PALACE AMUSEMENTS was a historical indoor, Open-Year-Round
amusement park in
Asbury Park, New Jersey.
It was built in 1888 and expanded several times over its history.
With Asbury Park falling on hard times, starting in the 1970s, and peaking in the early-to-mid 1980s, the town's "resort feel," as a destination location, simply was no longer there.
At that point, Asbury Park was losing the sizzle it once had.
Plus, Asbury Park simply did NOT have the fun, "down the shore" beach-town, family-oriented appeal that it did for so many years.
With that, fewer and fewer people, other than "locals," and those living relatively near-by, frequented Asbury Park.
And, with fewer visitors came less revenue for Asbury Park's Hotels, Restaurants & Bars, Events at the Convention Center, Boardwalk Businesses and, certainly, PALACE AMUSEMENTS.
Add in the economic difficulties of the late 1970s/early 1980s and Asbury Park truly took a hard, and direct, hit.
A hit like no Hurricane or Nor'Easter could ever affect. As a result, The Palace 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
External links
Palace Amusements MuseumPhotos of the now-demolished Palace AmusementsSave Tillie
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Cultural infrastructure 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