In the 1600s, the area now known as Point Pleasant and Manasquan was a vast coastal forest. The native Lenape Indian Tribe called it "The Land of Tall Timbers."
Throughout the Revolutionary War, Manasquan Inlet was used as a refuge by American Privateers. Fishermen and farmers began settling this central New Jersey stretch of coastline in the 1800s. Not long afterward, Quaker families were taking in guests visiting the shore. In the early 1800s, The Osborne House opened in Manasquan, on the village square. The settlement was now going by the name Squan Village. In the 1870s, Captain John Arnold bought up some land and built a roadway to the ocean. The road would later be named Arnold Avenue. He helped bring the railroad to Point Pleasant, and in 1875 a bridge was built over the Manasquan River to Brielle. The town's first luxury hotel, The Resort House, was built in 1878. It was soon joined by other grand hotels like the Leighton, and The Pine Bluff Inn. Squan Village changed it's name and was incorporated as the Borough of Manasquan in 1887.
By 1892, Roderick Clark's boat building business along the Manasquan River, had become a favorite amusement and recreation spot, named Clark's Landing. Electric trolleys operated along Arnold Avenue. A new boardwalk was built on Point Pleasant Beach in 1915. In 1926, the Point Pleasant Canal was opened, providing access to the intercoastal waterway running from Manasquan to Cape May. Charles Jenkinson opened Jenkinson's Pavilion and Pool on the Point Pleasant boardwalk in 1928. Featuring live entertainment, it soon became one of the most popular places on the Jersey Shore. In 1949, a miniature train ride opened along the beach. Herman's Amusements and Holiday Playland were soon operating, and Martell's Sea Breeze Club began hosting some of the day's top entertainers. New motels and bungalows brought in a whole new wave of visitors. A new 1200-seat pavilion was constructed in 1989, and in 1991 the wildly successful Jenkinson's Aquarium opened.
Whether visitors wish to relax, fish, take in the amusements, or enjoy a warm ocean breeze, Point Pleasant and Manasquan offer something for everyone.
Music Credits:
Dan Lebowitz - After You
Track Tribe - Vault
Aakash Gandhi - Invisible Beauty
Track Tribe - Bottle of Something
Steve Adams - Highway One
Lauren Duski - Timeless
Borrtex - Victory
Borrtex - Wondering
The 126ers - Golden Empire