This past Saturday, Dec. 6, the nonprofit Friends of OCNJ History and Culture hosted their third annual Holiday Home Tour. This self-guided tour welcomed 500 attendees and featured as many as 18 properties, consisting largely of historic inns, businesses, cottages, and private residences. The tour offered residents and visitors alike a unique opportunity to view history up close.
The tour began at the Scarborough Inn, where guests were welcomed and provided with a map, highlighting each of the open homes and locations on tour. Volunteers then welcomed guests at each of the properties. Meanwhile, the property owners enthusiastically interacted with the public and recollected stories.
Attendees followed a basic set of tour rules, including being respectful of the hosts and their belongings, as well as walking between homes as much as possible to avoid any parking hassles.
Each building on this year’s tour had its own distinct feel and architecture. However, what they all seemed to have in common was how each of the properties’ caretakers had put their own heart and soul into preserving the island’s rich history.
For example, at Coastal Chateau, on the corner of 6th and Atlantic, owners and sisters Lexi and Alyse Scaffidi have transformed this quaint seaside cottage into a boutique hotel. Originally known as Croft Hall and then as Atlantis Inn, the building dates to 1905. The site has been welcoming guests for well over a century.
New this year, Holly Manor was one of the featured locations. This historic property, located at 424 Atlantic Ave., was completed in 1909 and is completely shaded by a holly tree. The property itself features 11 bedrooms, porches, a dining room, a library, and elegant décor.
Back in the city’s Riviera neighborhood, homeowners Tom and Jennifer Dahl showcased their 1920s cottage, a home that was literally moved from Asbury Ave. in 1978. “There’s a bunch of pictures of the move,” Tom Dahl said. “They deconstructed (the house), took the entire second story off, and it got a police escort by trailer.”
Other notable properties on the tour included Dollhouse Row, a group of tiny homes built in the 1920s. These quaint cottages once sat along the bayfront and offered a unique glimpse into the city’s storied past.
Guests also took tours of The Flanders. The grand hotel was built in 1923 and survived a massive boardwalk fire in 1927.
Even Shoppes at the Asbury, located inside the former Crown Bank building, opened its massive bank safe for guests of the tour. The property originally opened in 1924 in what was once called Ocean City Title & Trust.
Guests of the Holiday Historic Home Tour marveled at each of the properties and reminisced about days past. It was not only an evening to share new memories and friendships, but it also served as a vital reminder of the importance of preserving Ocean City’s storied history and of the stewards working to preserve it.
Updates on the Friends of OCNJ, including upcoming events and initiatives, can be found at www.friendsocnj.org.
