Boardwalk chapel

[novacancy]

Does the boardwalk chapel still exist? Anone know the history of it? What kind of chapel is it? What are they doing on the boardwalk? I've always found it to be a random sight.

[Al Alven]

It's still around, and recently celebrated its 60th year (or so says the sign out front), I believe.

I remember a site a while back that had info and history on the BW Chapel... come to think of it, it may very well have been the chapel's "official" website.

I'll see if I can dig that up in a moment.

I can tell you that the Chapel has endured quite a bit, and yet remains proudly functioning. There have been several devastating fires on the block it occupies, stores around it have crumbled, but the Chapel itself has amazingly (perhaps, miraculously?) remained undamaged.

Not sure what denomonation practices there, if any is specified at all.

It is kind of a "random" site, I guess, but the Chapel is definitely a true Wildwood original any way you slice it.

[Al Alven]

Here's the official site:

www.chapelopc.org/chapel.htm

Wow, what do you know? A nice little site with a good amount of history, and plenty of great pictures.

Cool stuff... thanks for joggin' my memory with all of this, novacancy!

[JerseyDigger29]

novacancy said:

Does the boardwalk chapel still exist? Anone know the history of it? What kind of chapel is it? What are they doing on the boardwalk? I've always found it to be a random sight.

The parent church is the little church on Rio Grande Avenue between New Jersey and Pacific avenues. It's on your left as you enter Wildwood. My wife Carol and I were married there in 1988. Although we aren't Prespyterian (sp?) it was my wife's grandmother's church and it was everything in the world to her so we got married there as a favor to her.

The minister and lay people from the church run the Boardwalk Chapel in the summer time. I guess the chapel has always been a way to spread the Word as they see it to a lot more people.

Useless trivia: To the best of my knowledge, the Boardwalk Chapel is the oldest structure on the entire boardwalk that has not burned down and been rebuilt.

Also, up until probably the late 60's there used to be a very large and popular beach locker room and bathhouse underneath the Chapel. As a kid, I thought it was really funny that all the people upstairs were busy singing and praying while a bunch of naked people took showers below them. ;D

Told you I have a really warped sense of humor.

Thom

[CondorAlex]

I like how the benches were donated by them. Kind folks.

[klinker]

Been to the Boardwalk Chapel many times. You might say its part of the routine of the vacation week. When our family first started vacationing in Wildwood in 1970 we always had the same routine year after year, some days were beach days, some were motel pool days. Some days we cooked on the grill at the Hi-Lili some times supper was on the boardwalk. One night always was Uries. One night was 'movie night' at the Hi-Lili, other nights were spent on the rides on the boardwalk. Bike riding a couple of mornings on the boards. Sea Shell Ice cream, Kohr Bros. custards, taking the tram car to Groffs restaurant one night. I remember the AM radio being so full of static from all the neon riding back to the Hi-Lili after a night on the boards that you couldn't even hear what was on. Always a last ride on the go carts on the way out of Wildwood on the way home. Sunday was always church in the morning and Boardwalk Chapel at night. Free parking underneath so you could enjoy the boards a little longer. Now that I have a family of my own its amazing how much of the 'routine' has stayed the same. Sometimes with the little ones we do the "Beside Baptist' thing and catch some church on TV in the morning but its part of the tradition to do the Boardwalk Chapel at night every time we're down there. You park right underneath, give your car keys to Elder John so he can jockey them around and tell him how long you be gone after the service. What a great system!! The Hi-Lili has let me down but theres still alot I can count on to keep the routine the same, the Boardwalk Chapel is one. I hope they're there many more years.
Maybe this post raises another good question, Do others out there have the same routine year after year? Are you doing the same thing your parents did?

[Al Alven]

Great post, klinker...

Welcome to the boards!

Tradition is what keeps the Wildwoods alive for us. Buildings and icons and great businesses come and go, but it's the rituals, both new and old, that we engage in that we look forward to and create new memories from every year.

My family today continues to engage in many of the traditions my grandparents and great grandparents did generations ago. Still have to hit A&LP then the Boards on that first night.

Still make that (at least) once-a-year visit to Groff's for the seafood combo and a blueberry glazed pie. Still do breakfast at Pierre's on the morning of our first full day down, sit by the front window and stare out and reminisce about the Golden Nugget, Hunt's Pier, Ocean Theater and days gone by.

Still take that ritual drive down Atlantic and Ocean Aves. in the Crest on our last night, to gaze and wonder at the neon splendor, even as they seemingly continue to dwindle in number. The ones that remain look better than ever, and truly serve as a reminder of how special and unique a place Wildwood really is.

Still have to hit various longtime favorites -- Mack's, Sam's, Morey's Piers, of course, Gateway 26, the Dairy Queen at Sportland Pier (so many familiar faces there), Lime Ricky, etc. -- at least once on every trip. Otherwise, something would just be missing.

And then, there are the "new" traditions we've forged in recent years...

Catching the sunset at Sunset Lake as an entire family one night, breakfast and mini golf at Hawaiian Rumble, visiting, staying in, photographing and documenting as many "Doo Wop" motels as possible, seeing shows (and laughing until it hurts) with my brother at the Casba, visiting and spending time with our friends at the Boyer Museum, etc.

And many, many new traditions and memories to be made still to come...

Wow... I love Wildwood.

[novacancy]

Thanks for the info and link re: boardwalk chapel. Interesting. Its a lot more mainstream than I had assumed. I assumed because of its odd location on an amusement boardwalk it must be some sort of a funky cultish place. Interesting how it has stood the test of time.

[wildre]

Very interesting, great find. Trying to think when that last fire was, maybe September 2000?
Anyone remember?

re