Earliest WW memory

[anticondo]

For me it was when I was 2 or 3 years old. I remember me and my sister playing on the stairs of the Carriage stop motel, I remember the pool, the first time I was ever at the beach I refused to step foot on the sand, and my sister wouldn't stop eating the sand.

Two images from those days that always stuck with me were one, seeing the orange sun rising above the beach from the end of the street, and two, seeing those airplanes pull there banners over the water.

[FlyinGN]

I remember back to about 4 years old at a North ww bungalow we rented and me leaving my 60's Hot Wheels in my big case under the bed:(

[wildwanderer]

My earliest Wildwood Memory has been saved for me on a photo. Taken in1966 at the age of 2 I was sitting for the picture with my Mom posing in a bikini and fondly remember the large hole I dug to China. Also, in the background is the old Auction House that was on the boardwalk.

[AnthonyV]

I remember one hot summer morning when I was two and a half, going down to the Wildwood Yacht Basin (which was really nothing more than your basic marina) and going out on my fathers Chris-Craft. He took a few of us all around Sunset Lake and Grassy Sound as well as over to Dad's Place to buy some squid for fishing or crabbing.

That was in the summer of 1964 because my mother took a dated photo of me at the wheel of the boat with a little GIZMO PIZZA & HOAGIE, WILDWOOD, NJ tee shirt on...I also remember going inside the cabin to eat a cherry Pop-Tart and spilling a bottle of Yoo-Hoo (with that photo of Yogi Berra on the label which scared me) on the rug and hearing this really odd sounding music on the radio - it was the Beatles singing "SHE LOVES YOU."

[FlyinGN]

very vivid memory Anthony:) Very cool..

[Al Alven]

My earliest Wildwood memories are not specific, really.

I cherish them nonetheless, however, because they involve times spent with my entire, extended family, including both sets of grandparents.

My paternal grandmother – who absolutely loved Wildwood – died when I was 3, and my earliest memories of life, actually, are tied directly to her (as she was my first “babysitter,” while my parents worked).

At this point, it’s kind of difficult for me to separate actual experiences and memories from dreams and revisioned history and such. But that’s OK. I have photographs to help me remember those wonderful years.

Two stand out, in particular – one with my grandmother and I at Zaberer’s Restaurant (anyone remember the Giant Chair?) and one with me and all four of my grandparents on the Boardwalk.

If a picture says a thousand works, they also hold the potential to invoke a million emotions.

Just thinking about them makes me smile.

[AnthonyV]

Those two memories were not on the same day, I'm sure, and probably not nearly as vivid as they might seem ...They both are probably what is known as "fragment memories" that I've always had of Wildwood when I was younger.

I also have an early memory of getting stuck in traffic on Rio Grande right before the bridge and getting really car sick probably around the same time, in 1964 or '65.

[anticondo]

I also have a memory of seeing the Stardust Night club on Schellenger Ave when I was young. I remember wildwood as being a place with endless motels. I remember there being an amusement park next to the Castle Dracula that is now water slides. It was nice seeing all those colorful rides even before you got on the boardwalk. Now days WW doesn't seem to his me as hard as it used to, but I still love down there. Too many casualites [motels, rides, restaurants]

Progress...

[Robert]

My earliest memory was practically everything shown on the WW websites that was still existing in 1980. Hunt's Pier, Castle Dracula, Fun Pier - Castle Frankenstein/Lost World/Crazy House, Morey's Haunted House, Dante's when it was new, Ed Zaberer's, I could go on and on. Anticondo, before the amusement rides by Castle Dracula there was a wooden coaster, but you wouldn't remember it since you were born in 1986. The coaster was built in 1919 and torn down fall 1984. I remember it, though between 1980-1983. You could hear the roar of the coaster while walking between Nickels Midway Pier and Mariner's Landing.

[anticondo]

Maybe my memories are from another lifetime... LOL!

Still I look at some of the old 80's and 70's pics of WW and feel like I can almost rememeber it that way; kind of weird. They really need to restore it to it's former glory; like having more twinkling lights.

[crazyaboutwildwood]

One of my earliest memories was when I was very very young and I walked to the end of the cape may beach hoping that i could see wildwood from a distance. Also going down the main drag and seeing all the neon and of course the josies sign and my dad driving around in circles trying to find a cheap place to park! It seemed forever untill we got there! My parents always stayed in cape may and when I turned sixteen and had a good job since I was 15 went straight to wildwwod and never turned back. The owners of the premier motor inn always rented to me at a young age and were always nice to me. I wonder if they are still there? we stayed in wildwood untill I was about 8 or 9 then it was off to cape may with frequent visits to the wildwoods! My prents now own a house in cape may. They paid the price over the years. We statred off in a small tent at the depot campground then a camper thren a bigger camper then in 1994 my parents dream came true and they bought a small rancher in cape may and just this year they put on a huge addition. Im very happy for them. We spent are 1st day this weekend with the parents in cape may then we were off to the wildwoods! After all these years the excitement is still there!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FlyinGN]

see?? Your Dad trying to save $2.00 parking paid off!

Im happy for them! Cape May is beautiful!

[choochoochuck]

I remember watching the Little Rascals movie at my great aunt's house in NWW and I missed Stone Harbor.

[soulsurv]

Now, I can't remember the house my grandparents had, but I do recall my late Grandfather (from Abruzzi, Italy) had me by the hand on the beach. I was about 3 0r 4. I just ADORED him. He brought me into the waves and held my hands. I had no fear...I was completely enthralled!!! I simply frecall that it was a thrill so enormous and encompassinig. And I can never look at a beach or walk into the ocean without thinking of my wonderful, tall and handsome Grandpop.

He also would hunt for clams, and eat them RAW on the beach, much to the consternation of my Mother!!

[ellen4441]

it would have to be in 1965 , back when I was 6 years old...

It was our very 1st year of going to the Wildwoods and I still have the pictures taken with my black and white "brownie" camera.........we stayed at the Sand Castle and the Golden Nugget in WWC those first few years.........and those pictures help me remember days spent on the
balcony styling the hair of my "skipper" and "heidi" dolls............(barbie's sister and friend!)