Ocean Beach Sales/Ocean Beach Rental Agency/Monterey Beach Realty

Stay connected with everything OB. Click here to sign up for email alerts on real estate, rentals, and events!

Remember when you were a kid going to the Jersey Shore? Everyone spent hours on the beach, splashing in the surf and sunning themselves in the sand. Food tasted better and the boardwalk attractions lit up as the sun went down. Today's Ocean Beach offers all that excitement and more.

Many visitors enjoy the nostalgic feel of the area. You can still walk to the ocean barefoot on the cool, sandy streets in Unit III, enjoy cold ice cream on a hot night at one of the three ice cream parlors, and play miniature golf at two courses that have not changed in decades. It’s also a short car ride to two popular boardwalks, one in Point Pleasant Beach, and a larger one in Seaside Heights. For more ideas and what to do and where to do it, visit our area attractions page.

If you are like us, you enjoy seeing glimpses into our past: old photos, postcards and memorabilia all bring you back to a simpler time. Below are some of the images we have collected over the years that shows just how much Ocean Beach has changed....

...or hasn't....

The 1940s

	This model home was built in Ocean Beach Unit I in the late 1940's. Only 25 of this one bedroom cottage were ever built. The big sale price tag reads "$2,095" - less than the taxes are on the house today.
	This two bedroom model was built in Ocean Beach Unit II in the late 1940's.
	Does a $10 deposit seem to be too much for a lot in Ocean Beach? It didn't in 1946. This is the first contract to purchase a lot in Ocean Beach for a grand total of $650! And no, the Stolze family does not still own the property.
	This is the first cottage built in Unit II (completed in 1947). The house still stands today and is located at 23 East Chadwick Way.
	This shot was taken in the late 1940's as Unit II was being built. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see the Ocean Beach Sales Office near the center of the photo.
	This postcard from 1949 shows Unit II looking from the ocean to the bay. The vacant land to the left is now Monterey Beach.
	Looking towards the bay in 1947. Much of the land needed to be cleared and filled before the streets could be developed.
	Once the work of clearing the land was complete, cottages began to appear. This is a view of East Bayberry Way in Unit II.
	At this point several houses are complete. This is a view of East Chadwick Way in Unit II.
	In the late 1940's, before the Ocean Beach Rental Agency existed, several early Ocean Beach owners rented their cottages on their own. Pictured is an early rate card from one such owner.
	As you can see the beach was not very crowded in 1947.
	In 1948, 7 East Tide Way was built in Ocean Beach Unit II. Gregg Heimall (pictured on the left at age 4) stopped by our office to share photos of the construction with us.
	Early stages of construction.
	Some of the surrounding houses are complete.
	Finished! Welcome to 7 East Tide Way in Unit II. The house still stands today but is no longer numbered 7. Today it is 45 East Tide.

The 1950s-1960s

	Taken from a 1953 rental agreement, this is a rate chart for rental properties in Ocean Beach. How does $140 per week for ocean front sound? (Click image to enlarge)
	Penny Stab was nice enough to bring in this 1950's Ocean Beach license plate topper. Her grandparents (the Lorber's) owned a house in Unit III for nearly 30 years.
	Click to enlarge this1950s aerial view of Unit III. You will notice that the southern portion of Unit III is not yet developed. The peninsula that juts out into the bay in the center of the photo is West Bayview Drive.
	Only a decade later on West Bayview Drive, most lots are developed on the bay and cove sides. Also, the boat basin bridge and Route 35 South are still a future project. Click to enlarge.
	Shown is the future site of Melody Lane in Unit II, looking west from Route 35 South (circa 1960). Cottages on left are just off Harbor Drive. If you click on the photo you will see a larger version, as well as an old photo showing the completed Melody Lane (circa 1966) and a photo showing how everything looks today.
	Click on the image to the left to view the inside of this 1965 Ocean Beach brochure. You will see that the typical two bedroom cottage rented for $100 per week.
	This aerial view of Unit III was taken in the early 1960's. Click on the image to enlarge.
	A&W Root Beer was located on Route 35 North in Unit III until the mid '70s.
	This is a poscard taken from the Ocean Beach Marina facing towards Sailfish Way in Unit III.
	Lagoon front cottages in Ocean Beach Unit III circa 1960. You can see that there are no bulkheads, just sod banks. The bulkheads were added at a later date.
	The back of this postcard reads "Small boat basin, Ocean Beach, New Jersey." This is an early view of the Unit III boat basin. If you look carefully you will see there are no bulkheads and a small bridge spanning the back side of the boat basin.
	This postcard shows the houses on the third row in Ocean Beach III. Note the original open-porch design.
	Unit III ocean front cottages with their original windows. No jalousie or Thermopane windows here, just push them open and prop them up. The picture is circa 1960.
	We know many of you save your old Ocean Beach guest badges. We are looking for the oldest one. In the summer of 2003 a long- time guest stopped in with this 1967 Unit II badge. If you have an older one stop in with it, or email us a picture.
	This is a photo taken after the Storm of 1962 in Unit III on Seaview Road (Ocean Front Cottages On The Left And 2nd Row Houses On The Right). Click on it to see more photos of the damage that infamous storm caused.

1970s-present

	A view of the Unit III ocean fronts today.
	The Dairy Queen has been serving treats in Unit III since the 1960s.
	This is the new lifeguard station in Ocean Beach III.
	Crashing Waves in Ocean Beach.
	West Bonita Way homeowners show their patriotism on the Fourth of July.
	The gazebo in Unit II has a wonderful view of the Barnegat Bay.
	A view of the dune in Ocean Beach I as it borders Lavallette.

Other Interesting Photos

	The US Coast Guard Station - Chadwick, N.J. - replaced station that burned 4-26-1923. The station was located at the top of Kittiwake (location of current firehouse). This photo is from the late 20's or early 30's. Thanks to Doris Simpson of Lavallette for the great photograph.
	The past and the present together. The man seated is Fred Pearl, who along with his business partner, Ed Patnaude, developed Ocean Beach. He is seen here with his grandson, John McDonough, who is the current broker of Ocean Beach Sales Ocean Beach Rental Agency.
	The Chadwick Penn railroad station on April 1, 1900 (looking from the bay towards the ocean). The station was located at what is now the foot of West Amberjack Way, Ocean Beach Unit III.

If you have any other Ocean Beach memorabilia you would like to share with us, please drop it off at the Rental office. We will return it to you promptly. If you have any questions or comments or Ocean Beach memories you would like to share with us, please contact us.