New Jersey’s coast, known as the Jersey Shore, spans 130 miles along the Atlantic Ocean. From Sandy Hook to Cape May, the coast holds over 40 municipalities, with many historic seaside resort towns. Inspired by their predecessors in England and early resorts in America, New Jersey’s seaside resort towns first originated in the late eighteenth century as health retreats. As towns evolved, entertainment became prioritized as well. Natural resources like the ocean and bay, uniting with cultural resources such as accommodations and entertainment structures, reveal how seaside resort towns' identities equally rely on both. This thesis will examine seaside resort towns' resources to identify their typical character-defining features. Three case study sites along New Jersey’s coast will be studied to determine if those features exist and confirm if they are still integral to their communities' identities while also recognizing the potential challenges to their continued conservation and preservation.
