It was the “Great Depression” and Long Branch tried to shuffle by. Back 90 summers ago.

Today nearly no one remembers the large “Dance Hall” at the end of the iconic Long Branch Pier. The massive ballroom was built by future city mayor Daniel J. Maher. Opened in May 1925, the “most beautiful ballroom on the Jersey Coast” could seat 1,500 people. The country’s best amusement engineers, Baker, Miller & Company of Connecticut , designed the dance hall as part of its overall pier proposal in January 1922.

Pier dance hall, 1930s.

Americans turned to dance for popular entertainment during 1930s economic upheaval. Ballrooms and dance contests were all the rage. Long Branch jumped right in. Beginning in Summer 1932, a series of “Danceathons” and “Walkathons” were held on the city pier. The shows were broadcast live on WCAP Radio and Jim Harkins was the frequent Master of Ceremonies. Carl Hartman’s Marathon Ramblers provided the music; the contests usually opened with the Foxtrot.

Spectators were an integral part of dance marathon contests and Long Branch played along well. Boisterous audiences — cheering, encouraging, and sometimes sponsoring dancers — often provided added motivation for participants to keep moving. Over a 13-week period nearly 140,000 people visited the pier ballroom to watch the dance action. Admission was generally 25 cents.

The Asbury Park Press named the city spot “Mecca for Marathoners” from 1932 to 1935. Maher — who also provided free medical care, food and shelter during the events — was considered by participants to run the “cleanest” and “fairest” dance shows. Dr. Maurice Aaronson, the event’s medical director, even offered that marathon dancing was “in no way detrimental to the health of contestants.” (View the unsettling 1969 movie, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, for a different perspective.)

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
—President Franklin Roosevelt, 1933

Top prize money reached $2,000 (that’s $42,000+ in today’s dollars) and typically participants (couples and solos) had to dance at least 1,000 hours (with 15-minute breaks) to win. Rules enforced rigorously called for all dancers to be in constant motion. Any dancer whose knee hit the ground was disqualified. Talk about Depression coping?

By 1935 “Red” Skelton was working on the “Recreation Pier” — paid $25 a week for his emcee duties in Long Branch. In later years Skelton’s star would burn bright. Procter & Gamble signed him to a $9.5 million contract in 1951 to work in Hollywood. The “Clown Prince of TV” would go on to entertain CBS prime-time audiences for some 20 years.

With pier fishing increasing by the day and the night the dance building was converted into more space for salt-water anglers. By Summer 1938, it had gone from dance hall to “Fishermen’s Paradise,” according to the Long Branch Daily Record. The building was torn down in 1948 and the huge wooden trusses from the ballroom ceiling were used to construct the Long Branch YMCA Annex on Broadway in 1950. By 1960 Maher had sold all his oceanfront holdings for “about $300,000.” Matt Sowul bought the pier in 1964 and the family sold all its interests in May 1979 to Ric-Chic.

More: Long Branch Boardwalk & Pier History — HERE

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Getting Going — Long Branch beachfront, 1912. The new pier, after a decade of delay, was under construction at the time. It looks skeletal here.

Coming Soon — This ancient boardwalk-beach scene shows a new pier ballroom under construction in the background, early 1920s.

Up & Running — By Summer 1927 the city’s pier was one happening place.

Fine Fourth — Daniel Maher was operating one rockin’ pier. Long Branch Daily Record ad, July 1926. Obviously the guy knew what he was doing — possessing both “character and ability” said his many admirers.

Blank Slate — Long Branch pier area aerial image, March 1920 (US Army Air Service Photo). The pier is virtually empty.

Long Branch beach and pier, 1930s. At the end of the pier is a building with a large “Dancing” sign.

Long Branch Recreation Pier, 1932. That summer the pier ballroom was about busting at the seems when nearly 2,000 people came to see a “real movie star” — Mildred Harris Chaplin.

Long Branch Pier, 1933.

A Hold-Up — Participants in the closing hours of the first Danceathon held on the city’s pier, Long Branch Daily Record, August 1932.

Back for More — Marathon Dance Contest on Long Branch Pier, June 1933.

Jazzed Up — Dance Hall front on the Long Branch Recreation Pier, early 1930s (APP Photo).

Marathon-Dance Wedding — Long Branch Daily Record, August 1932.

Dancing on the city pier. Long Branch Daily Record ad, June 1931. Before the contests.

Can’t Make It Up — “Red” Skelton at the “Recreation Pier.” Long Branch Daily Record ad, June 1935. According to a 1969 Red Bank Register story, top-prize was $1,000 (about $20,000 today).

Sun & Fun vs. “Great Depression” — a bustling city beach and pier, 1936.

Summer Days — at the Long Branch Pier, 1930s.

Long Branch Pier on Ocean Avenue, 1939 (NJ State Archives Photo).

A quiet Long Branch Pier, 1950s.

Long Branch Pier aerial view, 1950s.

Long Branch Fishing Pier, 1950. It was “the largest fishing pier in the world,” according to the 1944 Long Branch Daily Record.

Long Branch Boardwalk on a busy day, 1959.

Long Branch Recreation Pier ad. Salt Water Sportsman magazine, June 1977. At its peak it was 880 feet long by 140 feet wide. It was open 24/7, all year and a good fish run could attract nearly a thousand anglers.

Long Branch Pier sold for $300,000. APP, August 1960.