The Flanders Hotel

http://www.theflandershotel.com/history.htm


THE FLANDERS HOTEL
719 E. 11th Street Ocean City, NJ 08226
609 399-1000

HISTORY

Read About Emily, Our Happy Resident Ghost

It was for the purpose of creating a first class boardwalk hotel that a group of Ocean City, New Jersey businessmen formed the Ocean Front Hotel Corporation in 1922. The first meeting, held at Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield, included William Massey, Howard Stainton, Allen Corson, William Shriver, Randolph Fogg, Henry Cooper and other prominent citizens of the day. They decided to build an elegant seaside hotel that would compete in service and appointments with the best hotels in America, a project supported by a $100 a point stock investments by ordinary citizens of the community.

Designed by a renown local architect, Vivian Smith, an Ocean City native who achieved success in Philadephia before returning home to assist in the design of the Ocean City Music Pier, Smith also designed Ocean City Hall, Ocean City High School, Ventnor City Hall and a number of Atlantic City hotels. He also laid out the unique, planned rural town of Belcoville, near Mays Landing.
The Flanders Hotel is of Spanish Mission Revival style, similar to the Chatterbox, the Music Pier, Grace Kelly's family home at 26th and Wesley Avenue and the Golden Galleon shops on the boardwalk, which sets a classic tone for the town. Constructed of steel girders and concrete, the hotel was not quite complete when a Grand Opening dinner party was held on July 28, 1923. The over four hundred guests, dignitaries and prominent citizens enjoyed a cuisine that included Aiquilette of Striped Bass, Consome Yvette, Potatoes Hollandaise, peas, Supreme of Chicken Mousselene and an entree of saddle of Spring Lamb, with Mousse glace Flanders dessert. It was a feast the Flanders chef Richard Spurlock recreated for the hotel's 75th anniversary party.



The Flanders
January 4, 1923
The Flanders
April 10, 1923




The Flanders
April 21, 1923
The Flanders
July 26, 1923


The Flanders Hotel is named after Flanders Field in Belgium, where poppies grow over the rows of gravestones of American soldiers who died during World War I, the cemetery made famous by the John McCrae poem:
"In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row...
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie in Flanders fields..."

The first national marbles tournament was held at the Flanders to publicize the opening of the hotel, which was originally managed by J.Howard Slocum. Having previously managed the Waldorf Astoria, the Princeton Inn and the Normande Hotel, Slocum established the precedence of fine cuisine, appointments and service that have been continued through the years.
The hotel miraculously survived the devastating fire of October 1927, when twelve city blocks were leveled, after which the boardwalk was rebuilt a block closer to the ocean, which made room for what became the salt water swimming pools.
The stock market crash of 1929 caused economic hardship for the corporation and in 1932, Elwood F. Kirkman assumed ownership of the hotel. Most of the original investors were paid dimes to the dollar, but even in hard times, Kirkman maintained the hotel with an atmosphere of hospitality and continuation of the first class standards.
Among the hotel's more prominent guests wereVice President Charles Curtis, the three Lit brothers of department store fame, cartoonist Al Capp, Grace Kelly and Jimmie Stewart, all of whom spent time in the Ocean Room, which traditionally was the center of activities.
After Kirkman died, his family sold off the property in parcels. Other plans devised to make the hotel into a retirement community, but the city wanted to maintain the hotel as one of the city's premier landmark attractions. James M. Dwyer purchased the Flanders in 1996, remodeled the rooms as condominium units and restored the hotel to much of its former grandeur. The Drifters and the Coasters performed at the hotel's grand reopening on Labor day 1997, a function that was attended by then New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman.



Billy Kelly, Historical Author



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...the finest Grand Hotel in Southern New Jersey, completely renovated to modern luxury comfort and convenience standards. The Ocean City landmark is centrally located directly on the famous Ocean City boardwalk and features luxury multi-room suites and exquisite Penthouses with ocean front, ocean side, bay, and city views.






Come enjoy modern luxury accommodations and amenities in an environment of historic grandeur. Relax and meet your fellow guests in our beautifully restored lobby, in our wonderful restaurant and cafe, out by the pool, or in our invigorating fitness center. Celebrate special occasions at the on-site Flanders Banquet and Conference Center. All of our suites have fully equipped kitchens and are tastefully decorated, and our Penthouse suites offer oceanfront extravagance at its best. High speed internet access is available throughout the building.

The Flanders offers a gateway to fun, relaxation, and excitement for the entire family, and our professional staff is ready and eager to assure that your stay is both wonderful and memorable. Bring your family and we are sure you will return again and again to the magic and elegance of The Flanders Hotel.





What Our Guests Have Said...

The accommodations were lovely!
Perfect location. Great time. We would love to come back.
What a great place. Loved the decor.
We all can't wait to visit next summer!
We especially love the close proximity to the beach and boards.
I was glad I had the experience of such a lovely, classic hotel.

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