Sandy Hook’s Lost Highland Beach Resort

Built by William Sandlass during the Golden Age of the Jersey Shore, the Highland Beach excursion resort was an iconic landmark for more than seven decades. The resort put Sandy Hook on the map, as hordes of tourists were brought by trains, ferries and automobiles to soak up the sun and enjoy the plentiful amusements. At the once magical playground enjoyed by so many, the families dined and relaxed at Sandlass’ Surf House and Basket Pavilion in the 1890s. Teenagers rocked away the night in the resort’s Bamboo Room in the 1950s. Meet the characters who shaped the land and had the vision for a storied resort wiped away by time, technology and politics. Author Susan Sandlass Gardiner charts the rise and fall of Sandy Hook’s historic resort paradise.