Asbury Park might be the central Jersey town that looms the largest in Bruce Springsteen’s history, but the iconic songwriter’s hometown can be found slightly to the north and west. That would be Freehold, a town not necessarily synonymous with musical history. (Though there was a time in 1980 when Hall and Oates played the Freehold Raceway.) But it sure sounds like that’s all about to change.
Springsteen’s archives are hosted by nearby Monmouth University, and numerous items from there were featured as part of an exhibit, Bruce Springsteen: His Hometown, that ran from 2019 until 2021 at the Monmouth County Historical Association.
Now, as an article in the Asbury Park Press reveals, Freehold will soon have its own dedicated space focusing on the life and career of its most famous resident.
The building housing it is currently home to a volunteer fire company, and was built in 1919. While that’s made it a historic building, it’s also made it too small to host modern fire trucks. Freehold’s plan: build a new firehouse that meets the fire company’s needs, and house a Springsteen museum in the historic building.
According to what Freehold Borough Business Administrator Stephen Gallo told the Press, the plan is to build the firehouse next year, and have the museum open in 2024. It’s one more way in which Springsteen’s influence can be felt across the region.
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![[L-R] Bill Berry, Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck of R.E.M. at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois on July 7, 1984.](https://www.insidehook.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/rem-book-interview.jpg?resize=750%2C750)
