Spring Lake Architectur
Architecture – Then and Now
The visual time machine that transports visitors throughout Spring Lake’s beautifully chronicled evolution is rich with postcards and old photographs of homes, hotels, churches, grand mansions, bath houses, boarding houses and shops. The images themselves impart a feeling of decorum and manners…a window into the past that is now preserved for future generations. There isn’t a tourist or sightseer that isn’t fascinated with the remaining structures that clearly reveal the humanity of the era, putting their own pieces together to ‘figure it out’.
Luckily for many, there are hand-painted cards, personal photo collections and paintings still to be found and admired as well as books – vintage and contemporary. Investors, engineers and famous architects created magnificent architectural landmarks that we still admire today, and Spring Lake’s enchantment is hypnotic from block to block. For nearly a century and a half, of course there were tragedies and disasters that threatened by fire and hurricanes. Being a seasonal community, residents and tourists toiled together to maintain and preserve the vision day by day that contributed to the town’s sense of dignity, integrity and unity.
Spring Lake with its 50+ grand hotels that were icons of hospitality for a century, welcoming guests to the ocean air and relaxation…set the tone for affluent businessmen to build flawlessly appointed homes for their families. Most of these ‘cottages’ were used only during the brief summertime. Today, familiar ‘witches hats’ can still be spotted, cone-shaped roofs that define an era…bright summer awnings that will always be one of Spring Lake’s signature fashions…and wide avenues leading to the beach to catch a breeze and endless sky!
Private estates of note: • Ballingarry (circa 1905) the legendary estate of Martin Maloney – was built on 18 lots bordered by First and Second & Morris and Jersey Avenues • Chamberlain Residence – today still located on the corner of Second and Sussex • Kavanaugh Mansion – was located on Sussex Avenue across from the ocean, resembling the White House
Famous hotels included: • The Monmouth Hotel – opened 1876 on an entire block on Ocean Avenue between Atlantic and Essex • Hewitt-Wellington – still located on West Lake Avenue near Monmouth Avenue • The Warren Hotel – was located on Mercer & Warren and entertained famous personalities including Bob Hope & Rocky Marciano • The Essex and Sussex Hotel – Ocean Avenue between Essex & Sussex. The original two building known as the Essex & Sussex burned in the 1900 fire and today is a grand condo residence
Houses of Worship: • St. Catherine’s Roman Catholic Church (circa 1910) facing the lake and Sussex Avenue • St. Andrew’s Methodist Church (circa 1872) the first church built in Spring Lake on West Lake Street
Leigh Cort 904-806-3613 info@leighcortpublicity.com
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