Many of the stores built along the North side of West Front Street, after the idea of the Public Park was abandoned, had a doorstep, and a long step below that, connecting each side, and over the top there was a wooden "awning" protecting folk from the heat, or storm.

Stages came along very soon after the Atlantic Hotel was in use, and they soon carried mail back to Freehold, to New Brunswick and to Asbury Park, etc. About 1887, Horse Cars took over, while by June 1900 Trolleys arrived. The Pavilion Hotel was built in 1839 and Stages stopped there as well as at the Atlantic Hotel.

Houses were being built rapidly and by 1836 the first Post Office was commissioned by the U.S. President Andrew Jackson on March 12, and the first Post Master was no other than Leonard Walling!

The folk who wrote books about MONMOUTH COUNTY made a very serious error, stating that Key Port's Post Office was commissioned when there were only THREE houses in the town, and that must have been the only information printed until the 100th Anniversary of the Key Port Weekly in 1969. Fortunately, when Seabrook Hill was being prepared for sale, many interesting business papers were found, including both COMMISSIONS, which were presented to Post Master Henry T. Hopkins on the 100th Anniversary of the Key Port Post Office.

Photo Caption: The Ellsworth Oyster Industry, opening oysters, Key Port, N.J.