Administrator Constance Mahon. The ‘long-talked-about’ Dune Project could speed up the timeline for what may be a major pier renovation, with borough officials hoping to create an iconic tourist landmark, drawing surfing and volleyball competitions, among others,
with the pier becoming a major point of interest as well as a top tourist spot, with potential shops or restaurants, vendors and fishing. The goal of the pier, obtained by the borough from a private fishing club in 2006, is to turn it back into a fishing pier by extending it 500 to 1,000 feet, widening it from 6 feet to 12-16 feet, making it more accommodating for bicycles and wheelchairs. Other suggested enhancements included building stair-access from the beach, public restrooms, fishing rod rentals and a shaded structure at the pier’s end that could work as a wedding venue.
Conclusion “Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.” As we journey into another seaside season, with both the sun and the shadow within sight, we here at The Sun, hopeful optimists that we are, plan on being the Summer of 2020’s sunniest companions! While our Wildwood summer may be a little more low-key than usual, rest assured, we’ll be enjoying every minute of it, soaking up the sun and each salty sea breeze (the ultimate health elixir!) What is our Summer Plan, you may ask? Well, we’ll naturally start our day with a walk on the Seawall to catch our one-of-a-kind sunrises. Bike riding on the “boards” is sure to keep us in shape (now allowed ‘til 1pm) while a sunset stroll by the bay has been known to soothe even the most stressed soul. As true Wildwood lovers know, the simplest hours by the sea provide the sweetest moments. You can count on us collecting stories on every sandy corner and encourage you, our readers and friends, to collect your own stories (and photos, too!) to share alongside ours next time we meet in the always-memorable Wildwood by the Sea Compiled & reported over the ‘longest offseason ever’ by Dorothy Kulisek and Assistant Editor, Meg Corcoran “Smile at each other, smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other—it doesn’t matter who it is—and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other.” ~Mother Teresa
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92 “Behave so the aroma of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere.”~Henry David Thoreau
ALL GAVE SOME SOME GAVE ALL A Local Hero
2 LT. George W. Coleman
2LT. GEORGE W. COLEMAN United States Marine Corps Dec. 5, 1942 ~ March 17, 1968 Wildwood Crest, New Jersey He gave his life for us in Vietnam. This picture of my brother, George was taken at our house on Rosemary Ave. in the Crest on a late September morning in 1967. My brother was home for a visit, having just completed his basic training in South Carolina. He was on his way to Quantico Virginia to do his 90 days of OCS and then was to ship out immediately to California to staging area at Camp Pendleton for deployment to South Vietnam. My brother, Bob and I were leaving for school, Bob a senior and me, a freshman at Wildwood HIgh. Bob had a ‘55 Chevy painted primer gray and drove me to school most of the time, if he wasn’t ticked with me for some reason or other, which happened every once in a while. George was our big brother, the oldest of four boys. He was our hero and the best brother. To us, he was Superman and Captain America wrapped up in one package. He had just finished five years at the University of Toledo that spring, completing his course as a Phys Ed major while earning his teaching degree. George came home every summer during those college years, working three
jobs every year to pay his way through school. During the day, he was a lifeguard in the Crest, then, when that job was done, he worked at Cooper’s Gulf station, also in the Crest, till ten or eleven o’clock. Then he would stock shelves all night at the A&P supermarket in North Wildwood. He did it all with the same cheerful, positive attitude, year after year. George was the son every mother wished for. My mother was so proud of him, I thought she might burst. During his university years, he volunteered at the South Toledo YMCA, where he was loved by his coworkers and the young men and women he mentored. When people say, Happy Memorial Day, I sometimes feel those words don’t belong in the same sentence. I really don’t feel happy about Memorial Day. I feel sad, I feel sad for my mother and the torture that she went through the rest of her life after my brother was killed in Vietnam on St Patrick’s Day, 1968. She was never quite the same after that. For the next 10 years, every time the house phone rang, she jumped, hoping against hope that they were calling to tell her there had been a mistake and her son wasn’t dead. I suppose I did the same. We all probably could have used grief counseling, something I’m not sure they offered in 1968. I feel sorry for every mother and father who has lost a child to war. I wish there was no more war and that no family would ever have to go through what my family went through. Sadly, that morning in September was the last time I ever saw my brother. For 52 years, not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. It never gets any easier. What makes me the saddest is that my brother never got to have the life he should have had. He never came home and married his college sweetheart, to whom he was engaged. He never got to have the life he had worked so hard to plan, a life that was so full of promise. That hurts my heart the most of all. On Memorial Day, I hope everyone gave real thought as to why we celebrate the holiday. I wish everyone peace. by George’s brother, Ed Coleman
“WHILE YOU WERE AWAY. . “
New and Old Business
by Al Alven, the ‘Director of fun’ from WW365 In previous installments of this col-
umn, we have focused on the concept of CHANGE - in many ways, the only true constant! Each year, we mark the passage of time by welcoming the new and saluting the old (a relative term, for sure), while pondering the whims of future events. Generally, by this point on the calendar, we have answers to the many questions that tend to linger over the winter months. But, as we prepare to enter this most unique summer season, we are faced with waves of uncertainty. What follows is our best attempt to piece together the transitioning elements of the Wildwoods’ business landscape, based upon months of observation and research, and the most available, up-to-date info. Please bear in mind that, especially in this time of great flux, these notes are subject to change (there’s that word again) on a weekly and even daily basis, based on the ongoing battle against the COVID-19 crisis in the Wildwoods… KEEPING UP WITH THE MOREYS Morey’s Piers celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2019 and looks to continue the party with a major amusement renovation, the expansion of its popular beach bar and grill and more upgrades this summer. The iconic Sea Serpent roller coaster at Mariner’s Pier, a game-changer when it arrived in 1984 and one of the Boardwalk’s most enduring landmarks since, received a big dose of TLC over the offseason. The coaster’s second lift hill was completely removed and replaced, the new section coming with a chain guard that will significantly cut down on the roaring noise made when the trains launch backwards. The ride system’s brakes have also been replaced with new magnetic devices, similar to those used on the Great Nor’Easter at Surfside Pier, which will create less wear and tear on the equipment and a smoother ride experience. Additionally, smaller,
softer and more “seatbelt-esque” harnesses will allow for a more comfortable ride, while a new cuttingedge computer system will provide an extra layer of safety with automated security checks. At the rear of Mariner’s and Ocean Oasis Water Park, PigDog will mark its third summer in style. A partnership with Billy’s Beach Service will offer guests umbrellas and chairs on the beach in front of the restaurant, with full service provided. Two cabanas have also been added for additional seating and comfort (each one capable of accommodating a party of six). Lastly, a PigDog vehicle will debut, to provide easier and more fun access to the bar. The car has been designed in the same spirit as the Runaway Tram promo vehicle that has traveled the region over the past year, but will be distinguished by the giant fiberglass pig on its roof! The Parent’s Pavilion, located in front of the Tea Cups ride, will have a new look with a fanciful steel trellis replacing the original wood version, in addition to gingerbread trim around the wooden base. Built in 1997, the pavilion is a popular resting spot amid a whirlwind of activity. It is dedicated to the memory the piers’ founder, the late Will Morey, Sr. Last year’s big addition, the Runaway Tram roller coaster at Surfside Pier, did not open until August 12. This will be its first full summer, marking 2020 as an extension of Morey’s Piers big anniversary season... Bringing it up-to-date, while Morey’s Piers awaited word from the Governor on when they may be able to reopen, in true Morey fashion, they continued to look to the future as plans to completely overhaul Adventure Pier were announced the first week of June. We can only imagine how awesome it’s going to be. Much More to come! THE BOARDWALK SHUFFLE One of the biggest question marks on the Boardwalk last year surrounded Little Nicky’s Pizza, at 17th Street, which sat closed for the entire summer after being sold by its longtime proprietors, the Klug family. Read on! Continues on next page. . .
Happy Summer 2020
93
“If the ocean can calm itself, so can we. We are both salt water mixed with air.” ~Nayyirah Waheed
“ NEW & OLD BIZ“ This spring, it was announced that the pizzeria would reopen, under the same name. New owner Elaina Galdo Pagan and her husband, Jesse, have secured the original Little Nicky’s recipe and plan to add new menu items to the list, including “pig wings.” Meanwhile, neighboring Pompeo’s Restaurant remains vacant but available for lease. Pagan hopes to find an occupant who can bring the longtime breakfast spot back to life. Owners of Ken & Mary’s Ice Cream have announced their retirement. Ken and Mary DuBois have delighted guests at the quintessential “mom ‘n pop” stop since 2011. The location will remain an ice cream parlor, with Shore Delights taking over. The space at 2810 Boardwalk has been something of a hot potato in recent years. The longtime home of Santino’s Pizza became Steve’s Grilled Cheese & Quesadilla Company for a few summers; last year, it was Mr. Gyro. This summer, the Rolling Girls are moving in! The biggest and most notable change on the Boardwalk this summer will be the exterior transformation of the Boardwalk Mall, where a brand new facade will accompany the addition of Cap’n Jack’s Island Grill. For the first time, the mall will feature a second level restaurant, with a spacious dining room and bar layout overlooking the Boardwalk. This is Cap’n Jack’s second location. The original opened at the base of the old Hunt’s Pier (Juniper Avenue) in 2005, and expanded with a second level that overlooks the Boardwalk AND beach last summer. Another addition to the Boardwalk Mall will be Playa Bowls, a chain with over 80 locations around the country, started by two surfers from New Jersey. UP GRASSY SOUND WAY Those spectacular bayside sunsets are about to get even better... This summer, Grassy Sound Marina will treat guests to a unique dining experience with the debut of the Lazy Bass Bayside Grill. Marina owners Debbie and Jim Mooers have long sought to make Middle Township’s first waterfront bar and grill a reality.
The Lazy Bass features a spacious deck and bar area, live music, beach games and plenty of parking for both cars and boats. Not to mention those incredible, nightly nature shows - at no extra charge! AROUND THE ISLAND A breezy “tour de new,” from North Wildwood down to the Crest... The Greater Wildwood Elks Lodge (#1896) has added an all new patio that will be easily noticeable to those entering the island along New Jersey Avenue in the Anglesea entertainment district. The old patio was completely removed, with an addition to the existing building, a covered patio and open air patio with a bar being constructed in its place. The Children’s Fresh Air Home at 11th & Surf is hopeful for a grand re-opening ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Summer of 2021, which would coincide with its 125th anniversary! The home, which has provided underprivileged children with a respite at the seashore for generations, recently wrapped up Phase 2 of its renovation plan, including a full exterior restoration. Those interested in helping support the final leg of its mission to reopen are encouraged to visit www. FreshAirHome.org. After years of success on Pacific Avenue, Chef Mia Chiarella took her culinary skills to Cape May, where she opened Prawn. The former home of Mia Mia at 3001 Pacific is now Coastal Prime. New owner Jason Ziccardi boasts his “made from scratch” menu that specializes in handcut steaks and locally-sourced seafood. Located on Pacific Avenue since 1950, M.S. Brown Jewelers holds the distinction of being not only one of Pacific Avenue’s oldest stores, but both the Wildwoods’ and New Jersey’s oldest jewelry store. Celebrating 70 years, the Brown family knows Wildwood is all about shore style, beach days and boardwalk nights. Their line of Wildwood Destination jewelry is a tribute to the sun, fun and shore attitude. Fine jewelry is a family tradition for them. They offer jewelry repair, jewelry sales, custom jewelry, appraisals, watch repairs, and much more. M.S Brown Jewelers thanks you for the opportunity to be a part of your family and appreciates your business, friendship, and loyalty! Connect with them on FB, Twitter, and Instagram. Read on! Continues on next page. . .
Authentically Irish {except for the fact that we’re in North Wildwood}
Anglesea Pub Voted Best Irish Pub in NJ!
Outside Dining!
Live Irish Music throughout the Summer Open Lunch ~ Dinner ~ Late Night 116 W. 1st Ave. • North Wildwood • angleseapubnj.com (609)729-1133
View these prints at Wild Fox Cafe, 7th & New Jersey Aves.
94 “They say if you’re lucky enough to live by the sea, you’re lucky enough.” ~anon.
HoffmaN. agency inc real estate
WE KNOW WHAT MATTERS
D Since 1945 D HOME RUN Boat rentals, wave runners, fishing docks, so much more. Includes totally remodeled home. Wildwood Crest $3,250,000.
CREAM PUFF. 2 BR & Bath, near beach and bay, full size Kitchen. Owner pet friendly. Wildwood Crest $232,900.
BRAND NEW. Single family, 4 BR, 3 Baths. H/W floors, balcony off MBR, Near beach. Wildwood Crest $595,000.
BEAUTIFUL 4 BR, 1.5 Bath home on huge lot has custom Kitchen, 2 fireplaces. Wildwood Crest $499,900.
Joseph & Rita Von Savage on the Wildwood Boardwalk, c. 1940s
LUXURY. 4 BR, 3.5 Baths, new custom town home has 3 Fl of luxury. Elevator & ocean views. Wildwood Crest $799,000.
RUSTIC. 3 BR, 2 Baths, wood cabinets, trex decks. a block to the beach. Wildwood Crest $759,900. A STEAL. Centrally located, unlimited opportunity. 2 Lg prof suites, conf room & offices. Wildwood $229,900.
HISTORIC. 3 BR & Bath, restored H/W floors, partly modernized but frozen in time. Lg covered patio. Cold Spring $219,900.
LAGOON. 4/5 BR, 4 Baths in Midway Harbor Riviera district. 3 boatslips, heated pool. Ocean City $2,400,000.
BEACHBLOCK. 4 BR, 3.5 Baths, private elevator, ocean view deck. Luxury lifestyle. Wildwood Crest $895,000.
UNIQUE. 3 BR, 2 Baths in deepwater Grassy Sound. Water views. Middle Twp. $575,000.
POOLSIDE. Nice size efficiency with full bath, close to beach. N Wildwood $124,900.
6301 Pacific Ave. Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260 609.522.8177 Fax: 609.523.0472 www.hoffmanwildwoodcrest.com
Happy Summer 2020
95
“Every thought is a seed. If you plant Crab apples don’t count on harvesting Golden Delicious.”
New and Old Business
by Al Alven, the ‘Director of fun’ from WW365 Coffee Shop, which Kramer had operated at the Tangiers Motel since 2005. Look for big things ahead for this new entry, including an expanded menu, breakfast delivery and movies in the adjoining parking lot (drive-in style) on a giant screen! Further down in Wildwood Crest, A Little Cafe has arrived at 8700 New Jersey Ave. The new entry will serve breakfast and lunch, along with coffee and baked goods in a beautifully-renovated space adorned with flowers, herbs and vines. CONCLUSION This column was written among the uncertainty as to when the island would be back to ‘normal’ again. It has been a favorite column for Sun followers to read in the Memorial Day issue since the first recap in 2004. Due to Covid, that issue was cancelled, and here we are, after the longest offseason in Wildwood history, finally in your hands. Nearly all of the events scheduled at the Wildwoods Convention Center in recent months that could not be held due to mandatory closures have been rescheduled at the facility for future dates. “Close to 100% of our events scheduled for 2020 will remain at the Wildwoods Convention Center, albeit at future dates,” said Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) Executive Director/CFO John Siciliano. “Our event planners love this facility and our destination; understand the value and level of service they receive here; and simply could not imagine their events taking place anywhere else. We are grateful for their loyalty.” The start of another season is always a time of great anticipation in the Wildwoods. In addition to all that is new, the island’s annual reawakening summons that wondrous mix of timeless nostalgia and memory-making magic WW365 fervently CountsDown to. As you stroll the boards or walk through town this summer, keep in mind that all was once fresh and unfamiliar; and the best time to begin a new tradition is NOW. It’s a wrap!!
T H E N AT I O N ’ S O L D E S T A E R I A L A D V E RT I S I N G F I R M
Still Flying High
6 0 9 -8 8 6 -9 0 9 0
Andre Tomalino, WWII Glider Pilot One of Paramount Air’s first planes
Founders, Andre Tomalino and Grover Kauffman with George Townsend and John Fare Sr. in front of a Paramount Air Service Autogyro in the late 1940s
it With a Fla y i a by Air . . . . . .
r
Giovanni and Sandy Sanzone have some fresh ideas for their new acquisition, Carini’s Ristorante & Pizzeria in Wildwood Crest. The Sanzones grew up working in a family-owned pizzeria business, then started and owned Little Italy Restaurant in Wildwood Crest for 20 years. They sold Little Italy in 2016, and acquired Avalon Coffee, recently selling the franchise to return home to the island they love. The Deck at Holly Beach, at Pacific & Oak Avenue, will have an all new look to its, well, deck this year. The entire second floor has been completely enclosed, but with large glass garage doors that can open in the summertime. The area can be both air conditioned or heated, allowing comfort and increased functionality any time of year. The completion of the Rio Grande Avenue Gateway Project, between the foot of the George Redding Bridge and Park Avenue, will bring increased flood mitigation and improved traffic flow to Wildwood’s main entrance boulevard. Other additions include a pump station designed to resemble a giant Sightseer Tram Car, unique signage and various streetscape elements to include the aesthetic appeal of the artery. A Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen restaurant will be the first new business to open up along the restructured thoroughfare, taking the place of the old Texaco gas station on the northwest corner of Rio Grande & Park. Like the McDonald’s that debuted directly across the avenue last year, it will feature Doo Wop-style design elements emblematic of the Wildwoods. Down in the heart of Wildwood Crest, an “epic” addition has come to the corner of New Jersey & Sweet Briar, a seemingly-perfect fit for the borough’s vision of a bustling downtown district... welcome Doo Wop Drive-In. Proprietor Jason Kramer debuted the Doo Wop Drive-In, a family restaurant with a distinctively-upbeat “retro” theme and seating for approximately 100 people. That’s double the capacity of the Doo Wop
PARAMOUNT AIR SINCE 1945
S
“WHILE YOU WERE AWAY. . “
~Anon.
BARBARA TOMALINO
609-886-9090
Sales@paramountair.com
W W W. P A R A M O U N TA I R . C O M PA RT O F T H E W I L D W O O D S C O M M U NI T Y S I NC E 1 9 4 5 75 years and flying!
Dorothy McMonagle Kulisek, So You’ll Know, llc. © 2020
Sweet 16 Vol. 1
JULY - AUGUST 2020
watch
the
tram
Where YESTERDAY and TODAY meet by-the-sea
car
please
!
Clean, crisp, bright, snappy; read it daily and be happy!
WILDWOOD BY-THE-SEA
BUCKET LIST
Sunrise to sunset beach day Catch Crabs and have a Crab Party Pool Parties & Water Parks Paint Seashells Take Surf Lessons island hop & shop Full Moon rise at Hereford Light Ride a bicycle-built-for-two Boogie Board, Sandcastle, Skee-Ball and Sidewalk Chalk Contests Doo-Wop Trolley Tour Eat at every ice cream parlor and Restaurant Explore the Wildwoods by Bike Breakfast in the Sky at Morey’s Downtown Farmer’s Market Save Turtles Do 1 random act of kindness a day Dance your flip-flops off Read The Sun over and over Visit Wildwood Historic Museum Write your own Wildwood story! and Send to The Sun! . . .
Dorothy McMonagle Kulisek
Look Inside for Fun Things to Do Before Summer Kicks the Bucket
Happiness is in the little things . . .
Exclusively Available at
M.S. Brown Jewelers
SINCE 1950
3304 Pacific Ave., Wildwood, NJ 609-522-7604 MSBrownJewelers.com 5 South Main St., Unit 103, CMCH, NJ 609-463-8799