The Fourth of July has always been celebrated with great fanfare, relaxation, fireworks, and plenty of time on the beach. In 1932, 90 years ago, in spite of the Depression, both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands welcomed historic numbers to their resort towns.
But both towns, as well as the larger resort areas of Long Branch and Asbury also noticed the recession was making a difference in how people celebrated. While the crowds came, they left their money at home, saving for some better times.
Newspapers of the time reported that “despite the rain of Monday afternoon, which compelled an interlude in the Independence Day celebration along the shore, reports agree the weekend as a whole was equal to anticipations.”
There was no lack of visitors. Trains, boats and automobiles brought people by the thousands, but the condition of unemployment and financial famine were reflected in a general tendency to be careful in expenditures.
The result was a rather spotty experience on the part of businessmen who had looked forward to the weekend to replenish their cash boxes. The service stations did a record business. Most restaurants reported a satisfactory patronage, but the concessionaires at the various resorts were generally of the opinion that many of the tourists made no investment outside of gasoline and food.
Boat travel into Atlantic Highlands to celebrate the Fourth was reminiscent of more prosperous times in spite of the lack of spending. The Mandalay and other boats carried good crowds, the Mandalay alone bringing 3300 passengers on a single trip. It had lowered its fare from New York to 25 cents a trip.
Buses, cars and trains brought thousands more to the Bayshore; the buses came from all over North Jersey, the Central Railroad of New Jersey brought thousands from New York.
The crowds were great, the weather beautiful once the rain stopped, and the people all had a great time visiting.
But the Atlantic Highlands First Aid Squad saw no rest. In addition to answering a number of calls from their own town, squad volunteers responded to the bridge over Compton’s Creek to answer the needs of the injured there. Three cars collided as they all tried to make the crossing at once, “with painful results,” as the newspaper reported at the time. The squad answered another call in Highlands when a soldier from Fort Hancock was reported to have drowned at Waterwitch Beach; however, his body was not recovered until the next day.
They soon learned that chivalry was alive and well at one of their calls. Peter Daly of Belford had been struck by a car and knocked unconscious; the squad arrived and Mr. Daly revived. But he declined any further assistance, refused to go to the hospital and said he would not press charges against the driver who struck him. His reason? The driver was a woman, and thus, he said, was “entitled to some privileges.”
Atlantic Beach Park was a popular resort all through the weekend, but concessionaires there, as well as in the larger resorts, complained that too many of the people seemed to have left their pocketbooks at home. Asbury Park reported one of the largest crowds ever, as did Long Branch.
In Highlands that borough said it saw its largest crowds ever, though, like the Atlantic Highlands concessionaires, they noted people were not spending money. Still the crowds gave businesses along the shore hope, and the vast numbers demonstrated the resort had not lost its attraction. .
The cars that brought all these visitors to the Bayshore also showed the effects of the Depression. The papers reporter that hundreds of cars that in more prosperous times would have been scorned carried family parties that seemed to be enjoying their outing as thoroughly as if they had ridden in the newest models. Automobile dealers who observed these antiques comforted themselves with the reflection that here were a lot of people who were going to buy cars when they got the money.
