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Real Brigantine's mission is to promote the features and benefits of Brigantine. Real Brigantine is Brigantine's #1 online source of News, Info, Events, Real Estate, Fishing, Crabbing, Boating & Politics. Real Brigantine FB's page has been recognized by main stream media. Brigantine Times, Atlantic City Press, NBC10 Philadelphia, Philly CBS 3 News

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06/10/2025

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06/10/2025

Italian Heritage Month:
NJ Hall of Fame and Italian Heritage Commission Join Forces
- Patronize Brigantine's Italian Restaurants-
Brigantine
Brothers
Andre's Wine Bar & Grill
's

New Jersey will be putting a spotlight on Italian culture this fall. The New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF) is teaming up with the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission (NJIHC) to mark Italian Heritage Month, which runs all through October.

The month-long program will celebrate the impact Italian Americans have had on the state — in education, the arts, public service, and community life. Both groups are rolling out events, classroom resources, and social media campaigns meant to keep the stories of Italian Americans alive for the next generation.

One of the highlights is the NJIHC Annual Congress, taking place October 25, 2025, at Rutgers University’s Student Center. This year’s theme is Honoring Italian Contributions and Preserving Italian Culture. Expect conversations about history, identity, and the future of Italian heritage in New Jersey.

The Hall of Fame will also take part by spotlighting some of its Italian American inductees — household names who left their mark both locally and nationally.

Educator and activist Nicholas Ferroni is adding something new to the mix. He’s producing a series of short videos for social media, bringing lesser-known Italian American stories into classrooms, homes, and communities across the state.

“The New Jersey Hall of Fame exists to celebrate individuals who inspire us all to reach our highest potential,” said Ali Genova. “Italian Americans have made extraordinary contributions across every sector of society, and this campaign will bring their stories to life for people of all ages.”

Vincent Maione, Chairman of the NJIHC, said the effort keeps education front and center. “By partnering with the New Jersey Hall of Fame and Nicholas Ferroni, we’re able to reach even more students and families with programs that honor the legacy and contributions of Italian Americans in New Jersey.”

Both groups say the goal is simple: to celebrate and to teach. The NJHOF continues to honor New Jerseyans who have excelled in every field, while the NJIHC works year-round to promote Italian culture in schools and communities. Together, they’re inviting the public to take part this October.
https://thedigestonline.com/new-jersey/italian-heritage-month-nj-hall-of-fame-heritage-commission/

06/10/2025

Explore Brigantine’s forgotten rail history, from the bustling Brigantine Junction to the electric trolleys.

Today......years agoOctober 6, 1778Just North of Brigantine The Battle of Chestnut Neck was fought on October 6, 1778 in...
06/10/2025

Today......years ago
October 6, 1778
Just North of Brigantine
The Battle of Chestnut Neck was fought on October 6, 1778 in southern New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War, at Chestnut Neck, a settlement on the Little Egg Harbor River (now known as the Mullica River) near the present-day city of Port Republic, New Jersey, which was used as a base by privateers.

The British retrieved some supplies and destroyed others, as well as destroying some residences and other buildings.

Everything about the coming attack on Chestnut Neck was planned carefully and secretly, but as with almost all things in the British military in America, nothing was truly secret. George Washington’s spies were everywhere.

By early October, word of the impending attack had reached Philadelphia and the Continental Congress. The Congress ordered Count Casimir Pulaski’s Legion “to proceed immediately to assist in the defense of Egg Harbor against the attack of the enemy on that port.”

Maj. Gen. William Alexander, Lord Sterling, wrote to Gen. George Washington and advised him “an expedition has taken place against Egg Harbor.” New Jersey Brig. Gen. William Maxwell added “a fleet of warships and 8 brigs and sloops sailed southward, designed for Egg Harbor.” Lord Sterling further updated George Washington saying “Pulaski has gone down to Egg Harbor.”

Still a loyal American general at the time, Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold wrote to Washington, “I was informed that the enemy meditated an attack on Little Egg Harbor….Col. Proctor’s regiment (artillery) was ordered to march immediately for the defense of the place and the next day I sent one hundred militiamen (Philadelphia) to reinforce him. Col. Proctor reached the neighborhood of Egg Harbor Oct. 7th where he was joined by only 50 militia (from Philadelphia), although they had been ordered out four days before.”

06/10/2025

Good morning Brigantine 😎
Your Monday morning thoughts set the tone for your whole week.

Think positive!

The Harvest Moon of 2025 will occur on Monday, October 6th, reaching its peak illumination at 11:47 p.m. Brigantine time...
05/10/2025

The Harvest Moon of 2025 will occur on Monday, October 6th, reaching its peak illumination at 11:47 p.m. Brigantine time.

This is the full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox, and while it typically falls in September, it will be in October this year due to its position relative to the equinox.

The October 2025 full moon will also be the first of three supermoons in the year, appearing larger and brighter than usual.

In the days before tractor lights, the light of the Harvest Moon helped farmers gather their crops despite the diminishing daylight hours. As the sun’s light faded in the west, the moon would soon rise in the east to illuminate the fields throughout the night.

The Harvest Moon name probably sprang to the lips of farmers on autumn evenings, as the Harvest Moon aided in bringing in the crops.

Shine on Harvest Moon 🎶

Today..years agoFormer Power House in Brigantine 1897.Power House and Car Barn, it was at the intersection of what is no...
05/10/2025

Today..years ago
Former Power House in Brigantine 1897.
Power House and Car Barn, it was at the intersection of what is now Roosevelt and Brigantine Avenue

Today....years  ago Bay Shores Nightclub, Somers PointBayshores Flashback - They shook the rafters and drank 10 cent bee...
05/10/2025

Today....years ago
Bay Shores Nightclub, Somers Point

Bayshores Flashback - They shook the rafters and drank 10 cent beers - In Memorial Days gone by.

By William Kelly (Originally published in the Atlantic City Sun - Friday, May 22, 1981).

"Places make us - first genes, then places - after that it's everyman for himself. God help us, and good luck to one and all." - William Saroyan - "Places Where I've Done Time."

With the coming of Memorial Day weekend, the traditional beginning of summer, and with it thousands of kids just out of school, their cars stream around the Somers Point Circle, hell bent on hitting the beach, towards a summer that's finally here. Just before crossing the Ocean City causeway they pass the Bay Shores Cafe marquee - a dull burnout green neon sign on an empty lot. For anyone who has spent a weekend at this part of the Jersey Shore, that marquee stands as a relic, a memorial to an era gone by.

For now there's only a dusty vacant lot along the bay. Since it's prime development property there'sa blueprint lying in a drawer somewhere that illustrates what could be or will be. But for many people that quadrant of the univerise still rings with memories.

In the 20's and 30's, as the Bay Shores nicelodeon played songs for a bullalo head, they'd dance the boogie-woogie and do the jitterbug. During World War II girls in gowns and soldiers in brown would sway to the big band sounds of Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller, then break out into the Lindy Hop, with hands and feet flying.

"We'd shake the rafters," one former patron (my mother) remembered," and we'd laugh and say how one day the dance floor would fall into the bay."

Until the storm of '44 took out the deck the dance floor extended out over the bay. Only the pilings are still in place today, and now only vibrate with the tides. After the storm, near the end of the war, Tony Marotta opened Tony Marts across the street, but the competition only brought in more people, making Bay Avenue a popular entertainment strip, with other clubs like Steel's Ship Bar, the Under 21 Club and the Anchorage. But Bay Shores was always the flagship on the water.

Vince Rennich started working there in 1952, just out of the Army, the year before they remodeled it for the last time.

"My mother introduced me to a neighbor up in Philadelphia, John McCann, one of the owners, and he offered me a job for the summer," recalled Rennich. Starting out as a bar back, washing glasses and stocking ice, Vince eventually became a bartender, and lived in a room above the club with a window overlooking the bay. "It was a dump with a million dollar view," he would later say.

Opening the weekend before Memorial Day and closing the weekend after Labor Day, many of Bay Shores employees - the bartenders, waiteresses, bouncers and musicians would go to Florida and work there for the season, returing to Somers Point in the spring. "We would open the doors in the spring and the beer bottles and glasses would still be on the bar from the night they closed," said Vince.

Rennich worked at Bay Shores for five years, until 1957, when he got married, was starting a family, and needed a full time, year 'round job, so he took a shift at Gregory's on Shore Road and remained there every since. "Before 1953 there was a partition across the bar," Rennich said, "with piano music for older people on one side and rock & roll on the other side for the kids."

At the time, all the "kids" were over 21, the drinking age before the 1970s, when they lowered it to 18, because that was the age they were drafting boys to fight in Vietnam. It was the lowering of the drinking age to 18 that killed the Bay Avenue Strip as it was, bringing in a younger, sassier, immature crowd that intimated the mature, serious set.

"In those days," Rennich recalls, "you could come down here with $10, have a good time, and go home with $9. You made less, but had more. You could do anything you wanted because the price was right. It was 10 cents for a glass of Gretz beer, and later it was 50 cents a bottle of beer and 60 cents a shot."

In the late 40s and early 50s and into the 70s, Mike Pedicin, Sr. played sax and led the band on the Bay Shores stage, his young son Mike Pedicin, Jr. playing a toy sax at his knees. Then he moved over to Steel's Ship Bar, the Jolly Roger and DiOrio's, taking his crowd and popular song, "Shake A Hand," with him.

Pete Carrol was another Bay Shores staple, playing songs like "Sweet Georgia Brown," and Tido Mombo, a hairy hippie, was before his time, dressing like Jesus Christ and trying to walk on water.

Bill Haley & the Comets, Conway Twitty and Levon & the Hawks played Tony Marts across the street, Bay Shores followed suit and countered with Rocco & the Saints, Billy Duke & the Dukes, Tido Mombo and Pete Carrol. Rocco & the Saints featured two teenage sidemen, Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydel, who would go on to make waves on their own.

Bay Shores leased out their kitchen to "South Philly Bernie," who would grill up hot dogs, burgers and cheesteaks, and the $2 ticket voucher you got to park your car or as cover at the door was good for drinks or food.

Bay Shores was THE PLACE to go to hear great music, party and dance for decades. On weekends the matinee shows became a popular post beach party, and if it ever rained, the bands and bartenders checked in for a spontaneous jam, with everybody dancing dressed in their bathing suits. "You couldn't get in the door there were so many people," Rennich recalls. "We'd have to close the place at 7 pm for an hour to clean up and get ready for the second shift, which lasted until 2 am."

When the music stopped in Somers Point they'd just be getting underway at the nearby Dunes on Longport Boulvard, an after-hours joint across the bay bridge in Egg Harbor Township (EHT). Both Bay Shores and the Dunes were owned by the same guys - John McCann, a bootlegger and beer barron and Dick McLain, a builder who also owned the historic General Wayne Inn, in Pennsylvania.

They printed popular t-shirts that read Bay Shores on the front and Dunes Til' Dawn on the back, with a rising sun.

In the late 1960s, Buddy Tweill worked the first front bar of a half-dozen or so bars that surrounded the stage and dance floor. Twill was a character out of the Endless Summer, taking off for Colorado in the winter and making it to Fort Lauderdale by Easter and Bay Shores for Memorial Day.

One of the most popular Bay Shores bands of the late '60s was Johnny Caswell and the Chrystal Mansion. Caswell perfected a Joe Cocker-like inflecion and recorded a few songs, some of which can still be found on the juke box at the Anchorage and Maloney's in Margate.

Charlie Brown, who worked at Bay Shores for awhile before moving down the street to the Anchorage, said he last heard from Caswell a year or so ago. "I got a prayer chain letter from him in California," Charlie Brown says, "I threw it out and my luck's been bad ever since."

After Caswell, Malcom and his band "Hereafter" came in from near Lancaster, Pa., and were popular for doing cover songs like Rod Stewart's "Maggie Mae," which I remember distinctly.

The band across the street at Tony Marts, led by Ruby Falls, gave Malcolm and Hereafter at Bay Shores some stiff competition, and they would time their sets so people could hear one band and then go across the street to hear the other. Then at the end of one summer Malcolm and Ruby got married and disapeared.

It's Memorial Day weekend, and we're left with photos and prints of the old boarded up rock house, sitting there like a derelict ghost ship that's slipping into the bay.

The bands and building are gone, but the pilings are still there, and you can't tell if the pilings are shaking from the wind and the surf or some still vibrating jitterbug or rock & roll tune that doesn't want to end.

http://jerseyshorenightbeat.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post.html?m=1

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