This image is the cover for the book Sandy Hook's Lost Highland Beach Resort

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.

Susan Sandlass Gardiner

Susan Gardiner is a cofounder of the Jersey Coast Heritage Museum, established in 2016. The nonprofit strives to create awareness of the history of Highland Beach excursion resort as a vital legacy of the Jersey Shore. Susan actively supports the New Jersey Twin Lights Historical Society and its museum exhibits. She contributes artifacts and brings historical stories of interest to the public. Susan grew up in Sea Bright, New Jersey, and moved to Washington, D.C., in 1965. For more than twenty-five years, she was active in bilingual community and media relations in the Montgomery County Public School System. As a community activist, she was awarded the Distinguished Service to Public Education award by Montgomery County Board of Education in 2014. She was recognized for her skills in providing community outreach to underserved families in the local schools. Her award-winning photography and experience as a documentarian continue to enrich her pursuits. Susan is a mother of five children and a grandmother of ten. She lives with her husband, Gary, in Montgomery Village, Maryland.

The History Press