![\"\"](\"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/hydrangea-cottages-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThat humidity drenched Nostalgia is in our veins. Jalousie Windows. Honey Suckle and Jasmine laced white picket and chain linked fences. Lawns falling into the horizon. Apple Trees. Sweet Williams, Roses and Geraniums. Bombastic, Endless Summer Hydrangeas. Those Porches! Wonderful, whimsical, front porches. O\u2019 the stories they must hold. These and so much more were as unique as the homes they once surrounded. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1109 Surf Ave., North Wildwood, NJ – Demolished Oct. 4, 2003<\/p>\n\n\n\n The quintessential Wildwoods. Where Beach Bungalows, Fishing Cottages, A-frames, Four-squares, and rambling Ranchers abounded. Grand- estate homes with huge column lined verandas. Brady Bunch Split levels. Doo-Wop Hotels and Motels, their starry lights and groovy signage shimmering down Ocean Avenue. We loved them all. Even with all their lumps and bumps and outdated yet precious sensibiities. Window air conditioners, small bathrooms, kids bedrooms crammed with bunk beds, and laughter, and of course that musty \u2018 opening up the house for the summer smell\u2019. All gems that stood the test of time…. until. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The tides of change are as constant as the moonrise. Bathing dresses, bikinis.\u00a0 Horse drawn carriages, automobiles. Five and Dimes, Big Box stores. Roof antennae, Wi-fi and AI.\u00a0 Bits and pieces of the islands Americana, especially the old homes, are disappearing like a delicate species of butterfly. \u201c Oh no! Condos, and more Condos\u201d, cries the chorus of discontent.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now & Then on the NE corner of 7th & Surf<\/p>\n\n\n\n McMansions with no character.\u00a0 Motels gone for high priced single families.\u00a0 Those older folks and family members who can\u2019t or don\u2019t want to keep the \u2018old places\u2019 are doing what they have every right to do in a free economy, and so do the new developers.\u00a0 Things have been changing up and down the Jersey shore for decades.\u00a0 Some thought it would never happen in the Wildwoods, but it\u2019s here. Change and modernity and progress and all they bring with it.\u00a0 But never fear, not all is lost. The higher the wave of transformation, the more the true fundamentals remain.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And the beat goes on. Our beautiful beaches. The one and only boardwalk. The spectacular seawall. The Hereford Lighthouse and gardens. Posh Sunset lake and the emerald Grassy Sound marshes. Holly Beach Park. Fishing marinas. New and old traditions. The Baby Parade. Festivals and events. The Marbles tournament. Kite and Country and Spanish Festivals. Free music concerts. Notre Dame De La Mer Parish with its two magnificent churches. The Beth Judah Temple since 1913. Holly Beach Park at Christmas time. Bike paths. <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes the pain of all this change ,for some of us, is real. It hurts like a ripped Band-aid. But, to quote Spencer Tracy\u2019s character in Guess Who\u2019s coming to Dinner?, …\u201dI can tell you the memories are still there. Clear, intact, indestructible, and they will be there if I live to be one hundred and ten.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Wildwoods-by-the-Sea by Grace Zambardi That humidity drenched Nostalgia is in our veins. Jalousie Windows. Honey Suckle and Jasmine laced white picket and chain linked fences. Lawns falling into the horizon. Apple Trees. Sweet Williams, Roses and Geraniums. Bombastic, Endless Summer Hydrangeas. Those Porches! Wonderful, whimsical, front porches. O\u2019 the stories they must hold. These […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[7,1,4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1997"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2009,"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997\/revisions\/2009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sunbythesea.com\/ww\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n