Palace Amusements


Palace Amusements was a historical indoor amusement park in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Built in 1888, and expanded several times over its history, the 100-year-old structure saw the good and bad of the storied Asbury Park boardwalk, withstood multiple nor'easters and hurricanes and both the Great Depression and World War II. After a worsening economic situation in both Asbury and the country in the mid-1980s, the park had to close its doors for good in 1988.
Several efforts were made to save the historic structure, including its hand-carved carousel and infamous murals and decorations, but in 2004, after an independent structural inspection, the building was deemed unsafe and was ordered demolished. A local grassroots organization was able to save several pieces from the building, including the famed Tillie mural.

In popular culture

The Palace is mentioned in 1974 Bruce Springsteen hit "Born to Run" in the lines "Beyond the palace, hemi-powered drones / Scream down the boulevard".