Wildwood Days and the OPC Boardwalk Chapel

 By Al Baker - Posted at Forget None Of His Benefits:

“. . . that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem.” -Luke 24:47

The postwar economic boom, leading to a new national prosperity and the growing of the middle class, along with the finalized construction of the Garden State Parkway in the 1950’s, led to a remarkable growth of summer vacation destinations along the Jersey Shore. One of the hottest spots was Wildwood, New Jersey, about four miles north of Cape May.

Many rock and roll historians tell us that the birth of that genre of music began at Wildwood, New Jersey. It is hard to argue with that assessment. On Memorial Day weekend, 1954, Bill Haley and the Comets first played their song “Rock Around the Clock” at the Hof Brau Hotel. Many say Haley’s song was the beginning of Rock and Roll music. Chubby Checker sang “The Twist” at the Rainbow Club in 1960 at the age eighteen. Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” began in Wildwood before settling in Philadelphia. The Treniers played at the Riptide Club and Johnny Mathis sang at the Bolero. Before air conditioning, Las Vegas was too hot for acts during the summer months so many of the entertainers spent their summers in Wildwood. In addition to the ones just mentioned, other artists included Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., The Platters, Del Shannon, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Conway Twitty, The Band, Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon, Diana Ross, and Frankie Valli who all played there in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Bobby Rydell wrote a popular song in 1963 entitled “Wildwood Days.”

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