For a remarkable century, Palace Amusements in Asbury Park, New Jersey, stood as a beacon of joy, enchanting countless visitors with its array of rides, games, funhouses, music, and arcades along the vibrant Jersey Shore. This iconic amusement park, a cherished landmark in Asbury Park, offered generations of families and friends an unforgettable escape, embodying the spirit of classic American seaside entertainment.
The story of Palace Amusements Asbury Park began in 1888 when Ernest Schnitzler introduced a magnificent Victorian-style Carousel House. This original 100-foot by 100-foot wooden structure, crowned with a distinctive hip roof, housed a breathtaking carousel adorned with intricately hand-carved wooden animals, including horses, giraffes, camels, goats, and deer. Initially known as the Kingsley Street Merry-Go-Round, it quickly became a local favorite and was soon fittingly renamed the Palace.
The Evolution of Palace Amusements: From Carousel to Ferris Wheel
The park’s allure expanded in 1895 with the addition of a unique steam-powered Ferris Wheel. Designed by Ernest Schnitzler himself, this impressive 67-foot diameter wheel offered a truly distinctive experience: riders boarded inside the building, ascended, and were then transported outside to an observation deck, providing panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. While the observation deck was later removed when the wheel transitioned to electric power in the 1920s, this Ferris Wheel remained in operation until 1988, earning the distinction of being the oldest operating wheel of its kind in the world at that time.
Further enhancing the park’s offerings, the Crystal Maze was constructed in 1903 on a lot adjacent to the Ferris wheel on Lake Avenue. This two-story steel and masonry building featured a captivating mirrored amusement hall on its ground floor, while the upper floor served as a residence for the Schnitzler family.
Navigating Challenges: The Depression and Creative Innovations
Ernest Schnitzler’s stewardship of the Palace spanned over three decades before he sold it to August M. Williams. The Great Depression, a period that devastated many American amusement parks, saw the number of operational parks plummet from over 1,800 in 1929 to just 303 by 1935. Remarkably, Williams and Palace Amusements managed to weather this economic storm, remaining open and continuing to entertain.
A key factor in the park’s resilience was the strategic hiring of designer Nick Nichols and a talented Polish carpenter known as Mr. D. Together, they conceived and built a wildly popular, steep, and surprise-filled Fun House that soared to the eaves of the Palace Pavilion’s roof. This walk-through attraction, characterized by its strange angles, featured barrel-like rotating passages, spiraling staircases, shifting planks, and clever air drafts that disoriented visitors. Glass panels and strategic lighting created spooky shadows, tilted rooms, and the sudden appearance of human-like characters, all contributing to a thrilling experience. The ground floor of the Crystal Maze building also saw the introduction of the Palace’s first dark ride, a twisting and turning journey that captivated thrill-seekers.
The Lange-Resnick Era: Expansion and Arcade Dominance
In the 1930s, the ownership of the Palace transferred to Edward H. Lange and Zimel Resnick, who would guide its destiny for the subsequent 47 years. They promptly initiated improvements, focusing on painting and general refurbishment. In the early 1940s, they acquired a 100-foot by 30-foot area and installed 3,000 square feet of arcade games. This space later hosted a rather peculiar sheet metal donkey ride for two seasons, followed by a Wax Museum purchased from New York. Eventually, every available space within the Palace was filled with popular arcade games, including classic skee ball and pinball machines.
Despite these changes, the carousel consistently remained the premier attraction. Tragically, during a significant restoration in 1942, the carousel caught fire, damaging 14 horses beyond repair. However, new ones were quickly commissioned, and the carousel was soon back in full operation. Over the years, other exciting rides and amusements, such as the Haunted Caves dark ride and the Hell ’N’ Back attraction, were also introduced, further diversifying the park’s offerings.
Post-War Growth and the Iconic Tillie
Prior to 1955, expansion of the Palace was limited by two hotels flanking the amusement park. However, with the completion of the New Jersey Turnpike in 1951 and the Garden State Parkway in 1955, visitor patterns shifted, favoring daily trips to Asbury Park over overnight stays. This change led to the eventual failure of the hotels, allowing Palace Amusements to acquire their sites. In 1956, the Fun House and Bumper Car Building were constructed to the north and west, respectively.
This final expansion resulted in the iconic 36,000-square-foot L-shaped amusement park, comprising five distinct amusement areas beneath a series of interconnected roofs. It was during this period that the colorful paintings of bumper cars and the famously grinning, neon-lighted “Tillie” face made their debut. Tillie, named after George C. Tilyou, the owner of Steeplechase Park in Coney Island, New York, became an enduring symbol of the Palace and the vibrant spirit of Asbury Park.
The Decline and Heartbreaking Closure
After 47 years, the Lange family decided to retire from the Palace in 1985, selling the business to Sam and Henry Vaccaro. Initially, business thrived, attracting large crowds. However, the demographic of visitors began to shift, leading many parents to feel less comfortable bringing their children. Compounding these challenges, the summer of 1987 saw a devastating 50-mile slick of medical, hospital, and household waste pollute parts of the Jersey Shore, causing a dramatic drop in tourism and visitor numbers.
The ultimate blow came with Joseph Carabetta, a prominent Connecticut developer who had entered a contract as a minority partner with the Vaccaro brothers. As Carabetta initiated plans to redevelop the waterfront, his activities led to the closure of the Convention Hall, effectively ending an annual series of shows and events that drew tens of thousands to the Shore. Furthermore, Carabetta exercised an option in their contract, compelling the Vaccaro brothers to surrender their waterfront properties in exchange for a note valued at over $4 million in November 1988. Without any prior notice, Palace Amusements Asbury Park closed its doors on November 27, 1988, with the Vaccaros given only 90 days to sell the rides and vacate the premises. This abrupt closure resulted in the loss of 25 to 30 seasonal and full-time jobs, marking the end of an era for the beloved amusement park.
A Historic Landmark’s Tragic End and Enduring Legacy
Following its closure, Carabetta abandoned the Palace property and ultimately filed for bankruptcy, never repaying the note to the Vaccaro brothers. Over the subsequent years, the once-thriving amusement park tragically deteriorated. Water damage ravaged the structures, leading to the collapse of a substantial portion of the roof. Despite the decay, the distinctive square Victorian pavilion, which housed the Palace Merry-Go-Round and Ferris Wheel, was recognized for its historical significance and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Despite several valiant efforts to preserve the historic structure, including its exquisite hand-carved carousel and celebrated murals and decorations, an independent structural inspection in 2004 deemed the building unsafe. A demolition order was issued. While a local grassroots organization successfully salvaged several significant pieces from the building, most notably the famed Tillie mural, the rest of the structure was tragically razed in May 2004. Though physically gone, the memory of Palace Amusements Asbury Park, located at the southern end of Kingsley Street between Lake and Cookman Avenues, lives on as a cherished symbol of the Jersey Shore’s rich history and the enduring appeal of classic amusement parks. Its legacy continues to inspire conversations about urban development, historic preservation, and the fleeting nature of beloved cultural landmarks.
