Greetings from the Boardwalk Stud

[boardwalkstud]

Im one of the younger people on the board who have memories of wild partying in Wildwood during the 80's. I'd like to get back there someday. Unfortunately nobody really wants to go down anymore. Even though Im moving to the West Coast Im going to make a point to get back there when I visit East in the Summer or Fall.

[AnthonyV]

No offense, but a lot of that excessive partying (and I'm as guilty of such indulgences as much as anyone) helped create a lot of the problems that haunted the Wildwoods throughout the 1970s and 1980s, especially around the Holly Beach Mall area. The legendary "honky tonk" rowdiness surely helped create bad vibes concerning some horrible incidents that gained a lot of attention - one of which was the murder of a young girl whose body was found on Schellenger Ave.

While people certainly want to and DO still visit and vacation in The Wildwoods in masses (maybe not so much younger people who go down to drink and party), according to people at the Chamber of Commerce the place is trying to gear itself towards families more than anything else.

I'm not sure if knocking down the motels that still give Wildwood its identity is part of their master plan or not but only time will tell for sure...My question is at what expense will this change in image coast. Again, only time will tell...Right?

[boardwalkstud]

You are right. Im not proud of everything from that era. I look back and laugh at a lot of stuff I did and consider myself fortunate not to have spent time in the drunk tank. It was a rite of passage.

[Al Alven]

When I was growing up, I remember people up here in Philly (it was probably the same elsewhere) constantly referring to the Wildwoods as “Childwood.”<br>
I’ve always hated that nickname.

The Wildwoods were certainly in a bad way (on so many levels) during the 70s and 80s, but I really had no concept or understanding of this as a kid.

As long as I could ride the Golden Nugget, the Flyer and the Wacky Shack day and night, it was pretty much the greatest place on earth as far as I was concerned.

Not until later on did I realize why many people’s opinions and perceptions of the resort had become so negative by that time.

[JIMD]

Was that the person who was killed around 1998 ? WW's biggest problem was that it took someone to die before they change the bar closing times to 3am, I believe they used to close at 4 or even 5 am before that. Even for young kids who can handle their liquor the extra 2-3 hours is just a recipe for disaster.

From what I here alot of influential people around WW had investments in the bars so they wanted the late closing much like the builders throwing up the Condos today

[FlyinGN]

I too partied as a young man there in the late 70's. Wild time for sure..

Yea the Childwood name bothers me too. Most of my friends don't ever go to WW anymore. They are OC, Alalon and seaside people.. When i tell them we stay in WW they kinda look at me funny. I guess we never grew up! and we will never either!!

on another note.. My cousin from Philly grew uop in WW with us as a youngster too. But he moved to the midwest about 20 years ago.. He came back for a vacation last summer with his family and made a beeline to WW! he was so shocked how much it changed,.. He said he really missed it too:)

Frank

[DjDoornob]

I don't want to offend, but I am writing this in haste (I'm on my way out the door!) so please try not to misinterpret what I am trying to say, but-

Honestly I am sick and tired of the "young rowdy people were the downfall" arguement when it comes to shore towns. I rent in Belmar, and this rant probably should be directed more twords them than anyone in this conversation, but I feel it still applies.

Where are the youth supposed to party? Where are they supposed to create all those "wild memories" they will re-hash when they are older.

It was mentioned before that (ad-libbing) "the situation got so bad, that a girl was murdered". A similar frame of mind exists in Belmar- after doing some research I found an incident around 1992 where an MTV festival on the Belmar beach turned into a riot. Afterwards, the town reacted by swearing to rid the neighborhood of rowdy youngsters- a battle still being fought today.

In my opinion- bad things happen. I live in New York City, and people are murdered and riots ensue on a regular basis. Now I'm not suggesting that Wildwood need be like NYC. But honestly, whats the big deal with somebody being murdered. I don't think the "family" atmosphere adds anything to the character of the town, except for people that already had thier chance to live it up down the shore.

I'm not suggesting Wildwood be like Seaside either (which is disgustingly packed with drunk kids). All I;m suggesting (I think) is letting the kids have thier fun, and keeping them in line with an effective police force.

The situation in Belmar is a little more complicated, with the town residents trying to oust the summer rental people. But in my opinion both situations come down to character-

The character of the jersey shore has always been about escapism. Fun, games, rides, bars, youth, memories, great stories, and so on.

Yeah, I party at the shore- I'm proud of it. And I plan on doing it until I'm way too old to.


I hope that made any sense, and wasn;t too far off topic

[AnthonyV]

Belmar HAS always has a problems with summer renters and vacationers to their town. What they fail to remember is that vacationers help keep down tax costs - which is something they might not deserve considering their poor treatment of young people and even families to an extent!

True. Young people can often become wild but it's not a new phenomenon. Wildwood in 1962 became infamous for one of the most violent seasons in their history - and according to news reports adults were often as bad as the young people!

I used to visit Belmar sometimes with friends but don't feel the need to visit such a place now when there are enough resorts up and down the Jersey Shore.

[AnthonyV]

Enjoy yourself while you're young...Just don't get into any trouble that might haunt you for the rest of your life.

Take care,
Anthony

[FlyinGN]

ouch.. I hope I read this wrong..

Frank

DjDoornob said:

. But honestly, whats the big deal with somebody being murdered. I don't think the "family"

[AnthonyV]

Oh yeah...You might want to reconsider that remark big time, regardless if you are from NY or NJ.

I'm sure it would be a "big deal" if it were someone close to you - perhaps a friend, a relative, a parent, or a sibling - was the one who was murdered.

[DjDoornob]

ok ok, bad choice of words. What I'm saying is- people get murdered all the time. I don't think because I happens ONE TIME that the community need to take drastic action.

Seems to me like a fluke. Wildwood is a far cry away from a "bad neighborhood", and certainly not nearly as much of a party town as other towns on the shore.

[AnthonyV]

Wildwood WAS becoming a bad neighborhood back in the 1970s and pretty much HAD become a bad neighborhood (of sorts) by the late 1980s and early 1990s.

You would not believe some of the horrible crimes committed on this little strip of barrier island over the last 25 years. While they may not have been commonplace like in bigger cities, they have happened and the resort has long tried to disassociate itself from those horrible events. Sadly, some of those murder cases are still unsolved and some of them are about to be re-opened again.

At least you retracted your original remark and clarified what you wanted to say. Thanks!

[crazyaboutwildwood]

Maybe its me, but when those people look at you weird for going to wildwood, and they go to avalon, ocean city, stone harbor, sea isle. I think they are weird!!! All those shore points = boring. !! No offense to anyone but im a true wildwood fan, And I stick by my town threw thick and thin! Im not happy with certain things but I still think wildwood is the best resort ever!!!!!

[FlyinGN]

I find the EXACT same thing crazy. My friends all go to teh other resorts and make faces when I tell them where we go..