Asbury Park Convention Hall facts for kids
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| Address | 1300 Ocean Avenue |
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| Location | Asbury Park, New Jersey |
| Public transit | NJ Transit  at Asbury Park station
North Jersey Coast Line
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Asbury Park Convention Hall
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 Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, New Jersey |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001512 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | March 2, 1979 |
| Owner | City of Asbury Park |
| Type | Convention hall |
| Capacity | 3,600 |
| Opened | 1925 |
| Tenants | |
| New Jersey ShoreCats (USBL) (1998–2000) Jersey Shore Roller Girls (WFTDA) (2008–present) |
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The Asbury Park Convention Hall is a large building in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It sits right on the boardwalk and next to the beach. This hall can hold 3,600 people and is used for many different events.
It was built between 1928 and 1930. Today, it hosts sports, concerts, and other special gatherings. Right next to the Convention Hall is the Paramount Theatre. These two buildings are connected by a beautiful area called the Grand Arcade. Both the Convention Hall and the Paramount Theatre are important historic places.
Contents
History of Asbury Park Convention Hall
Early Plans for a Convention Center
Back in 1916, the mayor of Asbury Park, Clarence E.F. Hetrick, wanted to build a big convention center. He hired famous architects to design a place for 5,000 people. However, the land he wanted was owned by the city's founder, James A. Bradley. Bradley refused to sell the land.
After Bradley passed away in 1921, a new owner bought the land. He tore down the old building there and built a hotel instead.
Building the Hall by the Ocean
In 1927, a fire destroyed another building on the boardwalk. This opened up a new spot for the convention center. Voters in Asbury Park agreed to pay for a new hall. Mayor Hetrick hired architects Warren and Wetmore, who also designed Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
Their design included a theater with 1,600 seats. This theater was connected to a covered arcade that went over the boardwalk. The arcade then led to the main Convention Hall. This part of the hall was huge, with 60,000 square feet of space. It even stretched 215 feet out over the beach and into the ocean! It was supported by strong concrete pillars.
For many years, people could look directly over the Atlantic Ocean from the hall's walkways. The whole complex was designed with a mix of Italian and French styles. It also had many ocean-themed decorations because of its location by the sea.
Radio Station WCAP at the Hall
In 1927, a radio station called WDWM moved to Asbury Park and changed its name to WCAP. This stood for "Wonder City of Asbury Park." In 1931, the station moved its studios to the second floor of Convention Hall.
The hall was built with special wiring for radio broadcasts. This meant WCAP could broadcast live concerts and performances happening right there in the hall. They shared music from bands like the Arthur Pryor Band. WCAP broadcast from Convention Hall until 1944.
Convention Hall and the Morro Castle Disaster
On September 8, 1934, a cruise ship called the SS Morro Castle caught fire. It was returning to New York from Havana. The ship drifted towards the New Jersey coast.
A radio announcer named Tom Burley was broadcasting from WCAP's studio in Convention Hall. He was on the second floor when he saw the burning ship getting closer to the beach. He quickly told his listeners, "She's here! The Morro Castle is coming right toward our studio!"
The ship eventually stopped on a sandbar right in front of Convention Hall. The next morning, people used ropes fired from the hall to reach the ship. They set up a special rope system to help firefighters and officials get onto the ship. Sadly, 137 people lost their lives in the disaster.
The Morro Castle stayed on the sandbar for months. Thousands of curious people came to see the burned ship. This brought many visitors to Asbury Park during the Great Depression. The ship was finally towed away in March 1935 to be taken apart.
The Kilgen Pipe Organ
Convention Hall was designed to have a very large pipe organ. The architects placed special grilles in the walls to cover the organ's pipes. This design made the entire hall act like part of the instrument, making the sound even bigger.
Because of the Great Depression, the city couldn't afford the original organ they wanted. But in 1931, they bought a smaller organ from a theater in New York City. This organ was built by George Kilgen & Sons. Even though it was smaller, the hall's great acoustics made it sound much larger.
Municipal Organists and the Organ's Future
In the 1930s, Asbury Park hired a "municipal organist." This person would play free concerts for visitors on the boardwalk. WCAP radio even broadcast some of these concerts. G. Howard Scott was the first organist, followed by Jim Ryan and Al Devivo. The concerts stopped in 1984.
The organ was still played sometimes until 2000. Volunteers helped fix and improve the instrument, adding more pipes to make the sound even richer. In 1991, the organ's console (where the organist sits) was made movable. This allowed performers to play closer to the audience.
Today, the organ is mostly quiet. It is one of only two Kilgen organs left in New Jersey.
Meetings and Events at the Hall
The first big meeting at Convention Hall was in July 1930. Since then, the hall has hosted many different events. These include:
- Conventions
- Community meetings
- Sporting events
- Trade shows
- Antique car shows
Since 1951, a special dance called the Debutante Ball has been held here every year. The hall is also used for Asbury Park's Easter Parade if the weather is bad.
Since 2008, Convention Hall has been the home for the Jersey Shore Roller Girls, a roller derby team.
Concerts at Convention Hall
Rock and roll music has been a big part of Convention Hall's history since the 1950s. In 1956, a concert by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers ended early because of a fight. The mayor even thought about banning rock and roll shows, but it never happened.
In the mid-1960s, a promoter named Moe Septee started bringing famous rock bands to the hall. Many legendary groups played here, including:
- Black Sabbath
- The Beach Boys
- James Brown
- The Doors
- Janis Joplin
- KISS
- The Rolling Stones
- Pink Floyd
- The Who
Led Zeppelin played at Convention Hall in August 1969. This was just before the Woodstock Festival, which their manager decided they wouldn't attend. Joe Cocker opened for Led Zeppelin that night.
The hall also hosted one of the last concerts by the original Lynyrd Skynyrd band in 1977. This was before their tragic plane crash later that year.
Concerts continued through the 1970s, 80s, and 90s with bands like:
- The Allman Brothers Band
- Judas Priest
- Iron Maiden
- Van Halen
- Blondie
- No Doubt
Bruce Springsteen and Modern Concerts
Since the late 1990s, Convention Hall has become strongly linked with Bruce Springsteen. He often uses the hall for rehearsals before his tours. Fans sometimes gather outside to hear him practice. He has also played special holiday shows there.
The large sign on top of Convention Hall even says "Greetings from Asbury Park." This is a nod to Springsteen's first album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. In 2020, the sign was updated with new LED lights.
In the 2000s, many other popular bands and artists have played at Convention Hall, including:
Images for kids
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The Grand Arcade connects Convention Hall to the Paramount Theatre.
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Angel statues decorate the entrance area inside Convention Hall.
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A view of the large interior space of Convention Hall.
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Convention Hall as seen from the Atlantic Ocean.
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Detailed view of a stairway inside the hall.
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Entering Convention Hall through the Grand Arcade.
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The "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." sign on top of the hall.
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Convention Hall is a popular venue for roller derby events.
