Jersey Shore

DOMINICK MAZZAGETTI is the author of Charles Lee: Self Before Country (Rutgers University Press), which received an Honorable Mention for the American Revolution Round Table of Richmond's 2014 Book Award. Mazzagetti is a lawyer and banker with a fervent interest in American history. He has served as law secretary to the chief justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, and was Acting Commissioner of Banking in the administration of New Jersey Governor Tom Kean.

• MapsPhotographs & IllustrationsIntroduction1    The Ever-Changing Shore2    1664-1774:  A Few Desolate BeachesNative Americans at the ShoreThe English Replace the DutchWhalingPiratesSmugglers, Privateers, and the United States Navy3     1765-1850:  The Rise of ResortsSandy Hook, "Squan," Deal, and Toms River"Sea Bathing" at the Jersey ShoreTucker's Island and Long BeachCape MayLong Branch4    1850-1900:  Railroads, Atlantic City, and Long BranchThe Coming of Railroads and the Concept of "Vacation"Atlantic CityLong Branch as the Nation's Premier ResortCape May, Tucker's Island, and Beach Haven5    Religion at the Jersey ShoreTraveling Preachers and Camp MeetingsOcean GroveAsbury ParkOcean City"Sea Grove," Dry Towns, Retreats, and Ethnics6    The Rise of Resorts, Monmouth CountyRailroads and New ResortsMonmouth County 7    Shipwrecks, Life-Saving, and LighthousesEarly WrecksA Mysterious Death Leads to an Iconic GroundingCollisions on a Vast SeaShipwrecks as Fact and FictionUS Life-Saving ServiceLighthouses8    The Rise of Resorts, Ocean CountyPoint Pleasant to Island Beach State Park Long Beach Island9    Fires, Storms, and WarFiresHurricanes, Tropical Storms, and Nor'easters World War 10     The Rise of Resorts, Atlantic CountyAtlantic CountyAtlantic City, Politics, and Prohibition11    Fish, Fish, and BoatsCommercial Fishing and New Jersey's Major PortsThe Lady Mary and the Dangers of Commercial FishingSport Fishing, Gunning, and Recreational BoatingThe Intracoastal Waterway"Jaws"12    The Rise of Resorts, Cape May County and the Lore of the ShoreThe Personalities of Jersey Shore CommunitiesThe Look, Lure, and Lore of the ShoreCape May County 13    The 20th Century: Transformation Transportation Again Transforms the ShoreEconomic Development and the Great DepressionThe Garden State Parkway Building Booms Gambling at the Jersey ShoreRace Relations14    The 21st Century ShoreThe "Public Trust" Doctrine and Eminent DomainState Action, Federal Funding, and University SupportRevival: Cape May, Long Branch, Asbury Park, and Atlantic CitySuperstorm SandyThe Future of the Jersey ShoreAcknowledgmentsNotesIndex

"This engaging and impressively documented work captures the distinctive cultures of shore areas that make the Jersey shore important to U.S. history and to families who live and play there."— Karen M. O'Neill, coeditor of Taking Chances: The Coast After Hurricane Sandy"It's about time that someone wrote this book! Mazzagetti makes the Shore come alive to anyone who wants to explore these places. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in a readable but detailed overview of the history of the Shore."— Diane Bates, author of Superstorm Sandy: The Inevitable Destruction and Reconstruction of the Jersey Shore"With its statewide appeal and treatment of current-day issues facing New Jersey beaches and coastal settlements, those researching the development of the shore will find the book to be a useful reference and guidebook. The book is certainly a welcome addition to New Jersey collections at public and academic libraries, as well as for those readers interested in the history of and problems facing their favorite Jersey Shore community."— New Jersey Studies"Mazzagetti has taken a sprawling, complicated topic and presented it in an intelligent, eminently readable book. Highly recommended."— Choice"An enlightening history of a popular vacation spot and a revealing probe into how it came to be seen as a national treasure. Both regional collections and those interested in American development will find The Jersey Shore well-detailed and nicely integrated with broader American issues and developments."— Donovan's Literary Services"Author Pens History of the Jersey Shore," by Kara Sibilia— Elegant Lifestyles MagazineExcerpt of The Jersey Shore by Dominick Mazzagetti— The History Girl"Don't Miss Out on These 2018 Summer Must-Haves" by Heather DiNuzzo— Girl Gone MomThe Jersey Shore by Dominick Mazzagetti event listing— Gloucester City News"Shifting Sands" by Tom Wilk— New Jersey Monthly