Historical value

[Wild wood]

Besides providing many, many personal memories, what significant historical value does a hotel built in the 50’s or 60’s in the Wildwood’s have? Do people the same age of these hotels consider themselves historical?

[Doowopper]

You will never find such a vast amount of unique architecture from the retro-era anywhere else on the entire planet, they are the true "Jersey Shore", and they are just different. Their low rise archetecture allows people even a block away from the beach to be able to see and hear it (and the fresh salt air). The problem is many of the owners don't care about the buildings. If I owned one (which I hope to do in the future) it would be renovated, and in better condition than the day it opened.

[FlyinGN]

someone told me that WW has the most plastic palm trees then any other city on earth.. lol.. And Neon lights.. I have not seen more neons signs then in ww.

Frank

[AnthonyV]

The OLD Las Vegas would probably be the only other place that could have "outshined" Wildwood for neon at one time...But those days are also long gone in Las Vegas.

I once took a walk through this junkyard where all the old famous signs are lying all around out in Las Vegas and it was pretty sad in a way to know that all this history was doomed to just rot away over time...

[FlyinGN]

I have not been to LV since I was a boy in 1976 or 77.. Its changed a lot since then Ill bet. I was amazed at the neon as a child..

[crazyaboutwildwood]

Yeah that neon graveyard is amazing and sad too.. I saw a show on that once.

[Al Alven]

Here's a link to a webpage about Vegas' neon graveyard. It includes some excellent pics...

www.vegas4visitors.com/attract/descrip/neongatt.htm

As "sad" as these scenes are, the "graveyard" itself is a truly historic and amazing institution.

I would rather see these great old signs exist in this fashion, rather than having them not exist at all.

It would be neat if the Wildwoods could establish some sort of "neon park."

Not a place where old signs of the past are lying around in a junk heap like in Vegas, but an outdoor "museum" where old signs that have been saved can be restored and displayed.

[wildre]

Thanks, interesting link.
Wouldn't it be neat if they could incorporate the redevelopment of Pacific Ave with the neon of yesteryear. Make it a true destination to see how we all lived and survived BC(before condos)

re

[funkychic]

Thanks for the link to the neon graveyard. I first went to Vegas in 1985, before I knew or understood my attraction to googie and 50's/60's amusement architecture. Found myself going around taking photos of the plastic flower gardens in the lobbies, the signs, the buildings themselves. Unfortunately, none of the photos were developed. There was a restaurant there called ALGIERS, and at the time, the waitresses were still wearing Cleopatra eye make-up, and uniforms that resembled ice skating costumes. Returned in 1995 to encounter a world of disappointment (and I am trying to find a copy of LEARNING FROM LAS VEGAS, so if anyone knows where I can get one, please advise).

First, I want to feel the rat pack when I'm in Vegas. I want to feel the history! There's nothing left of that now.

Second, having lived in a city for four years almost completely devoid of history (Seoul, South Korea) and almost completely comprised of new, bland buildings that all look the same (distinguishable only by the huge numbers painted on their sides) I can tell you how depressed one gets after a while, without any eye candy.

When I was a kid in the 60's, part of the allure of driving into the city was seeing the signs, and the exciting mix of architectural styles. Of course, part of the allure of Wildwood is the concentration of motels. The mix of beige condos with googie doesn't quite work; so in this case, I contradict myself.

The Children's Zoo in Central Park is yet another travesty of "taste." They replaced the colorful ark, whale, and other "kitsch" with organic bark paths and the requisite animals in 'natural' settings. While I'm all for putting the animals in more natural habitats, the kids are obviously bored without a giant whale to run into--or anything colorful, for that matter. Color is SO important.

My theory is that people my age--pretty much the corporate culprits, I might add, responsible for ruining Anaheim (Disneyland) and other places by tearing down the architecture of our childhood, is that this is somehow a symbol of "growing up." They have forgotten the joy these things gave them. I can't believe that I derived so much pleasure from the neon graveyard--just knowing that these things are still there--there's hope...