Historical Society Takes Trip Through Time With New OB Book

By Matthew Wood

Take a beach stroll through time in our fine neighborhood with a new book from the Ocean Beach Historical Society.

The publication, part of the “Images of America” series, shows rare photos from the beginnings of OB, following through its growth into a destination spot as it finally settles in as the sleepy beach community we know and love.

Knowing that it is part of a number of publications highlighting neighborhoods throughout the country gives the book a bit of a cookie-cutter feel. But you can’t argue with the content, which is mostly photographs with sparse but descriptive captions that give bits of history along with explaining what you’re seeing.

Most of the focus is on the first half of the 20th century, but it manages to give a glimpse into the future that will be with a smattering of updated pictures to show a contrast between past and present.

You may know the history and you have possibly seen some of the photos that dominate the book, but to see them all together paints a clear picture of how we came to be in OB.

Seeing photos of the beach and surrounding area from as early as the late 1800s shows just how desolate the area was. It’s fun to look at pictures of rolling hills and nary a human in sight, then imagine that same space as the bustling and jam-packed neighborhood of today.

There is also some great trivia about the ‘hood that will impress anyone in the know. Casually refer to Sunset Cliffs Boulevard as “Defoe Street” — its original name — and you’ll earn bonus points from OB history buffs. Ask an old-timer (maybe not that old?) about the Ocean Beach Bowl or Piggly Wiggly and you’ll surely get a wistful look.

A chapter on “Early Ocean Beach Homes” tempts any neighborhood resident to find the house they live in, or at least the location. No doubt you’ll at least find a photo of something close to your block. It includes some of the famous landmarks of the area — including one of the original homes of the “Ocean Beach People’s Rag” on Cape May

The segment on the Wonderland amusement park shows just how glitzy and glamorous OB could look, packing 35,000 people into the corner of Voltaire and Abbott for opening night. It makes you wonder just how different our neighborhood would be if the “Coney Island of the West” didn’t go under after just two years.

Pictures of Newport and Bacon avenues in the 1920s and ’30s show a bustling business district similar to the one we see today. In fact, a number of buildings — including those that house The Black and South Coast Surf Shop today — can be seen.

And any OB book wouldn’t be complete without pics of the beach. It’s amazing to see the development of that area, from a vast swath of sand sans pier — and pretty much anything else — to the numerous iterations of businesses and excursions for residents and tourists. A before-and-after picture of a group of buff surfer dudes in the 1940s is revisited 50 years later when the same guys pose for the same pic, some with their same surfboards.

You can also get a glimpse at the vast devastation to the area from storms coming off the water. Let that be a lesson to all of us: Don’t mess with the ocean!

The book is recommended for history buffs who can still find something new about the area. It’s a must-read for any OB newbies who want to learn more about the humble beginnings and vast history of their amazing community. [There’s even a photo at the end of the book of editordude standing with other grassroots candidates for the first OB Planning Board election in 1976.]

It’s available at the Green Store at 4843 B Voltaire, and in some other stores in Ocean Beach for $20 or on Amazon ($17.83 for paperback, $11.49 on Kindle).