Elfra Court Motel

Elfra Court Motel was the first black owned and operated motel in Wildwood, NJ. It was located at 119 W. Roberts Ave. It operated from approximately 1950 to 1975.  During the Jim Crow era, many famous black entertainers stayed at Elfra Court Motel. Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Domino, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles are just some to name a few.

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Ella and Frank Foster established, built, and operated Elfra Court Motel.

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Look forward to a book entitled Black Haven Down the Shore by Bruce D. Harris, Ph.D., scheduled to be published soon, about the Elfra Court Motel. Bruce D. Harris is the grandson of Ella and Frank Foster, and he worked at Elfra Court as a young teenager during the summers.

For more information email elfracourtmotel@gmail.com

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Black Haven Down the Shore by Bruce D. Harris, Ph.D. describes in detail the background and life stories of Ella and Frank Foster, the visionary couple, who founded, built, and operated the Elfra Court. Both Ella and Frank came from poor beginnings, but their life’s journeys lead them to being well prepared to establish and run a first-rate motel where black people, both famous and everyday folks, would feel welcomed and safe while traveling to the south Jersey shore. The book also illustrates the step-by-step expansion of the motel business, many colorful events and personalities associated with the motel, several poignant stories about the famous entertainers that stayed at Elfra Court, and how issues around racism and Jim Crow affected the social, economic, and political fabric of the city and the times in which the motel operated. Finally, the book chronicles the storied musical history of Wildwood, NJ of which many people may be totally unaware. The origins of rock & roll, the first performance of the “twist,” and the beginnings of many famous musicians' careers all have ties to Wildwood, NJ which was once called “The Las Vegas of the East Coast.”