The front of the Dutchess County Historical Society at Route 9 North
The front Gallery of the Historical Society
Historical Society artifacts
Local portraits and the Colonial flag
The Society’s collection of portraits
The sign for the portrait of Edward Martin
The collection of portraits of Judge and Mrs. Soutenburgh
The sign for the Stoutenburgh’s
The map collection
Farm scene
The front of the cemetery
The front of the historic cemetery and gatehouse
The Ulster County Fair Agricultural Museum
The main gallery of the museum
The outside of the Deputy William G. Law Enforcement Museum on the Ulster County Fairgrounds
The inside of the museum
All of us relaxing after a job well done!
White Oak Market at 206 SE Central Avenue in Seaside Park, NJ
The Bacon, Egg and Cheese at White Oak Market is amazing!
It has been a long time since I had visited both Seaside Park and the Seaside Heights Boardwalk and beaches. I used to come down swimming with my dad at the Seaside Park Beach all the time in the summer in the early 2000’s when I moved home from Guam. I always really enjoyed the park as it was one of the nicest beaches in New Jersey.
I had not been to the Seaside Heights Boardwalk in a long time. I used come down in the summers when I was in high school (like everyone else in New Jersey) but I was writing a series of blogs about museums down the shore and was writing a blog on the new Seaside Heights Historical Museum and Carousel so off I went down the Garden State Parkway again to this popular resort town. While I was down the shore, I went back to Point Pleasant Beach up Route 35 and revisited the downtown for that blog to update it.
The welcome sign to Seaside Park, NJ on a sunny Summer morning
I started my day talking with the Director of Recreation of Seaside Park, who was starting to spearhead a new Historical Society in Seaside Park and invited me to tour their historic City Hall building.
The historic Seaside Park City Hall at 1701 North Ocean Avenue
https://www.seasideparknj.org/
What I thought was interesting about the building is that it originally started out as a lifeguard station. I thought it had an unusual design with a tower and wide doors.
The from of the building faces the ocean.
When we toured the whole building I could see where the lifeguards used to watch the ocean from the tower and the large garage doors are where the lifeguard boats were stored. That’s why the doors were so large. What was impressive were the tower views.
The ocean view from the top of the tower at City Hall
After I got dropped off when the tour was over, I made my way to the Seaside Heights Boardwalk which starts in Seaside Park and passed the well known pizzeria, Sawmill Pizza, which has an excellent reputation and is well known down the shore. I had never eaten there but I heard they had over- sized slices.
The original Sawmill Cafe in Seaside Park, NJ in the downtown area
I had gotten to Seaside Heights so early, it only took me only an hour and fifteen minutes to get there from North Jersey, that most of the businesses on the Boardwalk had either not opened yet or were just opening. The Boardwalk was really quiet and I had the Boardwalk to myself.
The Seaside Heights Boardwalk at 10:30am in the morning was quiet and very relaxing
The Boardwalk by both the Sawmill Cafe and Three Brothers Pizza. The outdoor seating is plentiful.
The long stretches of quiet Boardwalk in Seaside Heights
The Boardwalk is perfect when its quiet and not much of a crowd. It was a sunny day with a pleasant breeze. With some of the businesses preparing to open for the day, I was able to visit many of the stores on the Boardwalk without the usual crowds having to elbow people to see things on the shelves and in cases.
I had asked the Recreation Director of Seaside Park why there had not been the damage during Hurricane Sandy as in other parts of the shore, he said it was due to being on higher land on the shore line and the well built dunes that had been created. These dunes today are well maintained and a valuable part of the beach ecosystem.
The planted dunes by the shore line in the Seaside Park part of the beach
The well built dunes near the Boardwalk protecting both the Boardwalk and beach
As I walked down the Boardwalk to get to the new museum, I noticed the open air art show on the Boardwalk. The Boardwalk was lined with interesting paintings by artists depicting Seaside Heights.
The Boardwalk Art Show:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44664699737/
The artwork
The artwork
The artwork
The artwork
The Artwork
The Artwork
The Artwork
The Artwork
The Artwork
The Artwork
The Artwork from the show
The newest addition to the collection on the Boardwalk
I thought it was wonderful to have an artwork display that had so much creativity and imagination in each of the pieces. The fact that it was a beautiful sunny morning to enjoy it made it even better. Each piece had such a colorful perspective of life at the shore.
I finally got to the Seaside Heights Historical Society and it was all gated off. I had to stop and ask the woman selling beach badges when it would be opening and she said not until 3:00pm. I am looking at my watch and it was past 11:00am. She said it was open from 3:00pm to 8:00pm so I would have plenty of time to see it.
With so much time before its opening and so much more I wanted to see and do, I decided to take the time to explore not just Seaside Heights and Seaside Park but Bay head and Point Pleasant Beach as well. I had wanted to revisit their downtown area as well as visit other museums in the other towns.
The Seaside Heights Historical Society- The Carousel Pavilion at the dnd of the Boardwalk
https://www.seaside-heightsnj.org/161/Museums
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The information sign on the museum
The information on the museum
Some of the historical pictures of the past of this shore community
After our conversation, I decided to make a morning of exploring the two towns and see what they have to offer. Both towns have so much to see and do both on and off the Boardwalk. The first thing I did was have something to eat. I am not sure if it’s the sea air or just the smells of the boardwalk of fried foods and sausage but I got hungry.
This started my ‘Pizza Fest’ adventure on the Boardwalk. With so many pizzerias located on the Boardwalk, it was going to take several trips to Seaside Heights to try them all. I started on one side of the Boardwalk and would work my way down.
As I passed the Historical Society, I looked at the pizza case at Shore Slice Pizza at 1309 Boardwalk and saw the Sausage pizza in the case. I got to talking with the owner and he was telling me he worked in the City and learned the business there. All I have to say is that the pizza was wonderful.
Shore Slice Pizza & Grill at 1309 Boardwalk
My review on TripAdvisor:
The pizza made first thing in the morning. Pizza at 11:00am was really fresh.
I had to have a slice of the sausage pizza and it was fantastic. I love a slice of pizza loaded with sweet sausage.
After a nice lunch, I walk the length of the Boardwalk and explored the stores and the restaurants. I had a nice time weaving through all the stores looking at candy displays and restaurant menus. I saw plenty of gift shops as well.
The amusement area closed that morning
I passed the amusement area but it was closed in the afternoon so I only got to see the rides beyond the fence. The park would open up later that evening. I walked all around the Boardwalk that morning and have to say that there is nothing like a Boardwalk that is all your own. You are not elbowing people, the shop keepers are not over-whelmed with people and are extremely friendly and it gives you time to really enjoy it and look around.
One store that impressed me was Planet Candy at 615 Boardwalk
https://www.facebook.com/planetcandynj/
I stopped in Planet Candy attracted by all the candied covered apples and chocolates in the window. The smell of the sweets lead me inside and I was delighted by the selection of candy, chocolates and novelties.
I loved the selection of gifts and treats and the service was very friendly
I loved the assortment of fresh candies, gifts and admiring the boxes of fresh salt water taffy, a Jersey shore specialty. Talk about a kid in a candy store. I left with a smile on my face.
Jimbo’s Bar & Grill at715 Boardwalk
https://www.jimbosbarandgrill.com/
Review On TripAdvisor:
I stopped to look at Jimbo’s Bar & Grill menu to see what they were having for lunch. The had an extensive menu which I took note of for another time. I had my eyes set on another pizzeria.
The Sawmill Pizzeria on the Boardwalk
https://www.facebook.com/thesawmillcafe/
My review on TripAdvisor:
I had heard about the pizza at the Sawmill for years and it has quite the reputation down the shore so I had to try it. I have to say that the slices are really large so bring an appetite.
The giant cheese slice The Sawmill I had for my second part of lunch
I have to say that I was disappointed. It was an over-sized slice and it looked good, it was thin on the bottom and could have been cooked more so it limped in my hand. Maybe this happened because it was the first pie of the morning. The guys at the register were really friendly and served the pizza quickly.
I took one more trip around the Boardwalk to work off the two slices of pizza and passed the display of Seaside Heights Rescue Boats that people took pictures in. While it was quiet in the morning by the afternoon you could not get people out of these boats. I was able to get some nice pictures before it got busy.
On my second trip to Seaside Heights, I had done a bit more research on the town and remembered another pizzeria that I wanted to try on the Boardwalk, Maruca’s Tomato Pies Pizzeria at 601 Ocean Terrace on the Boardwalk.
What I had remembered about Maruca’s was that they put an extra swirl on the top of the pizza to finish it once it baked. People in the State of New Jersey call this a ‘Tomato Pie’ since the sauce is on top of the pizza and not below the cheese.
Maruca’s Tomato Pies (Pizzeria) at 601 Ocean Terrace
https://www.facebook.com/MarucasPizza/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The well known sign on the Boardwalk
Maruca’s Tomato Pies do live up to the hype. I had a piece of Sausage pizza and it was very good (but it could have used a bit more sausage on top). It really did have the swirl on top of it and what was nice about the extra sauce is that it added extra flavor to the cheese on top of the pizza. I must have really enjoyed this lunch because it was the same dinner I had when I visited in October. They are so generous with the sausage on top of the pizza and the pizza is so crisp!
My lunch on the second trip to the Seaside Heights Boardwalk
The pizza really does look nice
I had a slice of their Sausage pizza for lunch on my second trip to town and it lived up to its reputation. It could have had a bit more sausage on top and was a little pricey at $7.00 a slice but figured it must be the rent. Still the pizza was flavorful and delicious. Their was nicely spiced and the sausage added a sweet flavor to it.
I returned to Seaside Heights in October 2024, to see what was happening on the Boardwalk for Halloween. There were some nice decorations but nothing had been planned for the Boardwalk that I could tell. We had some warmer weather in the middle of the month and for a week it was in the 70’s.
When I returned to Seaside Park and Heights in October of 2025, the Boardwalk had been busier with a Pumpkin Decorating Contest and the night before a showing of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’. I also got to see the finish of the Scarecrow Contest. So there were little ones running around but the cool weather kept people from sticking around.
The Boardwalk was very busy but most of the businesses had closed for the season and those that were open closed at 6:00pm. Still it was nice to walk on the Boardwalk and enjoy the warm breezes from the ocean and be able to visit the dunes without having to pay for it.
Seaside Heights Boardwalk was celebrating Halloween on the Boardwalk
Some of the businesses had decorated the Boardwalk for the Fall holidays
I was finally able to visit the beach without paying for it in mid-October
A beautiful view of the now closed Amusement Park at Sunset on a October afternoon
The Seaside Heights Beach by the Boardwalk at Sunset on October 20th, 2024. I was just beautiful the way the sun sparkled on the shore
In October of 2025, I stopped in just after a Scarecrow Making Contest. The contest was already over by the time I got there but people were still looking them over. The kids did a really nice job with the contest. While Seaside Heights and Park don’t have the activities that its northern neighbor Point Pleasant has, the activities led to some creative ingenuity of the kids and there were interesting decorations all over the towns over the Halloween weekend.
The Scarecrow Contest in October 2025
The Scarecrows lined up
Some of the Scarecrows I liked
This one stood out
This jolly creature stood out too
The strange scared scarecrows
The town even decorated the Boardwalk more this year with skeletons and other creatures. There were not many activities on the Boardwalk on the Halloween weekend but the decorations were fun.
Skeletons on the Boardwalk
Zombies on the Boardwalk
I left the Boardwalk to explore Seaside Park’s Downtown area and parks. I can see the beach at any time but what makes the character of a town is where the locals go. The restaurants that are out of the way, the parks families go to and the business districts that the tourists don’t flock to but should. I took a stroll down the Main Street of town. My first stop was the Seaside Park Farmers Market.
The Seaside Park Farmers Market at the Marine Lawn
https://www.facebook.com/SeasideParkFarmersMarket/
The Farmer’s Market is every Monday and Friday when in season. I walked through the market that afternoon and really enjoyed the variety of merchants they had selling their wares.
The entrance to the Seaside Park Marina where the market takes place.
There were a whole array of vendors to choose from at the Farmers Market and you could find what you need to fill your pantry or for the perfect picnic at the beach. The was a pickle man, a woman making gourmet pizzas to go, farm fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms in the area, a bread and pastry man, and a cheese man. There were several people selling homemade crafts and jewelry.
The market was busy that afternoon
The one thing I did notice was that the prices were very similar to those in Bergen County. It looks like the price hikes have affected down here too. When you want quality it will cost you.
There was a lot of nice produce and prepared foods to buy
The Cedar Post Farm Market had a nice variety of fruits and vegetables at their stand
https://cedarpostfarmmarket.weebly.com/
After walking the whole Farmers Market and noting the vendors for my next trip down the shore, I left the Farmers Market to visit the stores that lined the business district. Before I left, I took a quick tour of the marina district behind the park. The views were amazing.
The Marina District at the end of the block with a view of the bridge
The views from the Marina District
The old fashioned clock tower just outside the Farmers Market
There were a number of stores I passed on the walk down the street that were not open at the time but would warrant a visit in future trips. The first business I passed was a whimsical ice cream shop with a very unusual logo.
The Ice Cream Boss at 10 NE Central Avenue in Seaside Park, NJ
https://www.facebook.com/bossicecream/
Review on TripAdvisor:
I noted that they made their own homemade ice creams in house and wanted to try their peach and blueberry while they were in season. The store was not open at the time but this is for another trip to Seaside Park.
On my second trip to Seaside Park, I ended my day and my eating tour of town with a medium dish of ice cream, which equates to two and a half nice scoops of ice cream in a dish. This is far more generous than some the places closer to the City.
The inside of Ice Cream Boss
The selection of homemade ice cream at Ice Cream Boss
I changed my mind on what ice cream flavors I wanted to try when I sampled the Pretzel Caramel Swirl and the Birthday Cake flavors. Talk about wonderful. The ice cream here is all homemade and you can taste it in the quality ingredients.
The combination of Birthday cake and Pretzel Caramel Swirl was delicious
There were loads of chopped pretzel and big swirls of caramel in the first scoop and hunks of vanilla cake, icing and sprinkles in the second scoop. I had no problem devouring this at the end of a very hot day.
What I like about Ice Cream Boss is that you can eat either inside or on the outside tables giving you view of the surrounding homes and gardens. The road is also filled with people heading to the beach so it is busy all the time. On a sunny, warm day there is nothing like it.
The next place I passed was the Union Church of Seaside Park with its historic looking wooden structure. This historic building stood out amongst all the shore homes in the area.
The Union Church of Seaside Park at 47 4th Avenue in Seaside Heights
https://www.theunionchurch.net/
The church was organized by founding members in 1899 and the church was completed in 1901. This historic non- denominator church has been welcoming locals and tourists alike for over a hundred years (Church website).
The main entrance to the church
The next business I visited has been a shore staple for years and that I see in many shore towns, B & B Department store at 500 SE Central Avenue.
The outside of B & B Department Store at 500 SE Central Avenue
https://bnbdepartmentstore.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
B & B Department Stores are one of the last of the small localized department stores in New Jersey. Many of these disappeared in the early 1990’s with the bankruptcy of Allied, Federated and Macy’s Department stores. B & B seems to know their niche and caters to the Jersey shore downtowns. I visit their store in Beach Haven I am in the area.
I love the way they merchandise their clothes
They a nice collection of seasonable clothes that is perfect if a tourist is visiting and needs to pick up a couple of things for the trip. They also have a nice gift department and a collection of logoed ‘Seaside Park’ merchandise. Each of their stores gears this merchandise to the beach town they are located in.
I thought the displays were very original. This shark display was in the beach merchandise department
After I left the store, I continued down the street to the next store stopping at Park Bakery at 408 SE Central Avenue. I got there rather late in the afternoon and the assortment of baked goods was limited but I took note of the items available and will be back for breakfast in the future.
Park Bakery at 408 SE Central Avenue
https://www.facebook.com/parkbakerynj/
My review on TripAdvisor:
This whimsical little guy greets you when enter the bakery
After I had breakfast on my second trip to town in August it must have been something in the salt air but I was still hungry from my breakfast at White Oak Market and had to stop in the store for a piece of pastry.
There had been so much going on in the store on my last trip with a delivery and a noisy family inside plus being late in the day, there was not that much of a selection. Early in the morning, there is more to choose from. I loved looking at the assortment of twists, yeast breads, doughnuts and turnovers to choose from.
The selection of pastries, cookies and cakes at Park Bakery
What I like about Park Bakery is how whimsical the store is inside. I had not noticed it on the first trip but there are puppets and interactive characters along the walls and by the coffee station.
These dessert Chef’s oversee the counter at the bakery
The talking Moose and Tree interact with one another and the tree is actually a refrigerator
After surveying the turnovers and cookies I chose one of the doughnuts and that was a hard choice as they all looked so good. I had one of the powered Jelly doughnut’s with a raspberry filling and it was a delicious. There was so much jelly inside that when I bit in, the sweet jelly burst in my mouth.
The delicious jelly doughnut with raspberry filling was the perfect way to finish breakfast
When I came back in August, I did a more extensive walk of the town and ended up walking not just the entire length of Seaside Park but all the way to the edge of town to the Seaside Park that is located in Berkeley Township. I thought it had been part of Seaside Park, the town.
The entrance to Island Beach State Park in Berkley Township in the Summer
In the Fall
https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/islandbeachstatepark.html
My review on TripAdvisor:
Then turned around and walked the entire length of the business district and Boardwalk again in Seaside Heights and saw all the new developments there as well. Like many of the shore towns in New Jersey that I have visited, the old businesses are being knocked down for pricy condos and more upscale expensive restaurants to cater to the people who will moving in. I have seen this in Point Pleasant Beach and Wildwood.
The Island Beach State park is actually located in Berkeley Township in South Seaside Park
You can’t just ‘walk into Seaside Park’, the park itself but have to drive in and pay a fee so that is where I stopped when I got to the entrance. I noted the restaurants at the entrance of the park and there were some that I wanted to try in the future.
The Seaside Park sign on October of 2035
As I walked back to Seaside Park, I stopped at several of the small parks that line the bay on the side streets. I think the tourists miss these and that’s what the locals enjoy. The first one was a small park near the entrance of Seaside Park two blocks down from the entrance at the end of 24th Street. The small pavilion offered nice views of the park and bay.
The view from the pavilion at 24th Street in South Seaside Park
The nautical display by the businesses in South Seaside Park
The little bohemian houses as you leave the Berkeley Township neighborhood by the beach
The next little gem of a park was by the 13th Street Pier in Seaside Park. This long pier was attracting fisherman and joggers on the hot day. At the entrance of the park, there was a butterfly garden meant to attract monarchs on the migration path.
The sign for the 13th Street Pier and Park
The small garden at the entrance of the pier
This wonderful little park also had a pavilion to rest in the shade and relax and enjoy the views.
The Butterfly Garden by the entrance of the pier
The views from the 13th Street Pier at the park
The views from the end of the pier are just breathtaking of the bay area. On a sunny day you can see all the way up to the bridge. The views are just spectacular and the park is so peaceful on a quiet weekend.
The views from the 13th Street Pier Park
The views from the 13th Street Pier Park looking south
I walked back to the circle where the main part the Seaside Park shopping district starts and had to stop in the police station because there are not a lot of public bathrooms outside the Boardwalk area. They have nice public bathrooms and no one bothers you when you use them.
I walked around the circle of the main shopping area and made my way back up Central Avenue. I could see the Bay Area from the shopping district and went off the path to explore it. One store I enjoyed walking into was the Shore and More General Store at 100 5th Street.
The Shore and More General Store at 100 5th Street
https://www.facebook.com/ShoreandMore/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Shore and More General Store is for the visitor who forgot the things they needed for their trip or for a day tripper who did not want to drag everything with them for a day at the shore. There are all sorts of beach chairs, towels, umbrellas for sale and inside suntan lotion, snacks, drinks and gift items to take home with you. It reminded me of some of the stores of Amity Island in the movie ‘Jaws’. A little local store that carries everything needed in a beach community for a visitor.
The inside of Shore and More General Store in Seaside Park, NJ
I stopped at the 5th Avenue Bay Pier and Park after my long walk around the shopping district. This wonderful little park has a small beach, a wonderful pier to walk on to see the views and the most breathtaking views of the bay and shoreline. This park is really for the locals and it funny how all the kids seemed to know on another.
The entrance of the 5th Street Pier Park
http://www.seasideparkonline.com/e_fishing.html
The park offers a small beach for a fee for swimming in the bay and the pier looks like it is popular with fisherman and sunbathers alike. Just like the 13th Street Pier Park, it offers the most spectacular views on the bay and the surrounding shore.
5th Avenue Bay Pier in the afternoon
The park is nice to get away from all the hustle of the Boardwalk. I watched everyone fishing on the pier talking and swapping stories past catches. The I got the end of the pier and saw all the sailboats in the distance. That was a beautiful site. It looked like a regatta.
The view from the 5th Avenue Bay pier is breathtaking on sunny afternoon
The 5th Street Pier
This seagull acted like he was guarding the pier
The view of the 5th Street Beach and Pier with our friend the seagull looking on
The weather got hotter in the afternoon and I got the most amazing accidental tan. I did not realize the strength of the sun that afternoon. It was really strong hidden by cool breezes. The pier offers such a nice place to relax and watch families having a nice time on the beach. It is the perfect place for a walk after a day at the shore.
I walked up Central Avenue peeking in the gardens along the way and admiring peoples homes. There seems to be a mix of weekenders and permanent residents.
One of the gardens I admired on my walk up the main street
I loved this shell flag that was on one of the porches
One of the nicely landscaped homes gardens in the downtown district
From the park I made my way back to the shopping district on my way back to the Boardwalk. On the way, I passed the White Oak Market at 206 SE Central Avenue and walked in to see a bustling crowd of customers.
The White Oak Market at 206 SE Central Avenue
https://whiteoakmarket.online/
Review on TripAdvisor:
My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/4163
The grocery section and deli of the White Oak Market
What a great little grocery and deli. It had the nicest assortment of sandwiches and salads and is the prefect place to get food items for a beach picnic. The people working there could not have been nicer to all the customers. The problem was after two slices of pizza I was not hungry and I was eyeing the breakfast sandwiches coming off the grill.
The hot food deli section of the market
I made note of this and on my second visit to town had breakfast here as my first stop. I had a Bacon, Egg and Cheese on a hard roll that was wonderful. They loaded the sandwich with fresh bacon, about three eggs and a couple of slices of American cheese and tucked all of this into a chewy bun. I was able to enjoy this with a Nantucket Red Plum juice on one of the benches outside the store.
The White Oak Market’s prepared food section and salads
While I was waiting for my order to be finished, I stopped and looked at the gift and beach section. The store has all sorts of shirts for the beach and to take home as a souvenir. What’s nice too is the grocery section is extensive and you can stock up on things you will need for both your hotel room and beach rentals.
The selection of gifts and grocery items
I had a better chance to walk around the store and it is really like a little general store for the locals with a nice grocery section, a section for beach toys like pails, shovels and items like chairs and umbrellas for a day at the beach.
They also have a selection of clothing with logoed items from Seaside Park to take home as gift. What I really liked about the stores is that it really was a gathering place for the residents who were greeting one another by name and sharing gossip with one another. It is one of those stores that every town should have in it.
I took my Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich and a Red Plum juice and ate outside on the benches, which is a really nice treat on a sunny day. The sandwich was excellent and was the perfect breakfast that morning after a long walk (see reviews on TripAdvisor and LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com).
The Bacon Egg and Cheese sandwich on a hard roll is definite choice for breakfast
Yum!
When I returned in October in 2025, for lunch I tried the Chicken Salad on a hard roll. The over-sized sandwich was enough for lunch and dinner.
The Chicken Salad with a side of Macaroni salad
It was a great sandwich
Ditto with the Macaroni salad
After my second meal was over, I made my way through the rest of town and into the business district of Seaside Heights which parallels the Boardwalk. This is where the real changes are happening.
Gone are the older motels and shops. The area must have been rezoned because all sorts of upscale condos and apartments are being built where those businesses once stood. It tells me that they are trying to attract a more year round visitor.
The edge of the Seaside Heights Downtown business district by the Boardwalk
A downtown restaurant sign
The Downtown artwork
The Downtown artwork
The Downtown artwork
With all this new building you can see the quality of the coffee shops and restaurants now being built around them. The old hot dog and cheesesteak places that surround the block between this and the Boardwalk are starting to look out of place.
Part of the old Downtown Seaside Heights by the Boardwalk, the waterslide park
I made my way back to the car which I parked near City Hall. I had to go back to Point Pleasant to finish my blog on that town’s downtown area and two of their museums. I came back to the Boardwalk later that evening.
My blog on Point Pleasant and Point Pleasant Beach:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/48890
Later that night I was back on the Boardwalk again and there was a nice crowd that evening. The amusement park opened on the Boardwalk and it was a lot more lively with the rides going and the music.
The Boardwalk amusements area was really lively when I returned to the Boardwalk that evening
https://www.seasideheights.net/boardwalk.html
My review on TripAdvisor:
The rides were spinning, flipping and swirling everyone around. It looked like everyone was having a good time on this sunny Friday night. There is nothing like a night at the Jersey Shore.
My view of the rides and activities on the Boardwalk:
The overhead rides a that sunny Friday night
I walked to the end of the Boardwalk to find that the Seaside Heights Historical Society building was open and the historic carousel was in use with its colorful animals and cheerful music.
The Dr. Floyd L. Moreland carousel in the Seaside Heights Historical Society Building
https://www.seaside-heightsnj.org/161/Museums
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The Dr. Floyd L. Moreland Carousel sign
The carousel was only running when people came to ride it so it took a few tries to film the ride.
Here is the video on the carousel ride:
The carousel was so beautifully restored and the music so festive.
The start of the ride and the music
The beautifully restored horses
The camel
The tiger
The gentleman working the carousel that evening told me that the Historical Society plans on having more exhibitions in the future but for right now the doctor’s collection of carousel horses were on display.
The case line of carousel horses being shown at the museum
The panels from the carousel that could not be restored were on display as well
The Seaside Heights Historical Society has done a wonderful job creating a museum that is engaging and interactive. That and the carousel offers a wonderful ride.
The second video of the ride:
The Society has a new exhibition in the back part of the building promoting the “Postcards from Seaside Heights” in October 2024.
“Our History in Postcards” at the Seaside Heights Historical Society
The Seaside Heights “Hodge Podge” of the Town Map and artifacts from the town
The Seaside Heights Banner display
The Seaside Heights Historical Society keeps adding all these interesting displays to the building and you really have to walk around the building to enjoy them. Don’t forget to ride the carousel.
As I walked back down the Boardwalk, I enjoyed all the laughter and yelling going on with people having a wonderful time on the rides and at the games. Before I left for the long ride home, I stopped at the Midway Steakhouse at 500 Boardwalk for some Cheese Balls. All I saw that afternoon were signs for the famous Cheeseballs of Seaside Heights and now had to have some before I left.
What Cheeseballs are fresh mozzarella balls (or have been rolled into balls), breaded and quickly deep fried similar to mozzarella sticks. They are then served with a homemade red sauce. They are heaven on earth and the Midway Steakhouse did an excellent job on them.
The Midway Steak House at 500 Boardwalk
https://order.toasttab.com/online/midway-steak-house-webster-boardwalk
My review on TripAdvisor:
My Cheeseballs meal from the Midway Steak House that I ate on a bench on the Boardwalk
Yum!
I took one last look at the amusement area before I left and watched the summer crowd just having fun. Funny if we’re not for the cellphones and the models of the cars, I would have shown it was 1978 all over again. That’s what the Seaside’s do, bring you back to your youth.
The entrance to the amusement area at dusk
It was a fun day!
The Boardwalk at the end of the day
The clown in the amusement park taking a rest
Greetings from the restaurant section of the Boardwalk
Seaside Heights Boardwalk in October of 2025 during Halloween Weekend
Halloween Weekend in 2025
No matter what time of the year it is, both Seaside Heights and Seaside Park offer interesting and fun activities or just a quiet walk on the Boardwalk is nice as well. It is a relaxing place to just think and have a nice afternoon.
The Goodie Girl logo
The delicious cookies from Goodie Girl Bakery
It was another hot day in Manhattan. I worked a double shift at the Soup Kitchen so I was there until 3:00pm. The weather was a lot cooler since the rain showers but still hot. It was a lot better to walk around though.
I started my walk on Fifth Avenue and East 19th Street across from the old Arnold Constable Department store building. In comparison to the newer store across from the New York Public Library on Fifth and East 42nd Street, this store was four times the size. I had read online that not only was it the main store at the time but the warehouse, wholesale location and where some of the manufacturing took place. This building that stretches from Fifth Avenue to Broadway and was built in three stages over the late 1800’s.
The former Arnold Constable building at Fifth Avenue and East 19th Street
When I crossed Broadway, it was the ABC store, the former store that dominates between Broadway and 19th Street, the old main shopping district from the pre-Civil War era. After the Civil War, it would move to 23rd Street. This was the former W. & J. Sloane’s Furniture store.
The ABC Store, the former at Broadway and East 19th Street
https://abchome.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqf4tgHjk9A7XL6PkjC2EezcOdKtzgtokdHaDH4uRbv-5pFkEJq
When I walked further down East 19th Street to Park Avenue South, I came across the new location for the Union Square Cafe at 101 East 19th Street a restaurant I had eaten at many times in the old location since the 1990’s.
The new Union Square Cafe at 101 East 19th Street
https://www.unionsquarecafe.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
I stopped and took a look at the menu. It wasn’t the innovative menu that I remember from past trips to the old restaurant. They had the standard dishes that I had seen before. It looked like they were keeping it safe in post-COVID but I did note that the restaurant has gotten very expensive.
The new menu is expensive
https://www.unionsquarecafe.com/menu/dinner-menu/
The one thing I did like about the restaurant is that it had the most amazing outdoor seating. On a nice day this is the perfect restaurant to eat outside. The view of the quiet street and the historical buildings is a nice backdrop to the restaurant.
The outdoor cafe on this bright, sunny day
I had remembered the Union Square Cafe in the old location and the vibe was not the same here. It was like they wanted to cater to a hipper younger crowd instead of the older traditional crowd that they had before as customers. I continued walking down the street.
As you get closer to Irving Place, it starts to get more residential. Some of the homes are really beautiful. The residents have really done a nice job with their flower boxes and outdoor gardens in the neighborhood.
The homes closer to Irving Place on East 19th Street
I reached Irving Place and was confronted with the embellishments I had admired at 81 Irving Place. They were just so unusual and ghoulish. I think this is one of the more unique buildings in the neighborhood.
81 Irving Place in all its glory
https://streeteasy.com/building/81-irving-place-new_york
https://www.apartments.com/81-irving-pl-new-york-ny-unit-8a/5q6z3mp/
81 Irving Place is one of the most beautiful apartment complexes in the city that I have come across. The embellishments along the building are some of most detailed and elegant I have seen. This prewar Co-Op was built in 1929. You have to walk around the building to appreciate it and from the street level you can see all these wonderful details.
The strange creatures
Surround this building
On all sides of it
They stare at you
Welcoming you to the building
Protecting you
Staring at you
Welcoming you home
Happy to see you
The faces great you with strange looks
Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms
I had not noticed all of this when I had walked the borders of the neighborhood. I just saw all these detail from a distance. When you walk along East 19th Street, you see all designs in one long shot. I thought whoever created this building had a sense of humor. When I turned around on this corner, you really can enjoy the beauty of the building.
Another building where I had not noticed the elegance before was 33 East 19th Street. You really have to stare up to see the details of the faces and animals.
33 East 19th Street
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/33-W-19th-St-New-York-NY/4429643/
This former office building was built in 1920 and have been converted to loft apartments.
The faces greeting from the top of the building so you have to look up to look back
The strange stares you get from the building are almost a judgement call
The lions protecting the building from the top
As I walked past Broadway, I passed 889 Broadway, which I had passed many times before. Just like other buildings on this street, there are more details on the street level rather than on the main avenues.
889 Broadway-The former Gorham Manufacturing Company Building
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/889_Broadway
The beauty of 889 Broadway can be seen on all sides but you have to look at every angle of the building to appreciate it. There is all sorts of masonry and iron work around the building that gives it unique look. The building was designed by architect Edward Hale Kendall in the Queen Ann style and finished in 1884. The company moved uptown in 1905 when the retail district started to move further north (Wiki).
The unique carvings and metal work on the building
More faces watching you on the street making judgement calls
119 Fifth Avenue
https://www.propertyshark.com/mason/Property/13021/119-5-Ave-New-York-NY-10003/
https://streeteasy.com/building/119-5th-avenue-new_york
119 Fifth Avenue at the corner of East 19th Street in the Flatiron District neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City was built in 1905-06 and was designed by John H. Duncan in the neo-Renaissance style. It was built to be an annex to the Lord & Taylor department store buildings which took up most of the square block between Broadway and Fifth Avenue and East 19th and 20th Streets, being connected by bridge to two of them. After Lord & Taylor moved uptown in 1914, the building had multiple uses (Wiki).
The lion watching over you
The stonework at the top of building
This section of Fifth Avenue was meant to impress when this was the financial and retail center of Manhattan. The buildings were designed in the Neo-Classical and Beaux Arts style sowing the importance of the companies who created them, who are that point long gone. This area had been the center of business before and after the Civil War.
I then rounded the Fifth Avenue business core and walked down East 18th Street and came across one of the most beautifully designed firehouses I have ever seen in the City, Engine 14. In all my times walking around Manhattan, I don’t think I have ever walked down this street before because I never noticed this.
Engine 14 at East 18th Street was under renovation but it’s 1894 facade peeked out
https://nyfd.com/manhattan_engines/engine_14.html
https://sideways.nyc/discover/4QoKRmk3SMVH6oAvWq68ef/engine-co-14
The building is currently under renovation. Engine Co. 14 was erected in 1895 by architect Napoleon LeBrun, who designed this in the Beaux Arts design. This style is typical of the earliest New York City firehouses (Manhattan Sideways).
This was under the scaffolding
I turned the corner at East 17th Street and most of these buildings have a historic value to them and I was surprised by the collection of retailers on this block. I thought it would be a bit more upscale. I looked up at 16 East 17th Street and thought I heard the roar of a lion.
16 East 17th Street
https://www.corcoran.com/building/flatiron/303
https://www.bondnewyork.com/union-square/coop/16-east-17th-street-8-floor/1498324
The former office building was designed by William Dilthey and built in 1898. It had originally had been a button factory. It was converted to a Coop in 1979 (Corcoran.com/Bondnewyork.com).
The lions protect you as you enter the building.
When I was walking back down East 17th Street I had not noticed this beautiful carving on 874 Broadway. This is on the corner of the McIntrye Building.
874 Broadway-The former McIntyre Building
https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2010/07/1892-mcintyre-building-finials-snakes.html
https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/flatiron-union-square/the-macintyre-874-broadway/6892
https://streeteasy.com/building/874-broadway-new_york
The McIntyre Building was the work of Ewen McIntrye, a pharmacist whose building had grown and had made him wealthy. He demolished the store he had on this spot and built this office building. The structure was designed by architect Robert Henry Robertson in a mixture of designs of the time. You can see Gothic Revival and Renaissance Revival and Victorian Eclectic in the design especially at the top of the building (DaytoninManhattan.com).
When I got to East 17th Street, I really got an excellent view of the northern part of Union Square Park. This is where you can see the real changes of the park. It is so lively and residents and business people use it as a place to unwind and relax.
The northern section of Union Square Park
Facing the northern section Union Square Park is 33 East 17th Street. I have always admired this building for its embellishments and the elegance of the design.
33 East 17th Street-The Century Building
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_Building_(Union_Square,_Manhattan)
https://www.facebook.com/BNUnionSqNYC/
The now Barnes and Nobel Publishing was once known as the Century Building, due to Century Publishing Company making this their headquarters from 1881 to 1915. It is also known as the Drapery Building. The building was designed by architect William Schickel and was completed in 1881 as a real estate project by the department store company Arnold Constable & Company. Left empty through the 1970’s, it was renovated by Barnes and Nobel as their headquarters in 1995 (Wiki).
The doorway entrance to the store at 33 East 17th Street
This fascinating face is on the left side of the entrance to 33 East 17th Street
The look from this face shows the determination of a serious book buyer
As I passed Union Square Park, I passed the old Tammany Hall Building at 100 East 17th Street. The balance of power in New York City has changed since and it now the home of Petco Pet Products.
The Tammany Hall building 100 East 17th Street is now a Petco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/44_Union_Square
The building was designed by the architectural firm of Thompson, Holmes & Converse and Charles B. Meyers for the Tammany Society political organization, known as Tammany Hall. It was designed in the neo-Georgian style and built in 1929. It was the organization oldest surviving headquarters building. After the loss of the organization’s political power in the early 1930’s, it was sold to the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and in present times has been used as a theater and performance space. It is now occupied by Petco (Wiki).
The symbols of Tammany Hall at the East 17th Street entrance
As I passed the commercial buildings of the neighborhood to the more residential buildings of Irving Place and passed the former carriage house at 121 East 17th Street.
The old carriage house at 121 East 17th Street-Martinys
https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2015/10/no-121-east-17th-street.html
https://ny.eater.com/2022/4/19/23031877/martinys-japanese-cocktail-bar-opening-nyc-gramercy
Review on TripAdvisor:
This carriage house is a holdover from when Union Square was a fashionable neighborhood before the Civil War. After the war was over, the commercial neighborhood of Manhattan moved from Canal Street to between 14th to 23rd Street. This small carriage house survived all the decades of change to the neighborhood (DaytoninManhattan.com). I thought this a gracious building that added to the historical and Old New York look of the Gramercy Park neighborhood.
At the very edge of the neighborhood in Irving Place is the Washington Irving House that wasn’t his house.
The Washington Irving House that Washington Irving never lived in at 122 East 17th Street on the corner of East 17th Street and Irving Place
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-irving-house-new-york-new-york
The “Irving House” was built by Peter Voorhis between 1843 and 1844, along with the adjacent two houses at 45 and 47 Irving Place. The original tenants of 49 Irving Place (at that time referred to as 122 East 17th Street) were Charles Jackson Martin, an insurance executive, and his wife, who would reside there from 1844 until 1852. Henry and Ann E. Coggill would live in it in 1853, and in 1854 it would become the home of banker Thomas Phelps and his wife Elizabeth, who would remain until 1863 (Atlasobsucra.com).
The first mention in print of Irving having lived in the house came in the Sunday Magazine Supplement of the New York Times on April 4, 1897. The article is a human interest story about Elsie de Wolfe and the means and methods she used to decorate “Irving’s house.” In 1905, de Wolfe would become known as the first professional interior decorator and it appears this article is an early attempt at publicity for her. As for the information about Irving, the article takes enormous liberties (actually, it flat-out makes things up), claiming that Irving had conceived of the house himself and was very particular about the architecture and design (Atlasobsucra.com).
Looking up Broadway to the old shopping district from East 17th Street
When I reached the border of the neighborhood at Irving Place, you could see the tradition of the old commercial and residential districts of the neighborhood. These have become blurred over time as restaurants, bars and boutiques have moved into former residential buildings.
On the way back to Union Square Park, I walked through the parks to admire all the flowers and gardens that were in full bloom and stopped to sit on a bench in the shade.
The view of Union Square Park at East 17th Street on the walk back to Fifth Avenue
In the northern part of the park is the impressive statue of Abraham Lincoln. The one thing that I like about New Yorkers as opposed to other cities is that they look at statuary as a debate but not so quick to knock it down like in other cities. Either that or no one really noticed it at the time of the riots. These valuable art works are meant to be debated and discussed not torn down or hidden because someone does not agree with them.
Located at the northern end of the Union Square is the prominent statue of President Lincoln. This statue stands and overlooks the lawn of the park.
Abraham Lincoln
https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/abraham-lincoln/
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-park/monuments/913
This impressive statue of Abraham Lincoln was designed by sculptor Henry Kirke Brown and was dedicated in 1870. In his statue of Lincoln, cast in 1868, and dedicated September 16, 1870, he combines a classically styled pose with a perceptive naturalism, uniting realistic detail with an idealistic stance (NYCParks.org).
Artist Henry Kirke Brown
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kirke_Brown
Artist Henry Kirke Brown was an American born artist who had studied with artists in Italy for his training. He is best known for his figurative historical statues. He also designed the statue of George Washington in Union Square.
I started my walk down East 16th Street at the Levi Parsons Morton plaque at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 16th Street.
The Levi Parsons Morton historic plaque
The plaque of the former Vice-President’s home on Fifth Avenue.
Vice-President and former New York Governor Levi Parsons Morton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_P._Morton
On the building is also the B. Shackman & Company sign for a now long gone Fifth Avenue toy business.
The B. Shackman & Company sign
https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/tag/b-shackman-co/
The B. Shackman & Company sign was for the former B. Shackman & Company novelty and toy store that was located here until the 1970’s. The store once sold all sorts of novelties and gifts (Ephemeral New York.com/Consumer Grouch).
31 Union Square West
https://www.triumphproperty.com/Home/About
https://streeteasy.com/building/bank-of-the-metropolis
31 Union Square West built in 1902-03 as the Bank of the Metropolis was designed by architect Bruce Price and designated a landmark in 1988. This early skyscraper shows the influence of the American Renaissance sensibility celebrated at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 (Streeteasy.com).
You have to look at the very corners of the top of this building to appreciate the roar of these lions
Just like East 17th Street, East 16th Street is filled with more interesting historical buildings.
9 East 16th Street
https://streeteasy.com/building/9-east-16-street-new_york
https://www.compass.com/building/9-11-east-16th-manhattan-ny/281895198718436197/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9%E2%80%9311_East_16th_Street
The building was designed by architect Louis Korn for Martin Johnson and built between 1895 and 1896 (Wiki).
The corniches have such a fanciful design to them
As I walked down the street I noticed not just architecturally beautiful buildings but some very talented street artists left their mark in the neighborhood. Being so close to the Museum of Sex, I thought some were quite unique.
A fried egg
I won’t ask!
Love symbols
More love symbols
I love looking down the street with its small individually owned shops and restaurants give me faith that New York City is coming back strong after COVID. It is nice to see the City so alive.
This block leads into the heart of Union Square Park and to where the Farmers Market was going strong.
The beauty of the park by East 16th Street in the middle of the afternoon
I walked down East 15th Street and relaxed in the park for a while as it got hotter out. I walked along the flower beds and paths and admired the hard work it takes to maintain this park.
How colorful the park is at East 15th Street
I walked down East 15th Street and admired one the old bank buildings that was going through a renovation.
101 East 15th Street-The Union Square Savings Bank Building/Daryl Roth Theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daryl_Roth_Theatre
The bank itself was founded in 1848 and moved to this location in 1895. This building was designed by architect Henry Bacon in the neo classical design in 1905 and the building was finished in 1906. The bank closed in 1992 (Wiki).
The beauty in the side of the building facing East 15th Street
I find it interesting to look at these old buildings with names of companies long gone and ask myself, ‘What happened to them?’ and ‘What happened to them?’ These buildings were designed and built for companies that were once at the pinnacle of their success. Now they are being used for hotels and retail stores proving New York’s resilience to change and to time.
The last building that impressed me the most in the neighborhood was the apartment building at 105 East 15th Street with its garish details and graceful windows.
105 East 15th street-The Swannanoa
https://streeteasy.com/building/105-east-15-street-new_york
https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/gramercy-park/the-swannanoa-105-east-15th-street/737
The Swannanoa is a 10-story Neo-Renaissance apartment building designed by architect Gilbert Schellinger, who was a renowned and prolific designer of residential buildings back in the late 1800’s and 1900’s. Constructed in 1898, this building is easily recognized by its bay windowed facade, elegant marble lobby and hallways, which have all been beautifully restored (Streeteasy.com).
In all the walks of this neighborhood that I have made walking back from NYU in the evening from class and I walked around and through Union Square Park and I had not noticed the sculpture on the edge of the park.
New York Legend-the front of the sculpture
New York Legend-the back of the sculpture
This unique and very creative sculpture was designed by artist Alexander Klingspor
This fascinating sculpture shows the urban legend of alligators lining in New York City sewers. With all the pollution in the water around Manhattan and the rest of the City, there is No Way this would happen. I’m surprised they can still live in Florida.
Artist Alexander Klingspor
Artist Alexander Klingspor is Swedish born artist who works both in the United States and Sweden. He apprenticed under American artist Mark English. He is known for his paintings and sculptures (Wiki).
I then walked through the park for the last time that afternoon as it really started to get hot and watched the people sunning themselves, reading books or just conversing. Again it shows what time and a little effort being made can change things in Manhattan. I think the artists that dominated this area when it was going downhill would be shocked if they got out of a time machine to see how the area has changed.
Union Square Park in the late afternoon.
The Union Square Art and Farmers Market
Just remembering coming here for a hot dog with my father in 1982 and eating next to a transvestite I realized how times have changed. I think about all this when I am looking at young couples strolling around the Farmers Market with expensive baby carriages, looking at $5.00 for one cookie and $15.00 for a Cinnamon Banana Bread. I think it is no longer 1982 but 2024 post COVID and how far we have come. Union Square Park just shows how Manhattan just reinventing itself and changes with the time.
That’s New York City!
The other blogs on the Union Square neighborhood:
Day Three Hundred and Thirteen: Walking the Borders of Union Square:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/48888
Day Three Hundred and Seventeen: Walking the Avenues of Union Square:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/50233
Day Three Hundred and Eighteen: Walking the Streets of Union Square:
mywalkinmanhattan 