By DON STINE
About 300 people are expected to attend this year’s tour of the historic tents in Ocean Grove- offering a unique opportunity for people to see how the “tenters” live over the summer.
The Historical Society of Ocean Grove is sponsoring the Tent Colony Tour on Fri., July 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. rain or shine.
The tour is not held every year but this year it is being done in conjunction with the historic district’s 150th anniversary. The tours began about 10 years ago and this year there are 10 tents on the self-guided tour, with a booklet that discusses each tent.
“People can’t imagine living in a tent but they discover that the tenters have almost all of the amenities they have in their homes. The public is very excited about the tents and they are one of the main things on our regular walking tours,” Society President Robert Waitt said.
“Some tents are more elaborate than others and people just want to see what they look like. We get about 300 people, give or take, for a tour,” he said.
Ocean Grove was founded in 1869 as a religious camp meeting ground where people brought tents and furniture for religion and a vacation. At one time there were over 800 tents and tent cottages on the grounds of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.
“Today only 114 tents remain and all are cherished by the individual tenter. Each tent is beautifully decorated and furnished by the tenter- so all are uniquely different,” Waitt said.
The tents are leased from the Camp Meeting Association and occupied from May 15 to Sept. 15.
Tickets for the tent tour may be purchased at the Historical Society’s Museum at 50 Pitman Ave. in advance for $35 or on the day of the tour for $40. Maps will be distributed the day of the tour. For reservations or information call 732-774-1869 or email to info@oceangrovehistory.org.
Historic Walking Tours of Ocean Grove are also held every Wednesday and Friday at 12:30 pm and Saturday at 10:30 am. The tour includes a talk on the history of Ocean Grove, a visit to the Great Auditorium and a tent, a walk to the Pathway, discussion of the homes, and a visit to Centennial Cottage and its beautiful gardens.
Tickets for the walking tour may be purchased at the HSOG Museum the day of the tour for $15, seniors $12. For information call 732-774-1869 or email info@oceangrovehistory.org.
