Middletown transcript., 1876-04-22
SEA GROVE.

memory.
SEA GROVE.
Four months ago the City and Point
we're not iD comfortable communication
BY the beach Now a smooth, hard
wide avenue for driving and promenad-
ing is completed. making one of the
most delightful boulevards along the
whole Atlantic coast The beach makes
most graceful curve around the Cape.
running up into the Delaware Bay as
far as the old Steamboat Landing, thus
giving an almost complete semi-circle
as the outline of the Point. Sea Grove
is laid out with happy reference TO this
natural curve of the shore.
Only one year ago the locality was
"part and parcel of sandy wilder
ness" with its splendid possibilities un-
discovered. or at least uninterrupted
To the public spirit aud enterprise Of a
Philadelphia merchant whose early days
were spent on the farm near the point.
and to whose family estate the land be-
longed, Sea Grove owes its existence
Perceiving its rare advantages as sea
side resort. this gentleman joining with
fothers of like mind, formed the Sea
Grove Association. which was duly in
corporated with the declared ohjert to
furnish a ''sea-side hnme, where its
dwalers may be refreshed and invigo-
rated in body and soul. and better fitted
for the highest and holiest duty of life !"
The event has shown that it was a
happy thought. well conceived. and put
into the right hands for execution
Some 266 acres of land were bought
and charter obtained from the New
Jersey Legislature. authorizing the
Association to lay out. develop and i'm
prove the property, and to enforce such
rules and regulations as might be neces-
sary Originally conceived the idea
was to afford for the Presbyterian
church similar advantages to those be-
coming so popular with other denomi-
nations. But this limited idea was soon
ahandane', and the gates were thrown
wide open to all we'll disposed comers-
pleasing fact as to its religious COM
plexiou being that nearly 800 lot holders
embrace ministers and laymen Of all the
denominati"ns The sale of liquor is
forever prohibited within the precincts.
and the early occupancy of so MANY Of
the lots by a sensible set of people from
Pittsburgh. Philadelphia. Baltimore.
Wilmington and other cities-people
who are not slaves of Mrs Grundy. nor
fatally afflicted with McFlimseyism-is
an assurance that the condition Of social
life there will be of the most happy and
attractive sort.
Whilst continuous religious services
of the campmeetine sort are pot con-
trmplated aal attendance upon reli-
gious meetings will not be at all obli-
eatory. yet frequent public services W II
be enjoyed. the means being provided
10 the spacious pavilion constructed
specially for this use Already the Sea
Grove movement has been signalized By
AIN important Christian Convention Of
evangelical ministers and larmen. and
large Union Sunday School Conven-
tion and branch of the Worlds Evan
gelical Alliance are expected to h"ld
:heir sessions there the coming summer
The history of the movement thus
far may. however. be more or less ia
miliar to many 1t il not 100 much to
say that this new place hae sprung
more suddenly into popular favor than
any similar enterprise We are aston
ished at the growth. as bv magic. Of
Western towns bnt here are the founda-
tions and much Of the super,trueture Of
city built in less than year. and
ready for the reception Of its 1000 or
3 1000 inhabitants
To get a birds eye glance at the new
city. the best point Of view is the pa
vilion. This is an octagnnal STRUCTURE
one hundred feet in diameter. very snh-
stantially built in rustic stvle. with
flooring and comfortable benches. seat
ing at least 500 persons. A large
tower balcony rises over it to the height
Of eighty-6ve feet above the ground
affording magnificent outlook upon
the whole region Let us 90 up into
the tower to take our observations. The
pavilion forms the central plot and circle
from which the city is laid out The
main avenues radiare from it in everv
direction. and with connecting and
crossing streets give to the general plan
very mpch. the appearance Of q spiders
web. The avenues are named after
distinguished PRESBYTERIAN divines. as
Alexander, Knox. Brainerd. &c after
precious stones. as Pearl Diamond.
Emerald, Crystal, &C.. and after our
leading colleges and universities. as
Princeton. Yale. Harvard. LiHcoln. Ok
ford. Cambridge. and the like.
We look down upon three large
hotels. already erected and capable Of
accommodating over 1000 guests. and
upon City cottages built. with prepara-
tions for many more. on every hand.
To the north. the boundary line Of the
premises is marked by the old tnrnpike
road. which connects the Steamboat
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