Unfortunately, the Asbury Park of today bears little resemblance to its glory days. At least the beach is clean and you don't have to worry about discarded medical waste washing up on the beach!

Those white boxes that the girls are playing with once held Richmans' Ice Cream, a South Jersey treat. Richmans had been founded in 1894 by William Richman in Woodstown in Salem County. One of the delights of going "down the Shore" was being able to buy his ice cream, manufactured from fine New Jersey milk and cream, at his stalls found along the various board walks.

[The boxes are labeled Ross' Pop Corn. - Dave]

After years as a popular beach resort Asbury Park went into a long decline starting in the 1950s. Beachgoers went elsewhere, more and more buildings were abandoned, and urban renewal plans were abject failures. By the late 1980s just about the only surviving "industry" in town were boarding houses for deinstitutionalized mental patients. Salvation came from an unlikely source around a decade ago, namely the gay and lesbian community, and today Asbury Park is in much better shape than it has been in many years.

What are those girls playing with in the foreground? Three boxes tied to a stick? They each have one.

[Popcorn cartons. - Dave]

Any chance that woman sprawled out on the sand is Snooki's great-grandma?

The lady on the lower right appears to be lying next to a corpse.

By cracky, I do believe one of those snazzy Jersey beachgoers is Jedediah Springsteen!

To fathom why folks would want to bother going to a beach with all those clothes and then just plop straight down into the sand. That sweet salt air must have been a real draw!

Everyone had to wear the clothes they wore at the turn of the century. Hats, shoes, dresses. Men, woman and children. Hair styles and facial hair. I wonder what that would be like? Just for one day.