Long Branch Pier
Encyclopedia
The Long Branch Pier was a pier
located at 65 Ocean Ave, in Long Branch
, New Jersey
, United States
.
. The new pier had an arcade, several retail stores, a 10000 square feet (929 m²) haunted mansion, a McDonald's
, Big Al's Hot Dogs & Lemon Aide and Junior's Restaurant. The pier was heavily advertised in New Jersey
and New York
. By 1985, Kid's World
was introduced, it was an amusement park inspired by Sesame Place
in Langhorne, Pennsylvania
. The park featured a pay-one-price system, that included both the Haunted Mansion on the Pier and the Giant Waterslide and other attractions across the street. That section of Ocean Avenue was closed and became part of the park so kids could go from one side of the park to the other without fear of traffic. After the change, the advertisements changed from gruesome mansion photos, to happy, family-friendly photos of kids laughing.
There were rebuilding plans for the pier, but with almost no insurance, and no banks offering to pay for the project, the plans would never come to be. In 2001, after 14 years of slow deterioration, the remnants were torn down and replaced by a mixed-use shopping/dining/entertainment complex, Pier Village
, which opened in 2005.
In 2005, it was announced that a new pier is in the works for the waterfront of Long Branch.
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
located at 65 Ocean Ave, in Long Branch
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The pier was popular among fishermen and club goers who enjoyed late nights at "The Pier Pub" night club. The pier was owned by the Sowul family until May 1979, when developers Pat Cicalese and Carmen Ricci teamed together to buy the pier and build the Haunted Mansion, inspired by the Brigantine Castle in BrigantineBrigantine, New Jersey
Brigantine is an island city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,450....
. The new pier had an arcade, several retail stores, a 10000 square feet (929 m²) haunted mansion, a McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Big Al's Hot Dogs & Lemon Aide and Junior's Restaurant. The pier was heavily advertised in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. By 1985, Kid's World
Kid's World (Amusement Park)
Kid's World was an amusement park along the boardwalk on Ocean Avenue in Long Branch, New Jersey.-History:In 1985, six years after developers Pat Cicalese and his business partner Carmen Ricci purchased the Long Branch Pier across the street that they had been leasing since the year prior to the...
was introduced, it was an amusement park inspired by Sesame Place
Sesame Place
Sesame Place is an American theme park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. It derives its theme from the Sesame Street television program and characters like Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Ernie, and Bert. It includes a variety of rides, shows, and water attractions suited to very young children...
in Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,622 at the 2010 census.The name "Langhorne" is used broadly to describe the majority of surrounding Middletown Township, which for the most part uses Langhorne's zip code of 19047...
. The park featured a pay-one-price system, that included both the Haunted Mansion on the Pier and the Giant Waterslide and other attractions across the street. That section of Ocean Avenue was closed and became part of the park so kids could go from one side of the park to the other without fear of traffic. After the change, the advertisements changed from gruesome mansion photos, to happy, family-friendly photos of kids laughing.
In the end
On June 8, 1987, a gas leak and an electrical glitch sparked a fire under the pier. The heavy winds that day caused the fire to spread, destroying the whole pier. Luckily, nobody was injureThere were rebuilding plans for the pier, but with almost no insurance, and no banks offering to pay for the project, the plans would never come to be. In 2001, after 14 years of slow deterioration, the remnants were torn down and replaced by a mixed-use shopping/dining/entertainment complex, Pier Village
Pier Village
Pier Village is a Victorian-inspired mixed-use community located in Long Branch, New Jersey along the Atlantic Ocean. It opened in 2005.-History:...
, which opened in 2005.
In 2005, it was announced that a new pier is in the works for the waterfront of Long Branch.