Homesteads and mansions, museums and memorials, lighthouses, a battlefield, historic districts and theatres, these are some of the sites that have shaped Monmouth County. These varied places are preserved for future generations through painstaking efforts and afford visitors a glimpse of what life was like in bygone eras. Two magnificent lighthouses guard the northern Monmouth coast, Sandy Hook, the nation's oldest, and Twin Lights, an architectural masterpiece. Imagine the pounding of cannons at Monmouth Battlefield State Park; Red Bank's most famous son is honored at the Count Basie Theatre and history lives at the Historic Village at Allaire. Prominent local historian Randall Gabrielan tells the history behind these and many more historic sites and landmarks in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

"Halcyon Days from the Jersey Shore to Freehold. With desirable beach communities and nearby commuter-friendly towns, Monmouth County continues to attract new residents, while nostalgic memories of bygone landmarks, forgotten businesses and more remain in the hearts of many.... New Jersey historian Randall Gabrielan takes readers on a journey of lost Monmouth County."--Back cover.

Monmouth County's past encompasses more than just sandy beaches and rural farm life. George Washington fought at the Battle of Monmouth as the region played a pivotal role in the birth of the republic. Henry Hudson anchored off Monmouth's shores in 1609 and was the first European to meet with the Lenape Native Americans there. A gun barrel of the USS New Jersey, the most decorated battleship in American history, was painstakingly transported to Battery Lewis, a fortification built along the county's highlands to protect New York Harbor during World War II. Bruce Springsteen elevated Asbury Park and the Stone Pony into a national music destination, and he remains the unofficial poet laureate of the Jersey Shore. Authors Rick Geffken and Muriel J. Smith highlight compelling stories of the seaside county's four-hundred-year history.