The Holidays
Rob Ascough, Treasurer

These last few years, a visit to Cape May for some Christmas shopping has become a tradition and if you’ve never been, provides a nice opportunity to immerse one’s self in beautiful decorations and get a good fill of holiday spirit. There’s definitely something hypnotizing about Congress Hall’s Christmas tree set against the distant backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Washington Street Mall glistening with shimmering lights under a crisp winter sky. With people walking, eating, and shopping, it is full of life in a way unexpected of a New Jersey seashore resort in December.
The Wildwoods, on the other hand, resemble what one likely expects: darkness, stillness, and solitude. Being a year-round residence for some, there are pockets of activity on Pacific Avenue and elsewhere on the island, but the largest representation of the holiday season is likely the LED light show on Morey’s Pier’s iconic Giant Wheel. It’s as hypnotic as Cape May but in an entirely different way – alone on the boardwalk, observing a large, rotating snowman on the Giant Wheel feels akin to standing on the very edge of the world. In December, the City of Wildwood might as well be the North Pole.
About a decade ago when I was working on the project that became Images of America: Hunt’s Pier with my friend Al Alven, I often invited my Wildwood-loving father to join me on one of those quiet winter Saturday mornings. He always declined, citing a lack of desire to experience his happy summertime destination in a state of off-season hibernation. In his mind, seeing boarded-up buildings, shrink-wrapped neon signs, and parking meter poles without parking meters would have tainted the image of a bright, sunny beach utopia etched into his memory. I understood but am also thankful for my own opportunities to continually experience The Wildwoods in a state unknown to most except its residents, especially around the holidays when it takes on an entirely new kind of life.
Speaking of things “quiet” and certainly not meaning to end this on a sour note, I nonetheless feel some attention needs to be brought to the passing of one of the area’s quietly-important figures. Active in an amusement park-oriented subreddit, I recently posted a multi-part (yet still abbreviated) history of the boardwalk’s amusement centers with the assistance of photos and information from the Wildwood Historical Society’s vast archives. In a discussion about one of the pier’s earliest water slides, a fellow participant mentioned Fred Langford. A friend of the Moreys, he pioneered many of the building techniques and technologies that became commonplace in the amusement industry, and his water slides were not only staples on many of the boardwalk’s amusement piers but destinations across the country and even overseas. It was surely coincidental but no less strange that news of Mr. Langford’s passing circulated mere weeks after becoming part of an internet discussion about his work. I never had the pleasure of meeting the man but wished I could have engaged in a conversation with him, especially because I find it fascinating when important people and personalities can be traced back to The
Wildwoods. The Cape May County Herald published his obituary, which I think is worth reading by anyone sharing my desire to celebrate everything the area has created and offered:
Frederick R.  Langford, 94, of Cape May Court House, passed away peacefully on
November 24, 2022. A Wildwood native, Fred studied architecture at the University of
Pennsylvania. He started his career designing and building single family homes and hotels in the Wildwoods with his lifelong friend, Will Morey, Sr. For six years, Fred served as a leading architect for Louis Kahn making significant contributions to the concrete work on the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California and to the National Assembly Building in Bangladesh. Fred, passionate about amusement design and manufacture, later became a leader in the waterpark industry with his companies’ “Surf Coaster” and Waterworld Products.” Several of his creations are in The Wildwoods, Ocean City, and Long Beach Island. Traveling across the United States, and the world, he designed and installed waterparks and waterslides in places as distant as Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Taiwan. In 2019, Fred was inducted into The Global Association for the Attractions Industry (IAAPA) Hall of Fame for his pioneering “Gold Standard” in waterslide quality. His slides were ‘state of the art’ with detailed moulds that produced flawless fiberglass, magnificent structural supports, interweaving walkways for superb viewing, and exhibiting a scenic and inviting architectural presentation. In 2008, Fred realized his final dream of designing, building, and owning a par-3 golf course. Beginning with land acquisitions in 1982; he created what he called “beauty and challenge” with his beloved Laguna Oaks Golf Course on Bayberry Drive in Cape May Court House. Including beautiful architectural elements throughout, his layout allows players to sharpen their iron skills in under two hours. Show casing man-made lagoons and bridges connecting tees to greens over water, Fred took 195 acres and achieved his vision with exceptional holes, stunning trees, and various
waterways that make this golf course a special destination point in Cape May County.
Fred is survived by his sister Gail Langford Graustein, his children, Jil Hollenbach (Michael), Mark Langford - deceased (Leslie), Lana O’Neill (Brian), and Lyn Langford (Tom), his grandchildren, Michelle Betoni (Curt), Katie Derr (Carson), Sean O’Neill, Aryn Asher (Wesley), Benjamin Hollenbach (Jessica), Zachary Langford, and step-grandchildren Brittany and Shawn Bryan, and four great grandchildren, Riley, Cole, Cyrus, and Weston.
On behalf of the Wildwood Historical Society, I wish you all a wonderful holiday season.
Thanks for your support.