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Post by Al Alven on May 18, 2006 15:23:55 GMT -5
I have probably spent a disproportionate amount of my life just staring at this sign, while sitting on the patio deck of this classic old motel. I miss it so much. The real shame is that the sign was there for the taking at the end, but the demolition guys bulldozed it along with the motel. What an awesome addition it would have been to the neon garden!
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Post by crazyaboutwildwood on May 18, 2006 19:47:15 GMT -5
A couple of things. 1st the packard motel to me was always the center point of the island and boardwalk. I was always amazed by this place. 2nd Where was the waterways? That sign blows me away!!!!!!!
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Post by Robert on May 18, 2006 21:22:56 GMT -5
That's a real bummer that the 24th sign was lost. The developers/wrecking crew don't have a heart, they don't care about irreplaceable artifacts, if they had their way they would have thrown out every sign.
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Post by Cindy on May 18, 2006 21:36:05 GMT -5
Mike, Fantastic pics! Thank you so much for the post. I never tire of seeing these places.
I started my own list of all WW motels, past and present. It is a work in progress and I still need the addresses on a bunch of places. But, here are some:
Waterways - this is still around & you asked where "was" it - 7204 Ocean Avenue Topaz - 7010 Seaview Avenue Tangiers - 6201 Atlantic Avenue Mary Ann - 421 E 23rd Avenue Bayberry - 2206 Surf Avenue Packard - 327 E 22nd Avenue Tahiti - 7411 Atlantic Avenue Lau Ray - 221 E 26th Avenue Satellite - 5909 Atlantic Avenue at Aster Road 24th Street - duh! T-bird - 24th St and Surf Surf Haven - 1601 Surf Avenue Carousel - 6211 Atlantic Avenue
I do not have the exact addresses for Fantasy, Casa Bahama, Donaraile, Kona Kai, & Ebb Tide.
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Post by MMM on May 18, 2006 22:27:33 GMT -5
Great pictures - thanks Mike!
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Post by crazyaboutwildwood on May 18, 2006 22:30:29 GMT -5
So the waterways is still there?
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Post by thelastresort on May 18, 2006 22:33:47 GMT -5
So the waterways is still there? I think it and pretty much that whole block went down last spring.
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Post by FlyinGN on May 19, 2006 7:08:21 GMT -5
wow what a fantastic thread!! Thanks and keep em coming!!
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Post by Al Alven on May 19, 2006 8:24:50 GMT -5
Unfortunately, the Waterways was torn down after the 2004 season.
It stood to the south of the Admiral Motel and was neighbored to the west by the Pink Orchid Motel (which is still standing, but was converted into a bland condo building last year).
It was also located directly across Orchid Ave. from the Kona Kai (to the south) and across Ocean Ave. from the Singapore (to the east), if that helps put things in perspective a bit.
I agree about the Waterways sign, crazy... it was a real eye-catcher. It's hard for a photo to do it justice, actually, because the blue color of the neon was so soft and cool... it lit up that area so splendidly.
Anyone remember it more intricately?
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Post by thelastresort on May 19, 2006 8:36:03 GMT -5
Waterways was definitely a cool sign, Al. One of the favorites in our gang was the Blue Jay, which we also thought was an eye cather driving up and down the Atlantic, especially since the Eden Roc sign went dark about 25 years ago or so, there was nothing else on Atlantic for blocks (except the Pink Champagne and Sea Gull) a few blocks above. I wonder what happened to it, and if it will pop up outside the new museum some day?
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Post by Al Alven on May 19, 2006 8:54:44 GMT -5
I love the Blue Jay sign also, lastresort.
I agree with you about it's location, there really wasn't much else in and around that area of Atlantic Ave. You'd have to go at least a few blocks to the north or south (to the Crest) to find more eye-catching neon displays.
I don't ever remember the Eden Roc sign being illuminated by anything other than a spotlight. Did it have an actual neon sign at one point?
I always liked Jay's Motel also, the little place that stood across from the Eden Roc at Atlantic and Hildreth. It had a neat little roadsign sign with a palm tree design on it... but it wasn't neon. Had flashing white bulbs, I believe.
Anyway, back to the Blue Jay sign... I believe Fred Musso, owner of Ultra Neon, saved the sign prior to the motel's demolition. I'll be sending him an e-mail this afternoon anyway, so I'll ask him.
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Post by Al Alven on May 19, 2006 9:06:13 GMT -5
A couple of things. 1st the packard motel to me was always the center point of the island and boardwalk. I was always amazed by this place. This really hits home for me. To this day, I consider the junction of 26th & Boardwalk to be one of the epicenters of my universe. That may sound rather corny, but images of that area on a warm, hoppin' summer night is one of the first things that pop into my mind whenever I think about Wildwood. I still remember being very young (let's say, circa the mid-80s), and sitting on one of the benches between Sam's and Gateway 26 after finishing up a long night on the Boards. Of course, there were the thrills and excitement of Morey's Pier and Hunt's Pier right in front of me, and the awesome aura of the aforementioned businesses right there. But, I used to love looking down 26th Ave. to the west, the Shore Plaza's classic neon signs and the globe lights on top of the building lighting up the night sky, and the blue and hot pink warmth of the Packard's roadside sign in the distance. Man, especially as a kid, it all seemed so BIG. You know how, when you're at that age before you are truly able to establish any sense of independance from your parents, the world in general just seems to be so huge. To me, the Wildwoods were so vast, but every corner, every turn seemed filled with magic and wondrous mystery. I remember, even then, how much I wanted to explore it all. How I'd keep my eyes open all the time, even after my younger brother had long since passed out in his stroller on the way back to whatever motel we were staying in. Great post, Mike. That really brought back some nice memories.
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Post by crazyaboutwildwood on May 19, 2006 11:42:17 GMT -5
I couldnt agree more with your words Al! Thanks!
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Post by thelastresort on May 19, 2006 13:29:00 GMT -5
I don't ever remember the Eden Roc sign being illuminated by anything other than a spotlight. Did it have an actual neon sign at one point? It's going back a ways, probably 25 years or more, but I remember the Eden Roc was more of a bulb-type sign, but I think it had some neon trim, for some reason, I remember passing it and it seemed blue and white, but again, that is going back on memory. But ever since it was dark, the Blue Jay pretty much was the only one with such prominence for a few blocks. I remember always driving by Jay's too going back and forth to the crest, then one year (I think two years ago), we all were like "where did it go"? and it seems like they had just fixed it up a few years before. Actually, concerning the Eden Roc, I just tried to search google for a pic at night and couldn't find it. but did run across some terrible comments about it on www.tripadvisor.com. If even 1/4 of what they say is true, that is very sad. It always looked like such a gem when passing by it, especially in the old days.
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Post by Al Alven on May 19, 2006 13:39:29 GMT -5
I don't ever remember the Eden Roc sign being illuminated by anything other than a spotlight. Did it have an actual neon sign at one point? It's going back a ways, probably 25 years or more, but I remember the Eden Roc was more of a bulb-type sign, but I think it had some neon trim, for some reason, I remember passing it and it seemed blue and white, but again, that is going back on memory. But ever since it was dark, the Blue Jay pretty much was the only one with such prominence for a few blocks. I remember always driving by Jay's too going back and forth to the crest, then one year (I think two years ago), we all were like "where did it go"? and it seems like they had just fixed it up a few years before. Actually, concerning the Eden Roc, I just tried to search google for a pic at night and couldn't find it. but did run across some terrible comments about it on www.tripadvisor.com. If even 1/4 of what they say is true, that is very sad. It always looked like such a gem when passing by it, especially in the old days. Jay's was one of those motels, a small, "Florida"-style motel that was fairly unremarkable and rarely was talked about. I was familiar with it in passing as you were, but never paid much attention to it until I saw it on the DWPL's "endangered" list two years ago (right around this time). I went down and got a few pictures of the property before it was demoed, and also did a little research on the place. Turns out, it was actually one of the very first motels on the island. It was also, according to the previous owner, one of Frank Sinatra's favorite places to stay in the Wildwoods during the 50s.
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