| Previously known as Palace Merry-Go-Round | |
 Palace Amusements in 1997 | |
| Location | Asbury Park, NJ |
|---|---|
| Status | Defunct |
| Opened | August 17, 1888 (1888-08-17) |
| Closed | November 27, 1988 (1988-11-27) |
| Owner | Ernest Schnitzler (1888–1920) August Williams (1920–1939) Edward Lange & Zimel Resnick (1939–1986) Sam & Henry Vaccaro (1986–1988) |
| Theme | Indoor amusement park |
| Area | 0.9 acres (0.36 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 12 |
| Roller coasters | 1 |
| Water rides | 1 |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| New Jersey Register of Historic Places | |
  | |
| Location | Asbury Park, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°13′4″N 74°0′12.76″W / 40.21778°N 74.0035444°W / 40.21778; -74.0035444 |
| Built | June 1888 (1888-06) |
| Built by | Ernest Schnitzler |
| Architect | Ernest Schnitzler William B. Stout |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Demolished | May 26, 2004 (2004-05-26) |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001406 |
| NJRHP No. | 3705 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 22, 2000 (2000-11-22) |
| Designated NJRHP | October 12, 2000 (2000-10-12) |
Palace Amusements was a historical indoor amusement park in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It was built in 1888 and expanded several times over its history; but after a worsening economic situation in both Asbury and the country in the mid-1980s, it went out of business in 1988.
Several efforts were made to save the structure, including its hand-carved carousel, murals and decorations, but in 2004, after an independent structural inspection, the building was deemed unsafe (it had already been damaged in several areas) and was ordered demolished. A local grassroots organization was able to save several pieces from the building, including the famed Tillie mural.
Bruce Springsteen
The Palace is mentioned in 1974 Bruce Springsteen hit "Born to Run" in the lines "Beyond the Palace, hemi-powered drones / Scream down the boulevard".
See also
References
- "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form" (PDF). National Park Service. Department of the Interior. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- "Palace Amusements Building (ID#3705)" (PDF). New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Monmouth County. NJ DEP Historic Preservation Office. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 6, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- Karen DeMasters (April 2, 2004). "Asbury Park Building Will Vanish, but Its Grin Will Remain". The New York Times. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
- "Weird NJ remembers forgotten faces of Palace Amusements, Asbury Park". Asbury Park Press. March 9, 2014.
- "'Springsteen' Park Said Historic". Associated Press. October 19, 2000. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
- Jordan, Chris. "Palace Amusements and Tillie rise from the grave". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
External links
Media related to Palace Amusements at Wikimedia Commons
| Asbury Park, New Jersey | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Topics | |
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| Lists by insular areas | |
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| Related | |
- Buildings and structures completed in 1888
- 1888 establishments in New Jersey
- 1988 disestablishments in New Jersey
- Asbury Park, New Jersey
- Defunct amusement parks in New Jersey
- Amusement parks in New Jersey
- Demolished buildings and structures in New Jersey
- Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey
- National Register of Historic Places in Monmouth County, New Jersey
- New Jersey Register of Historic Places
- Amusement parks opened in 1888
- Amusement parks closed in 1988
- Buildings and structures demolished in 2004
- Former National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey