Asbury Park, NJ forgotten shipwreck

[Darren in NC]

Almost everyone is aware of the Morro Castle, wrecked at the Convention Center pier in Sept of 1934. What many have forgotten is that only 500 feet to the north was another wreck lost in Nov of 1854. The "New Era" was a ship carrying German immigrants from Bremen, Germany, who were bringing all their wealth to begin a new life. Sadly, more than 200 passengers lost their lives, in large part because the captain and crew abandoned them. Of the 415 who had embarked from Bremen, 132 survived, 240 drowned, and 43 died of cholera or injury before the ship reached America. 142 buried bodies are in a mass grave at the Old First Union Methodist Church in West Long Branch, NJ.

Only the anchor was recovered from the New Era; it is on display in front of the Allenhurst Historical Society in Allenhurst. The anchor is part of a historical monument in honor of Abner Allen, Allenhurst’s earliest settler, keeper of the local lifeboat house, and first rescuer to the scene of the shipwreck. The ship was wrecked almost directly in front of Sixth Avenue, roughly 500 yards from shore. I think the yellow oval in the photo should be further from shore, but I'm sure the shoreline has shifted somewhat since then. Some photo credits go to Sandy Hook History on Facebook.

 

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[The Rebel]

Sad that the mass grave site is in that shape. Needs a good mowing and clean up.

 

[Gene Mean]

Very interesting Darren. I don't know if there were ever any large scale salvage operations for either of these shipwrecks.
I wish there was an international cooperation to bring some of the artifacts up but maybe it's better to let the dead lie in peace.
Interestingly I have a very vivid childhood memory of standing on the Asbury Park boardwalk looking at the Morro Castle wreck washed to shore. However I was born in 1965 so I never knew what to make of this imprint on my mind.
The life saving service has a long local history here and many of the 1800s structures are still standing.

Jersey Shore's Historic Life-Saving Service Stations Find New Purpose

The buildings along Jersey's coastline have been renovated as private homes or repurposed for diverse uses such as a cultural center in Monmouth Beach, the meeting hall of the Kiwanis Club in Cape May and the tax office in Seaside Park.

njmonthly.com

 

[Darren in NC]

Gene, the Morro Castle was towed away for scrap roughly six months later. The New Era apparently remained intact for a few days after the wreck - intact enough for them to rescue another lady crying out 2 days later. I suspect if the ship held up that long in the surf, the local wreckers came and scavenged what they could. But there's no doubt that there were valuables deep in the hold and even money belts lost. Detecting the beach off Sixth Ave after a storm might produce interesting finds.

 

[Gene Mean]

Darren, I'll have to get down there and check it out.

 

[BennyV]

Nice. Not too far for me.