A beautiful if not mysterious Beaux-Arts style tower stands over the southern end of the famous Asbury Park plankwalk. Oh I’m sorry, do you know the walkway constructed of wooden boards by another name? Well tell that to the folks that first constructed the plankwalks in the 1800s.
This abandoned tower was designed by Warren and Wetmore and constructed in 1930 to serve as a steam plant, providing a source of heat to the bath houses constructed along the shoreline. The tower itself is merely a very ornate chimney that one must imagine spewed dark black smoke as the boilers burned bunker oil to boil the water to steam. According to urban explorer Marlo Montanaro the green copper structures at the base of the tower were actually ornate elements where excess steam would have been vented.
While the structure continues to stand tall after 95 years, it long since served any functional purpose, and is entirely closed to any exploration. However with the revitalization the beach community has been experiencing over the past few years, one can only hope that this structure will not only be preserved, but repurposed so it can continue to serve the community in...
Read moreYou know youre in Asbury Park the minute you pass through the Casino. Always a visual treat of bygone architecture adorned with art installations and perhaps a street musician playing allowing the acoustics to echo throughout, playing softly over your ears to either begin your stroll on the boardwalk, or, leave you with a musical reminder of your visit to Asbury park boardwalk. Always adds a little magic to the visit. Love to see the steam plant and carousel house, as it was and still is, just how I remember it from my childhood. Wish they'd put the carousel back though, I'd for sure enjoy, as I guess would...
Read moreSeen this numerous times because my dad was a chef at a restaurant nearby and it has become a symbol of my childhood, although it was damaged by fire in 2016. The building sustained minor damage, but there are still some burn holes and parts and streaked with soot. It still stands despite the damage, but I have a feeling that it is not structurally stable, which is upsetting, considering how historic this...
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