Remembering Bahai Vista, Adventure Village and the Atlantic Drive-In
Before the Atlantic City Expressway opened in 1964, traveling from Philadelphia and other points north to Atlantic City meant driving on either the White Horse Pike or the Black Horse Pike. In addition to the various food, ice cream and fruit stands that Black Horse Pike motorists passed along the way, there was a landmark that seemed completely out of place.
Called Bahai Vista, it was a 17-room mansion built for Grace Hutton Middleton, aunt of Barbara Woolworth Hutton, aka the “Poor Little Rich Girl,” and heiress to the F.W. Woolworth Company fortune.
Because of Barbara’s wealth, flamboyance and many marriages to the rich and famous, including one to actor Cary Grant, many believed that Bahai Vista was built for her. A number of Atlantic City newspapers even identified Barbara as the owner over the years. In fact it was Grace who had the mansion constructed.
What was first called the Hutton Middleton Mansion was built around 1920 by the bay – Lake’s Bay, to be specific – on the Black Horse Pike in West Atlantic City.
Though Grace was not a Woolworth heiress, she had plenty. Grace’s brothers were the founders of the brokerage firm E.F. Hutton. Middleton entertained there, and yes, her famous niece and her various husbands were frequent guests until she sold it in 1940 and moved to Ventnor.
The mansion was converted into a restaurant called the Sand Castle, which lasted until the late 1970s. During its existence, the idea was to capitalize on the fact that it was once a famous mansion owned by an heiress. The following was printed on a 1975 Sand Castle menu. The capitalization is theirs.
“You are dining in the former Hutton-Middleton Mansion, known as Bahai Vista (Bay View). Built in 1927 and now renovated into the most exclusive Supper Club on the East Coast.
“Among the many celebrities who have stayed here are Rudolph Valentino, Barbara Hutton, Dina Merrill, Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, the Kennedys and Hubert Humphrey. Perle Mesta has given many parties here. Please enjoy the delightful view of the Skyline and Bay from the Dining Rooms and Bar, and dance to the fine music in the Lounge.”
“The most exclusive supper club on the East Coast” was a popular enough attraction to have lasted through the late 1970s, when it was sold and became the Fire and Ice Disco, and later, Elegante. The property existed in various guises until around 2001, when it was abandoned. A year later, whatever was left of the mansion was torn down.
Grace Russell Hutton Middleton didn’t live to see what happened to her beloved mansion. She died in Somers Point on Oct. 8, 1969, at the age of 96.
Adventure Village
There was another attraction on the Black Horse Pike that existed from 1959 to 1969, and had absolutely nothing to do with the Hutton Mansion, except that it was also on the Black Horse Pike.
Adventure Village, located in Egg Harbor Township just down the road from Storybook Land, was a strange little amusement park. Opened in 1959, it was the idea of a builder named Fred Warner, who moved his family from Gladwyne, Pa., to Egg Harbor Township in order to build and realize his dream.
Though the park’s theme was the Wild West, Adventure Village was never exactly sure what it wanted to be. Rides and attractions included a train ride in which an armed robber would take over the train, then be captured, and then be thrown in jail. There were stagecoach rides, a saloon, a restaurant, a movie theater that showed old films with a Western theme, a fire engine ride, a Keystone Cops-type show and even pig races. Did you ever?
If Adventure Village isn’t remembered today, it’s likely because not a lot of people knew about it even when it was open. In addition to its identity crisis, it was overshadowed by Storybook Land. Perhaps Warner thought it could be an alternative to Storybook Land for older children.
Whatever his actual idea was, the park hung on until 1969, when the land was converted into homes. By the time of Warner’s passing in 2005, the homes had begun falling into disrepair. The property was sold to Auto Lenders in 2008; by then the “adventure” was long over.
Atlantic Drive-In
Walter Reade Sr. owned a chain of 40 movie theaters and drive-ins, mainly in New Jersey. Reade was so closely associated with New Jersey that he was nicknamed “The Showman of the Shore.” In 1950, in keeping with that nickname, Reade opened a 900-seat drive-in theater on East Black Horse Pike near the Shore Mall (known today as Harbor Square).
Drive-ins typically did not show first-run films, and the Atlantic was no different, as it often showed ‘B’ movies, double and even triple bills.
“Whispering Smith” and “My Dear Secretary,” the first two pictures to open the Atlantic, were perfect examples. Making this Reade drive-in something special, the Atlantic also offered pony rides, a kiddie playroom and a television room. Those traveling on the Black Horse Pike couldn’t miss it as the Atlantic’s marquee was a flashing lighthouse.
In 1965 construction began on the Shore Mall and the drive-in had to be moved about 200 yards south to accommodate the mall.
The Atlantic reopened on July 1, 1966. It continued to thrive, even when the Towne 4 theaters were later built in front of it. The Atlantic drive-in lasted until 1983, and eventually the Towne theaters were also torn down.
An heiress’ mansion, a mini-amusement park and a drive-in movie theater. We won’t see shore roadside attractions like that again, at least not along the Black Horse Pike.
Bruce Klauber is the author of four books, an award-winning music journalist, concert and record producer and publicist, producer of the Warner Brothers and Hudson Music “Jazz Legends” film series, and performs both as a drummer and vocalist.
