A presentation on the Jersey Shore’s most famous vacation and recreational destinations will be given at the upcoming annual reorganization meet of the Asbury Park Historical Society on Thursday, Jan. 17.
“We will not only hold our annual membership drive and election of trustees but also have a nice presentation on a terrific subject,” APHS President Don Stine said.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Asbury Park Public Library, at First and Grand Avenues. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.
Trustees up for reelection are Mary Damato, Teddy Chomko, Jennifer Schulman and Dolly Sternesky. The meeting also launches the society’s annual membership drive. For more information on joining go to www.APHistoricalSociety.org or attend the meeting and sign-up then.
Rick Geffken’s and George Severini’s recent book, “Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore,” brings together rarely seen images from the Library of Congress, local historical societies, and private collections to document how the Jersey Shore became the most famous vacation and recreational destination in the coastal United States.
“The remarkable details in these pictures capture a simpler way of life in our country, when families took their children to boardwalks to savor candy apples, salt water taffy, hotdogs and hamburgers, popcorn, and, of course, the rides,” the authors said.
“James A. Bradley in Asbury Park and William Sandlass Jr. in Highland Beach created mass entertainment for hundreds of thousands of people. Their seaside recreation centers, along with those in Long Branch, Bradley Beach, Pleasure Bay and others, endured for years but are just fond fading memories today,” they said.
