Tillie (murals) facts for kids

Tillie as painted on the Palace Amusements building

Tillie is the fun nickname for two large paintings, called murals. These murals show a big, grinning face. They were painted on the side of the Palace Amusements building in Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States.

Tillie is like a happy, cartoon face you might see at an amusement park. The paintings were made during the winter of 1955 and 1956. The name "Tillie" might be a tribute to George C. Tilyou. He owned Steeplechase Park in Coney Island, New York. That park also had similar big, smiling faces as part of its signs.

Saving Tillie: A Community Effort

Like many old boardwalk areas, Asbury Park faced tough times. The historic Palace Amusements building, built in 1888, closed its doors in 1988. Over time, the building started to fall apart.

When plans were made to tear down the Palace building, people in Asbury Park wanted to save Tillie. Fans of the mural and even fans of musician Bruce Springsteen joined together. They worked hard to stop the demolition. They also asked the state to remove the murals before the building was torn down.

What Happened to the Murals?

The group trying to save Tillie had some success. The Tillie mural on the left side of the building was carefully removed. Other murals, like the "bumper girl" paintings, were also saved. Sadly, the Tillie mural on the right side of the building was torn down.

From June 8 to June 11, 2004, volunteers worked to remove the saved murals. The Palace building was then demolished in July 2004. The plan was to put the saved Tillie murals into a new building. Today, the two wall sections with the Tillie mural are stored in Asbury Park. However, the Tillie face you can see on the Wonder Bar building in Asbury Park is a copy.

See also

In Spanish: Tillie para niños