1893 SANDLASS HOUSE: NAMED TO PRESERVATION NEW JERSEY’S 10 MOST ENDANGERED HISTORIC PLACES LIST 2022

The Sandlass House

PRESERVATION New Jersey

Standing since 1893, the Sandlass House is located at the entrance to the Sandy Hook Unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and Preservation NJ said at one point it’s Highland Beach Resort served more than 125,000 visitors per year.  To see more click here: Preservation NJ

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Highland Beach Exhibit & JCHM Archive located at Twin Lights Museum in Highlands, New Jersey

A Highland Beach Retrospective

AVAILABLE…

Locations: Twin Lights Museum Gift Shop, Barnes & Noble (Eatontown & Middletown) & Bahrs Landing Restaurant Gift Shop

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2022 Exhibit:

TWIN LIGHTS MUSEUM, HIGHLANDS, NJ

 A DAY AT THE BEACH

 In 2022, TLM historian, Nick Wood, and former curator, Jenna Paterno, updated the exhibit at the museum to foster a broader understanding of the significant historical role played by the Twin Lights in scientific and popular culture. In Gallery I, there was a showcase highlighting, A Day At The Beach, featuring the Bamboo Room at Sandlass Beach. In addition, the new Navigation Exhibit and Happenings in the Highlands History Room is making its debut. For the first time in many years, the South Tower is open! New panels featuring the history of Highlands, Highland Beach Resort and William Sandlass appear along the South Tower’s railings with a view of the locations where these attractions once existed. We are grateful to the museum staff and New Jersey Parks in bringing this captivating history to light!

TLM EXHIBIT:
2018 - 2022

The Story of Highland Beach and
William Sandlass Finds a Home

An exhibit opened at the Twin Lights Museum in Highlands, New Jersey that is new in many ways.  An exhibit space was completely renovated in 2016. The former curator, Joanne Sutton, and board member, Mark Stewart, with help from board member Jeff Tyler, created a handsome and modern look that has something for everyone.  The four galleries now share a broader story of the New Jersey Shore as witnessed from this site. It is the highest land mass on the eastern seaboard that overlooks New York harbor and Sandy Hook!  

The ribbon cutting on April 25th, coincided with the first reading of the Pledge of Allegiance which occurred at the Twin Lights of Navesink in 1893.  There have been so many firsts here… the first lighthouse to use a Fresnel lens, Marconi’s first wireless transmission, and Highland Beach, the first and only excursion resort on the New Jersey Shore to offer both ocean and river bathing.

“Working on this exhibit over the past year has been a fantastic experience", said Mr. Tyler.  "I am most excited about the opportunity to expand our understanding of Highland Beach and William Sandlass while we share it with a larger audience.  It is not uncommon for a museum to obtain artifacts and knowledge as a result of a visitor connecting the history of something they have seen in the museum to an experience, artifact or image of their own.  Highland Beach and William Sandlass are now the first things seen when entering one of the most visited historic sites in Monmouth County (The Twin Lights expects over 75,000 visitors this year), so we have just improved our chances significantly.”

Tyler continues, "Also featured prominently in our gallery is a new video short by JCHM’s own Chris Brenner called 'Now and Then' (see Gallery link above to view video) that uses views from the Twin Lights to present the seventy-plus year history of Highland Beach and Sandlass Baths." 

The exhibit is expected to remain in place for at least two years, continually refreshing and expanding upon the themes presented in the four galleries - Local History, Maritime, Technology,  & Lighthouse.  “We are about to add another artifact in our gallery”, said Tyler, “and I expect that the look and content will be continually changing and evolving.”

The JCHM board is planning an event at the Twin Lights Museum for later in the year, to celebrate this wonderful accomplishment.  In the meantime, we encourage you to come see for yourself.  While there, don’t forget to climb the north tower where you will get a birds-eye-view of our beloved Sandlass House!! 

EXHIBIT AT TWIN LIGHTS MUSEUM
HIGHLAND BEACH (Local History) – GALLERY I
2018 - 2021

http://twinlightslighthouse.com/

Gallery I:
OUT ON THE HOOK

At the turn of the 20th century, the United States was flexing its economic and cultural muscle as a new world power. The country’s ambition and optimism was embodied by its middle class, which had more leisure time and discretionary income than any group in human history. The transformative impact of this exploding demographic was recognized by operators of day-trip amusement parks and resorts.

One of the first places to cater to the diversion-seeking masses was the Highland Beach Excursion Resort, operated by William Sandlass and his family. At its peak, more than 15,000 visitors a day used it as an escape from city life. The resort, which was reachable by train and steamboat, offered a family-friendly “middle ground” between the chaos of Coney Island and opulence of Atlantic City. At Highland Beach, with its swimming, boating, switch-back roller coaster and carousel, there seemed to be no limit to the sun and fun.

At the tip of Sandy Hook, however, was a reminder that the world was also getting smaller. Fort Hancock boasted the nation’s most sophisticated harbor defenses, and later served as a proving ground for some of the world’s most powerful weapons of war.

-- Mark Stewart, Twin Lights Historical Society, Gallery I, Day At The Beach exhibit

See History Come Alive!

Wanted! 

If you have any artifact items that you would like to share for an upcoming exhibition or would like more information, please contact Don or Barbara Krueger at:
helpsavesandlass@gmail.com

Thank you