For Immediate Release:
November 7, 2008
2nd episode of history video series released
Project features Ocean Grove’s historic Great Auditorium
FREEHOLD – The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has released the second installment in its online history project that features the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove.
The three-minute video, featuring the grand Great Auditorium located on Pilgrim Pathway in the heart of Ocean Grove, is available for viewing at www.visitmonmouth.com/history as part of the “These Historic Places” video series.
Built in 1894, the Great Auditorium is the hub of all major summer program activities in the community. The building is the size of a football field and is owned and operated by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, a ministry organization founded in 1869. Ocean Grove continues to be a family-oriented seaside resort with a rich heritage of spiritual, cultural and recreational events along with the finest examples of Victorian architecture in New Jersey.
“Upcoming videos will continue to focus on the important historic sites and the work being done to preserve them,” said Randall Gabrielan, executive director of the Historical Commission and host of the “These Historic Places” series. “December will focus on the Militia Museum, New Jersey Military Academy at Sea Girt and we will set our schedule for 2009 shortly.”
“There is a wealth of history in our back yard,” Freeholder Robert D. Clifton said. “It is particularly fitting that the county’s Historical Commission and Public Information Department work together to let residents know about county projects and resources. The county’s Web site, www.visitmonmouth.com is becoming the best way for residents to access government services, find out what’s happening and see how much history is within our boundaries.”
Each of the sites to be featured in a video has been the recipient of the county’s Historic Preservation Matching Grant Program. In 2008, the Monmouth County Historical Commission awarded 25 preservation grants for restoration projects in 18 municipalities.
The video series culminates the county’s year-long effort to promote its rich history by focusing attention on the county’s 325th anniversary. The first video featured The Church of the Presidents, located at 1260 Ocean Ave. in the Elberon section of Long Branch, is still available for viewing on the county Web site as well.
The Historical Commission is dedicated to preserving the past and creating a living history. The types of projects eligible for funding are preservation, restoration or rehabilitation of historic structures, usually 50 years or older, and which are accessible to the public. The program covers essentially structural work for projects commonly known as “bricks and mortar” undertakings.
The commission grants matching funds on a competitive basis to municipalities and nonprofit organizations needing financial help in the preservation or restoration of historic structures. Each grant application must include a description of the mission, its meaning to history and the significance and the audience it serves.
For information about the county’s Historical Commission, contact the Hall of Records Annex, 2nd floor, Freehold, NJ 07728, or call (732) 431-7413. Information can also be found on the county’s Web site at www.visitmonmouth.com.
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