2010 Season
starts June 21 - September 6th
Special Events 2010 Season
"This Week in Ocean Park" flyer
Spiritual
Cultural
Educational
Recreational
Programs for Children and Youth
Educational Bureau
Business Supporters
Other Chautauquas
Copyright |
Meet Me in Ocean Park
~ Temple Square ~
The Temple and Bell Tower
Assembly activities center on Temple Square, a plot of land on which
The Temple, Porter Hall, Jordan Hall and the Bell Tower all stand.
These structures all face south along Temple Avenue. The buildings
date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. All four structures
are remarkably unchanged (with the exception being accommodations
for accessibility). All are functional and used extensively. They
all share the same grove of cathedral pines whose history far precedes
them. Temple Square is in the geographic center of Ocean Park. The
Temple was named to the National Register of Historic Places, the
nation's official list of historic places important to our history
and worthy of preservation, on April 28, 1975 and, on March 2, 1982.
The other buildings were added to form a
historic district called the "Ocean Park Historic Buildings".
When
The Temple and the Bell Tower were built in 1881-1882, approximately
24 lots were set aside and known as Temple Square. No tenting was
allowed within this area, which was to hold the Assembly Buildings,
although from the early beginnings other space was needed for meetings
besides the Temple and various tents served these functions.
The
Temple
built in 1881, is a wooden, octagonal building, 80 feet in
diameter, and seats at least 800 people. It is Ocean Park's oldest historical
treasure. Sunday morning worship services are held here at 10:00 am
throughout the season. It is also the site of most cultural events.
The Temple is open weekday mornings for meditation and observation.
A special flyer is available in the Temple giving some of the history of this unique structure.
The Bell
Tower
was built in 1882 and consists of a wooden structure, square in plan with
hip roof and ornate decoration on each side below the roof evoking
a clock face. Access to the deck is by wooden steps from the west.
The deck is fitted with wooden railings. The bell tower is lighted at night year-round as a beacon of welcome.
 Porter Memorial Hall
was dedicated on August 4, 1902. It was built to replace
o ne of the meeting tents, known as "The Tabernacle". Porter
Hall is a handsome temple-form building in the neo-Greek revival style,
with facade colonnade, gable roof, and match-board siding. The columns
are fluted Corinthian and support a pediment that contains the words
"Hall in the Grove". A central entrance of double paneled
doors is flanked on either side by a 1/1 window with louvered shutters.
The sides of the hall are five bays long, with fenestration as on
the facade. An internal brick chimney straddles the roof ridge in
the rear. For about 50 years Porter Hall was the Ocean Park home of
the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle. Today this building
is used for Morning Watch services, and for many smaller meetings
and discussion sessions. Porter Hall also houses the Ocean Park History
Room, which is open to visitors every Sunday morning after the service
in the Temple.
 B. C. Jordan Memorial Hall
was dedicated on July 19, 1915. This imposing building is
of frame construction with two stories, hip roof, and clapboard siding.
The five-bayed facade features a four-column colonnade in the Ionic
order, behind which is a three-bay recess with double-doored entrance
flanked by 6/6 windows. The sides of the hall are seven bays wide. All
first story fenestration as on the facade, is 6/6 with pediments, except
as noted below. Pediments likewise crown the hall's doorways. A secondary
entrance faces the west. While the facade contains only one story, the
sides and rear are two stories high. Second-floor fenestration consists
of small rectangular casements, except at the rear where all bays are
6/6. Tall rectangular windows comprise the extreme bays on the facade
and sides of the hall. Today, Sunday School and Vacation Bible School
are held in this building. It is also used for meetings and dramatic
presentations.
Temple Garden and Pergola
The land across the street from the Temple is preserved to give the entire area its park-like effect which is enhanced by the the Temple Garden and Pergola. This garden
arbor features a meditative pathway leading to the Pergola. Originally built in
1921 and rebuilt in 2007, the Pergola is a place for restful contemplation.
~ Private Events ~
Many of these wonderful venues above can be rented from May to October for both large and small events such as family reunions, weddings, small receptions, bar and bat mitzvahs, or memorial services, as well as for retreats, meetings and small conferences. Please note: there is no alcohol permitted in or on OPA property.
Wedding Policy and Rental Application OR General Building Rental Application |
~ Town Square & Furber Park ~
 The
Memorial Library
is located at Furber Park across from the Ocean Park Variety store and
Soda Fountain. Penny Gagnon manages the library. She has Master’s Degree in Education and is a Literacy specialist. She is also a trained Reading Recovery teacher. Current children's and adult books,
as well as daily newspapers, are available throughout the summer.
The library is open to
the public on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 12:00 - 9:00 pm, and Saturdays 10:00 am - 1:00
pm (closed Wednesdays and Sundays.) Library memberships for families are: $15/season; $10/month;
$5/week. Library memberships for OPA members are free. 934-1853.
 Jakeman Hall
spans the block between Temple Avenue and Colby Avenue. The Ocean Park Visitors Center, offices of the Ocean Park Association, the Jakeman Hall meeting room, and the office of Ocean Park Realty are located here and entered from Temple Avenue. The Ocean Park Post Office is entered from Colby Avenue. Jakeman Hall is heated for year-round
use. Small community gatherings are often held there in the off-season.
 The
Agnes L. Park Recreation Building
commonly
called the "Rec Hall" or the Youth Center) is located at 26 Colby Avenue
between West Grand and Clover, facing the tennis courts. The Rec Hall
features: a basketball court, volley ball, 2 professional size pool
tables, 2 bumper pool tables, Fooz Ball, tabletop pool, 2 Ping-Pong
tables, over 50 board games, a craft corner, music, videos and snack-bar.
Tennis
and Shuffleboard Courts
These are two of the busiest and most popular informal
meeting places in Ocean Park. The clay tennis
courts are maintained in superb playing condition and visitors are
welcome. If you have a competitive spirit and good eye-hand coordination,
try your hand at shuffleboard on the lighted
courts, or perhaps you'd rather cheer on your favorite player.
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