Asbury Park/A Golden Age/1900-1950s [Part 15 - The Spectacular History of the New Jersey Shore] 

In 1917, a building boom began to take place in Asbury Park, highlighted by a renaissance in seaside architecture. In 1925, the dazzling new Berkeley-Cartaret Hotel was completed. By 1929, the Casino Building and Convention Hall were under construction. In 1930, the Paramount Theater was opened. Jazz and blues clubs were opening up on Asbury’s West Side, hosting top entertainers like Billie Holiday and Lionel Hampton. It was a golden age for Asbury Park. Elegant pavilions lined the beach. In the 1930s, the Mayfair Theater and Palace Amusements opened. A swan boat, as well as paddle boats, carried visitors across the waters of Wesley Lake. Several fresh and salt-water pools were available for vacationers.
In 1934, the ocean liner SS Morro Castle caught fire and grounded off the coast of Asbury Park’s Convention Hall. 137 people were lost in the tragic event. The blistered wreck became a major tourist attraction for Asbury Park, until it was towed away for scrap.