Historic Asbury Park, NJ Ferris wheel may return to life after 34 years

Did you know that one of the earliest Ferris wheels in existence was in Asbury Park? It's true, and it was located at the old Palace Amusements.

Asbury Park's Ferris wheel opened in 1895 and was a fixture at the Asbury Park boardwalk. It was also among one of the first steel Ferris wheels making it one-of-a-kind in its early years.

For decades, people would come from all over to enjoy the rides and amusements at Asbury Park. In fact, Asbury Park was one of the most popular Jersey Shore destinations for most of the twentieth century.

The Ferris wheel remained in operation up until 1988 when Palace Amusements closed its doors forever. Since then, the only way to experience the Asbury Park amusements of the past is through old photos and videos.

I'm sure many of us who are too young to have known the glory days of Asbury Park wish we could go back in time to experience it. Those of us who grew up in the '90s mostly remembered an Asbury Park boardwalk that was abandoned.

Fortunately, Asbury Park has come a long way since those darker days and has emerged as a must-visit destination of the Jersey Shore once again.

What's so amazing about the Ferris wheel is that a good portion of its pieces have been stored over the years and may get rebuilt for all to see. Unfortunately, for those of us in New Jersey, however, it wouldn't be returning to the Asbury Park boardwalk.

According to an article from the Asbury Park Press, Phoenixville, PA, would be the new home for the former New Jersey fixture. The town is looking to bring it back to life as a monument.

For those of us here in New Jersey, it's kind of a bummer it won't be returning to its original home. But the fact that a piece of our history may live on for others to see is simply incredible.

It also points to the importance of preserving what we still have in Asbury Park so it can live on well into the future. I mean, it's hard to imagine a place like Asbury Park without Convention Hall or Asbury Lanes.

So before we take a nostalgic look at Asbury Park's glory days, let's first check out the Asbury Park boardwalk for what it is now during the off-season. As you go through the photos, take note of how many historic buildings you see, and what it's like on the boardwalk today.

Then check out the video courtesy of The Township of Ocean Historical Museum bringing us back to 1938. It's truly incredible how much has changed in Asbury Park since then, as well as how much has stayed the same.

Now let's take a look at what Asbury Park once was, back in 1938. And yes, the historic Asbury Park Ferris wheel makes an appearance. Enjoy.