Wall Twp

My mother ran the front desk at the Empress Hotel back in the 60s and 70s...as a kid I ran the streets of Asbury Park. The Palace was my favorite place to be...I still have an original Palace ticket that I could have used to receive a valuble prize...LOL!!! Sure miss the good ole Days!!! Love your website!!!

columbus, oh

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=493025310742813&set=a.426600064052005.100748.100001060440502&type=3&theater

Chelsea MI now, formerly Rumson

Since about 1958 I went there every Aug 20 for my birthday. Hadn't visited Asbury Park since there late-70's, and my heart sank two days ago when I found only a grassy plot where the Palace used to be. I recall that the last time I went through the fun house, the tilted room badly stank of urine, so it's future at that time was uncertain.

Belmar

Your online Museum is impressive; your preservationists clearly value our history; sadly politicians and developers did not and Palace Amusements is long gone. I too remember fun summer nights at Palace Amusements. I especially remember the Carousel & its brass rings; boat rides on Wesley Lake; Fun House and its mirrors; cotton candy; bumper cars . . . as other have observed those memories are forever.

North Dakota

Just thought I would post the link to the PalaceAmusements I designed on Google 3d warehouse Sketchup. I used the floor plan and pictures to get an estimation of the size and went from there. Enjoy. http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=f04743b08c0e49a04a774de3ffbb72f6

ohio

when I was a young girl in the 1980s I saw the approaching end of an era. my grandmother and mom used to take me and my brother to the Palace and I have great memories of the fun house, the carousel, the ferris wheel and my favorite ride the orient express.... I am glad that I had a chance to experience these things before they were gone forever.....

TINTON FALS now Tn.

Oh wow. Some of my favorite memories where of the Palace in the 50's and 60's. The fun house and the carousel were my favorites.

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

I grew up around Palace after it had been closed for about a decade. As a yound child I used to cry to my father to buy it and reopen it (not knowing much of the value of money back then). Years later my family moved to Ocean Grove, neighboring AP and I would spend so much time taking pictures of the abandoned buillding and just imagining what it was like before the eeriness took over. Whenever I was upset or jus bored I would walk over to palace and relax and get lost in my imagination. I love the Palace so much that on my 18th birthday in December 2008, I tattooed the "PALACE" mural with tillie onto my back. It was then put in weird NJ magazine. I absolutely loved this place. Even after it had closed it still imprints its memory into people's minds

Originally Middletown - now upstate NY

I remember going up through the room on the wheel. I thought that was the coolest thing. The fun house was also a favorite.

West Long Branch,NJ

I used to go to Asbury in the 60's with my family, it was a big deal. I got a job in the Palace when I was 15, I would hitchhike to work and back. I worked flippin burgers across from the merry go round. I used to love to get to work early to see what pinball games had games left on them, so I could play for free.

Hoboken, N.J.

I have so many fond Memories of the Palace as a Kid, my family would rent a House in Ocean Grove for the Summer (mid 60's to early 70's) we would walk over from OG and hit the board walk every weekend, first stop was always the Palace. I was lucky enough to find a piece of the Palace Wall with the Sea Foam Green paint on it after it was torn down it sits on my book shelf as a reminder of times gone past.

Neptune, NJ but now reside in Florida

When you are reading the section Middle Years, 1938-1955 - the mention of Mrs. D's snack bar gave me goose bumps. Mrs. D was my grandmother. She would be thrilled to know she was mentioned in this article. My grandparents were also dear friends of the Langes. I can remember as a small child going to visit the Langes on ocasion.

Crosswicks, New Jersey

Haven't posted here in a while... just thought people would like to read some quirky things about the Palace. Near the end, we only allowed people to ride the BLUE cars on the ferris wheel. It was so old (1895) that this was a rule, and the cars had to be balanced (loaded across from one another) in order for the wheel to turn properly! The fun house was shortened in the 1970's. There were passages (not really large ones) that were closed off then, as people would go in... and "stick around" in there. I had to go in and clear people out a few times... not many, though. The original upstairs apartment, mentioned in this website, was still pretty much intact to an extent. Some of the walls in the front rooms closest to Wesley Lake were gutted, but the rooms in the rear (kitchen, pantry, dining room, bathroom, 2 bedrooms...) were still there. We stored the new Palace tickets in the dining room on shelves. The pantry held files on old employees that worked there years past. I also remember the "smell" the Palace had upon arriving to work each morning. The Employees' door was off to the side of the Snack Bar. The smell was a mixture of wood, sweet foods and oil/grease. Not sickening or anything, actually quite pleasant. Many years later, I was walking in Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, NJ, and, for those of you that know the layout of the food court there, I walked past Nathan's, turning to walk down the hall to the parking lot, and had that same sensation... I stopped for a good 30 seconds, it took me back... it was that strong.

Brian Maher
(Last Palace Asst. Manager)

South Plainfield originally now Belmar

Like so many others, I have memories of Asbury Park and the carousel, boardwalk and arcade. A love from a very deep place in my heart. I am so glad i can come to this online museum and remember.

oridgely from old bridge new jersey

i like the palace stuff just wish can see some more

Bradley Beach, NJ

I'm new to the area but still feel a sense of loss reading about the Palace and the old Asbury Park. Wish I could have seen it.

Ocean Grove / Belmar

Went to OG Elementary 1965 - 1970, AP High School 1976. These stories swell up the eyes. I'm 52 now. I remember the gold rings in the Box, The Pizza in the Snack Bar, any one remember Ice Skating in the Casino? Long before concerts every night of the summer at BOTH ends of the boardwalk. When we moved to Belmar, I wpould ride my bike ALL the way up the boardwalk, except for the 100 yards of Avon/Bradley..
Years later I hung out a Mrs Jays, The Pony and the rest. Now I live in Dallas. BUT
Labor day weekend, I will spend at the Shore, driving from Long Barnch to Spring Lake, Back and Forth, remembering it all.
From what I see and hear, this trip I may NOT cry as I drive up ocean avenue in "My City by the Sea" that apparently is being resurrected. No longer the war zone it was in the mid 80's..

Trenton

I would always wait for the Trenton car when I rode the wheel.
I still have a ring from the carousel.

carteret n.j.

the boardwalk,the ferris wheel , the food great times . we used to park almost a mile away to get to the boardwalk on a friday or saturday nite in the 60s n 70s memorys that will last forever. asbury park was the place to be in those days.GREAT TIMES.

A stones throw from Tillie

Tillie...........Hate him as a child...........Love him as an adult......either way he was NEW JERSEY

Tillie and the Palace will be sorely missed. Greedy developers just dont know what they had now its gone forever, Sad