“The Castiles” with Bruce Springsteen (c) perform at the Surf ‘n’ See Club on Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright, Summer 1966.

Sea Bright Beach Pavilion on Ocean Avenue, 2021. The $4 million facility houses the Sea Bright Library & Cultural Arts Center and the borough’s beach operations.

“A BIg One” — The massive freighter SS Christian Bergh run aground at Sea Bright, March 1949. Built in 1944, the 7,200 ton liberty ship with 37 crew members got lost in a morning fog en-route from Greece to New York. The ship got within 15 yards of Ocean Avenue and was beached there 11 hours before a high tide and tug boat moved her. Captain Hodle MacHarde, shouting to a growing number of spectators on the beach, blamed bad tides and winds for the grounding. The ship’s mission was noble — carrying grain as part of the Marshall Plan. Scrapped in 1967, the ship was named for Christian Bergh, NYC’s best and oldest ship carpenter, when he died in 1843.

S.S. Mohawk grounded off Sea Bright, May 1928. After a collision with the steamship Jefferson, 83 people were evacuated to the shore near the Normandie Hotel. The Clyde Mallory Line was the owner then and J.W. McKenzie was Captain. More local sea drama awaited the ship. In January 1935, just four months after the burning wreck of the Morrow Castle claimed 137 off Asbury Park, the Mohawk collided with another ship, The Talisman, off nearby Sea Girt and was sunk losing 46 souls. Both vessels were Ward Liners and the Captain was Joseph Wood.

Packer’s Real Estate Exchange office, 1905. Note Sea Bright Railroad Station in background. Owner P. Hall Packer was the first mayor of Sea Bright under its current charter (in fact, he lived in Rumson on Packer Avenue). Born July 1853 in Neshanic, Somerset County, NJ on his father’s farm, he moved to Sea Bright in 1879. There he became a “prime-mover” in local real estate. Over 20+ years, he helped Sea Bright grow from a tiny fishing village to one of the shore’s finest summer resorts. When died in February 1924 he was the mayor of Sea Bright.

Hotel Pannaci, 1905. Eduard Pannaci acquired the hotel in 1887 for $22,500 from the estate of Hillborn Roosevelt (FDR’s uncle). F.M. Andrews was the architect and V.J. Hedden Sons was the builder. After many years of prosperity and additions, the hotel closed in 1939. Pannaci died March 1944 at age 90.

Old Sea Bright Firehouse on Ocean Avenue, 2010s.

“Great Sea Bright Fire” loses. Red Bank Register, June 17, 1891.

Area residents line up outside the Sea Bright firehouse to receive a swine flu vaccination. Red Bank Register, November 1976. Nearly 1,500 inoculations were administrated at the free clinic that day.

South Beach section of Sea Bright, 2019.

A Sea Bright sand mountain after Superstorm Sandy, 2013.

Sea Bright’s 20th anniversary remembrance of  9/11 at borough municipal complex, Sept. 2021.

SB municipal buildings after Superstorm Sandy, October 2012.

Donovan’s Reef in ruins after Superstorm Sandy, November 2012.

Old Sea Bright Community Center, 1986. The building, donated by developers Oceans 1239, Inc. and moved by Duffy Fisher,  was dedicated in May 1972. The land had been donated by the Harding family of Rumson in 1918 to be used for borough youths. The Ocean Avenue facility also housed municipal offices.

Peter B. Richardson’s 12-room Ocean Avenue mansion is burned. APP, February 1958.

Emily’s Guest House on Ocean Avenue in ruins after a major storm. Long Branch Daily Record, November 1953. William and Emily Osiecky were owners at the time.

Giglio’s Bait & Tackle shop on East Ocean Avenue, 1960s. Founded by brothers Arthur, Armand, and Robert Giglio in 1962, the business still operates today.

Shore Hill Garden Beach Club ad. Red Bank Register, April 1959.

BeachWalk Hotel at Sea Bright, 2021. The newly expanded 76-room facility on Ocean Avenue — “nestled between the Navesink River and the Atlantic Ocean” — is owned by Sunil Nayak of InnZen Hospitality. MORE INFO. Fairbanks Motor Inn on Ocean Avenue, 1970s. Known as “Sea Bright’s only motel,” Fred Ambrose and Ed Mason opened the Shrewsbury River front facility in 1976. Legend is the main building had once been the home of Douglas Fairbanks, a huge silent screen star who put “Hollywood swashbuckling on the map.” The property included a 50-room motel, restaurant/bar, pool and marina. Today the spot is the BeachWalk, a newly renovated boutique hotel with pool and Tiki Bar.

Fairbanks Motel fire, June 1984. The 24-room motel on Ocean Avenue had recently been renovated. It was owned by Edward Mason.

Shore Hill Motel, 1964. Later on the spot would become the Fairbanks Inn and the Windjammer Motel (1969 to 1975). In Summer 1985, when owned by Edward and Helene Mucinski, the property held a 30-room motel, restaurant, pool, cabanas, and a snackbar.

Shore Hill Motel, 1960s. The Miramar Restaurant was also on the grounds in the 1980s.

Shore Hill Gardens Motel on Ocean Avenue. Long Branch Daily Record, January 1960. The 24-unit facility opened in 1957 and continued to expand; a large pool was added in 1959. John Chimento and Bill Wilson were the developers.

The Windjammer, Asbury Park Press ad, December 1969. A Tom Jones double and boozing til 5 am.

Gertrude Ederle swims in the Shore Hill Motel pool, 1965. The first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926 and an Gold Medal winner at the 1924 Summer Olympics, Ederle died in 2003. She was still vacationing in SB at the Windjammer Motel, as late as 1973.

The property currently — the spot has been the BeachWalk, Fairbanks, Windjammer, and Shore Hill.

Ocean Avenue looking north after a snow storm, 1960s.

Houseboats off the SB coast on the Shrewsbury River, 1920s. Twin Lights in the background.

Ichabod’s Restaurant on Ocean Avenue, 1990s.

First United Methodist Church at Ocean Avenue and Church Street, 1908. The SB house of worship was built in 1892.

Sea Bright Golf Club sketch. New York Sun, November 1896. In 1908, it became the Rumson Country Club.

“Greetings from Sea Bright, NJ” postcard, early 1900s.

“Greetings from Sea Bright, NJ” postcard, 1960s.

Armide cottage, early 1900s.

Ocean Avenue cottages, 1911.

Ocean Avenue cottage, early 1900. (Pach Brothers Photo).

SB Fire Department GMC ladder truck, 1950s.

Sea Bright summer cottage at 420 Ocean Avenue, 1950s.

Trade Winds Motel & Marina on Ocean Avenue, 1960s.

Nauvoo Marina on Ocean Avenue, 1970s. Opened in Summer 1959, it became part of the Walter Mihm marine business empire in 1963. According to a 1983 APP report, the Mihm Corp was worth $40 million. He sold all the businesses in 1986. Today the spot is the Navesink Marina.

Navesink Marina along the Shrewsbury River, 2019.

Old Sea Bright firehouse, first aid, police municipal buildings on Ocean avenue, 1960s.

Ocean Avenue and River Street, early 1900s. Bedell’s Drug Store is at left.

Sea Bright Pharmacy demolition, 2013. Ken Kalada owned the Ocean Avenue drugstore for 25 years. A 1967 Rutgers College of Pharmacy graduate, he sold the business to CVS in 2004. Superstorm Sandy wrecked the building in 2012. Ray Annacone acquired the drugstore in 1962 and ran it until the late 1970s. He bought from Richard Stryker. Matthew Robinson ran the place in the 1930s and 40s.

Ray Annacone and staff assist a customer in his well-appointed Ocean Avenue pharmacy. Red Bank Register, October 1963. A Rutgers College of Pharmacy graduate and WW II Navy vet, he died in Feb. 2002.

The Sunrise at Sea Bright condominiums on Ocean Avenue, 2012. The 24-townhouse development was built along the Shrewsbury River by Centurion Systems, Inc. of Freehold. It opened in September 1984. The 6-acre site formerly held the Dominican Villa religious retreat house.

Sea Bright coast, 1950s. The P House is at upper left.

Fowler’s Hardware & Variety Store carpenter’s apron. William R. Fowler, Jr. acquired the Ocean Avenue building and  business in 1944. The borough native was “an active civic leader,” according to his January 1968 obit — a three-term borough councilman, fire chief, school board president, and SB church trustee and bank director. His father, William R. Fowler, Sr., was the SB mayor for 10 years and a SB councilman for 20 years. The father of 14 children, he died in October 1941.

Sea Bright Hardware (the old Fowler’s), 1960s. Built just after the Great Sea Bright Fire of 1891 by E.H. Knapp and Edward West who opened a grocery there. In 1920, William H. Mahoney (a Rumson mayor and a Republican) and J. Elwood Harvey (a Little Silver mayor and a Democrat) bought the building, added more inventory and called it Sea Bright’s Big Store. Louis Tocci, Sr. acquired the building and business in 1969; he died in 1992 and the family still owns the building.

Bain’s Hardware Store (the old Fowler’s) on Ocean Avenue, 2013. Frank Bain acquired the business in 1994 with the slogan: “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.” He rebuilt after Superstorm Sandy in October 2012 and the store remains very popular today. Ely Herman had owned the store in 1982.

Sea Bright Inn on Ocean Avenue, early 1900s. Built by the Sea Bright Improvement Authority in the 1880s, the spot had more than it’s share of bad luck — hit with major blazes in August 1918, 1936 and in November 1953.

Sea Bright Inn, 1903. Eduard Pannaci owned the property for a time.

“Grand Opening of the New Sea Bright Inn.” The Daily Register, June 1949. William Osiecky was the proprietor.

Sea Bright Inn on Ocean Avenue, 1930s.

Sea Bright Stores, June 1883. By architect H. Edwards Ficken.

Sea Bright hotels on Ocean Avenue, early 1900s.

Sea Bright newspaper, May 1926.

Ocean Avenue summer cottages between Sea Bright and Highland Beach, 1909.

Sea Bright First United Methodist Church on Ocean Avenue, built in 1889.

“Cottages” on Ocean Avenue in North Beach, 1907. Look closely for the train at right and the bridge at left.

Old Sea Bright Fire Company, Police and First Aid buildings on Ocean Avenue, 2000s. All were badly damaged after Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

New Sea Bright Municipal Complex on Ocean Avenue, 2020. The building houses the borough police, fire company and EMS. UniMak of Saddle Brook did the job; the cost was about $7 million.

Original Sea Bright Firehouse on New Street, early 1900s. The structure was built in 1892.

SB firefighters battle a blaze at the Hotel Pannaci (now Tommy’s Tavern + Tap) on Ocean Avenue, Feb. 1935. Italian-native Eduard Pannaci acquired the hotel in 1887 for $22,5000 from the estate of Hillborn Roosevelt (FDR’s uncle). After many years of prosperity, the hotel closed in 1939. Pannaci died March 1944 at age 90.

Ocean Avenue going north, 2019.

Ocean Avenue and River Street, looking north, 1912.

“Ocean Avenue at Mail Time, Sea Bright, NJ,” 1906.

Ocean Avenue looking south, 1911.

Ocean Avenue looking south, early 1900s.

“Fishermen Unloading a Boat, Sea Bright, NJ” by Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1887.

“Typical Sea Bright home on Ocean Avenue.” Suburbanite magazine, August 1904.

James A. Scrymser cottage on Ocean Avenue, 1910. After distinguished service in the Civil War, he became a telegraph/cable line pioneer.

James A. Scrymser cottage front, 1904.

World War II Honor Roll for Veterans — Sea Bright residents.

Chris’ Landing on Ocean Avenue, 1963. Henry and Kay Christiansen started their marine business along the Shrewsbury River in 1941. The property included 112 boat slips, 100 rowboats, bait & tackle supplies, a snack bar and two family homes. By 1983, the property was being converted into 23 luxury townhouse condos (units started at $239,500).

Dawn rainbow in North Beach, August 2021.

Sea Bright Yacht Club, 1920s. The club, which “catered almost exclusively to cafe society,” was raided in 1946 for operating an elaborate gambling room.

Sea Bright Yacht Club on Ocean Avenue on fire. APP, August 1954. John Osterstock had just agreed to sell the place to Edward Mooney, Jr. for $51,000. Formerly a private residence, it had been moved from the ocean-side to the river-side years previous.

Asbury Park Press, March 1955. At the time there were 12 islands and 100 acres of land at normal high tide.

Sea Bright — the barrier beach #1, Summer 2021.

Sea Bright — the barrier beach #2, Summer 2021.

Theodore Timson house on Ocean Avenue. Designed by R.H. Robertson in 1875, it is perhaps the first area house to feature Queen Anne-Style architecture.

Superstorm Sandy damage to SB beach clubs, 2013.

Superstorm Sandy damage in Sea Bright, November 2013.

Superstorm Sandy damage in Sea Bright, November 2013.

Superstorm Sandy damage in Sea Bright, November 2013.

Superstorm Sandy damage in Sea Bright, November 2013.

Sea Bright Texaco Station, called Sam’s Garage (l) and Peninsula House (r), 1930s. The gas station on Ocean Avenue and Surf Street burned in 1965.

Grand Pointe in Sea Bright on Ocean Avenue, 2021. Built in 1988, the riverfront complex includes 16 luxury townhouse style condominiums and a 25-boat slip marina. Severino Homes was the developer.

Sea Bright Dunkin’ Donuts on Ocean Avenue, 2020. The store closed in Dec. 2020 after 17 years there to make way for the new Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge.

Geraud’s Auto Repair and Gulf Station on Ocean Avenue, 1970s. It had been Welch’s Gulf — owned by W. Jerry Welch, who was also a longtime manager of the Seabright Beach Club and a member of the SB school board and planning board. He died in 1973.

Old Sea Bright School on River Street, 2019. Opened in 1882, closed in 1978, and torn down in 2019.

Sea Bright Library & Cultural Arts Center, 2021.

SB damage after storms of January 1914.

New Sea Bright Firehouse on Ocean Avenue at the time of its dedication. October 1955. The facility was built by Allen Brothers, Inc. of Fair Haven for $24,000. The old firehouse was on Church Street.

Sea Bright downtown, 1920s. The P House is at left, Millie’s is at right (later to be Ichabod’s and Woody’s) and railroad tracks are in front. The white building in the center is the old SB fish planet before a firehouse & police station were built on that spot (in 1948). Today, the new borough municipal complex is there.

Hartshorne Woods Park seen from Sea Bright, 2009. The “hilly, forested 794-acre site overlooking the Navesink River is among the highest elevations along the Atlantic Coast.”

Twin Lights seen from SB, 1930. (Erwin Reu Photo)

William Cromwell House in Sea Bright, 1905. The Ocean Avenue spot later became the location of the Edgewater and Driftwood Beach Clubs. In 1904, Cromwell (1854-1948) was paid $2 million for his legal work on the treaty creating the Panama Canal Zone — up until then the highest fee ever paid to a lawyer.

John Achelis House in Sea Bright, 1905.

Sea Bright Golf Club, 1905.

Asbury Park Press, December 1900.

Cecile Norton, 1985. The first woman mayor of Sea Bright from 1967 to 1987, she also served on the SB board of education and borough council before election as mayor. Born in New Orleans, she came to the  borough in 1939. A former state Democratic committee member, she died in July 1988. Her brother Gus Levy was a former CEO/Chairman of Goldman Sachs.

NJ Gov. Jim Florio (l) and SB Mayor Charles Rooney (r) inspect seawall damage in town, 1993.

Zobel’s Boat Works after fire, Sept. 1956. Frank Sarpolis was the owner at the time having bought the business from Harry Zobel in 1954. Harry started the boat sales and storage business in 1931.

Angle parking in SB business area, 1965.

Mayor Cecile Norton (r) greets U.S. Senator Henry Jackson (D-WA), 1971. Senator Jackson was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination at the time.

Beach erosion in SB, 1972.

Gertrude Ederle swims in the Shore Hill Motel pool in SB, 1965. She was the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926. A gold medal winner at the 1924 Summer Olympics, Ederle died in 2003.

Map of SB Area, 1702.

Roads and Indian trails around SB, 1800.

Map of SB Area, 1770s.

Watson’s Guide Map of SB area, 1880.

Map of SB area (ie, Wardell’s Beach), 1860

Lawrence map of SB area, 1765.

Asbury Park Press, Summer 1902.

Map of the North Jersey Shore, 1702.

Map of the North Jersey Shore, 1769.

Cancellation notification by Central Jersey Railroad officially ending train stops in Sea Bright, December 1945.

Map of “Wardell’s Beach” (now Sea Bright), 1764.

Map of old shipwrecks near SB.

Who’s got the islands? Ocean Twp., 1973.

Asbury Park Press, 1994.

Steve’s Restaurant, early 2000s. The Ocean Avenue restaurant was decimated by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. It was renovated and reopened as Alice’s Kitchen in 2013, run by Irish-born, Sea Bright-resident Alice Gaffney.

Downtown Sea Bright looking north, 1940s.

Nauvoo fishing village, 1868

Fox Foodtown & Liquor Store, 1970s. Arthur Fox acquired the business in 1959. The 15,000 square-foot market suffered a major fire in April 1963 and was rebuilt in 1964.

The Rum Runner, 1960s. Nick Egidio opened the river-front  restaurant in August 1968. Tim McLoone acquired the business in January 1987.

SB north beach area, 1970s.

Sea Bright postcard, 1960s.

Donovan’s Reef after Hurricane Sandy, November 2012. The popular beach bar hangout reopened after repairs in July 2015. Ed Bowler started the business in 1976. Thrillst Review: “Donovan’s is a sprawling mecca of summer bliss.”

General Lewis Fitzgerald summer home, late 1890s.

US Life-Saving Station at Sea Bright after a major storm, 1914.

Hotel Pannaci on Ocean Avenue, 1905.

Olivo’s Restaurant on Ocean Avenue, 1982. Owners Joseph and Anthony Corbisiero.

Sea Bright — bridge to bridge and beyond, 2021.

Location of the Sea Bright Community Center before construction, 1930s. Note the bandstand below.

SB aerial image, 1950s.

Ocean Avenue, looking north, 1903.

North Beach, early 1900s.

Sea Bright Fire Department, 1930s.

Sea Bright Methodist Church, early 1900s.

Colonial Deli, 1976. The business was run by Elsie Keenan.

SB hotels on Ocean Avenue, 1915.

“Tin Peddler at Sea Bright” by Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1889.

Sea Bright Observation Post, 1954. The unit was run by the Monmouth County Civil Defense Authority. Called “Operation Skywatch,” when airplane watching was considered “a vital protective link in the harbor defense of New York.” SB Councilman Neils Jacobsen was the post commander.

Swedish Hop, 1938.

Swedish Hop bar, 1943. The tavern had several owners including Stanley “Big Stosh” Pokrywka, a native of Poland.

Swedish Hop on East Ocean Avenue, 1940s. The spot had been Mellaci’s Tavern.

Fire at the Fountains at Sea Bright, 2007.

Old Anchorage Apartment building on Ocean Avenue being torn down, 2015.

Anchorage Apartment building on Ocean Avenue, 2015. It was just north of the Rumson-SB Bridge.

Ocean Avenue after snow storm, 1967.

SB fishermen in the early days, late 1800s.

The Mad Hatter restaurant has sat uncompleted for nearly 3 years, 2021. Badly damaged  after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, owners Scott and Amy Kelly still hope to open the once popular eatery.

Downtown SB looking north, 2021.

Bowser’s Garage at Ocean Avenue and Church Street, 1960s. The shop was run by couple, Estelle “Dixie” and J. Harold Bowser. She was a North Carolina native; he was a Sea Bright native. The business was started by John’s parents, John W. and Josephine, in 1898.

Painting of Bowser’s Esso Service Station, 1950s. The business closed in the late 1970s.

Blue Water Inn, 1970s. Mike Bivona opened the nightclub/restaurant in 1975. Previously, the spot was Millie’s and later Ichabod’s and today it is Woody’s Ocean Grille.

A very flooded Ocean Avenue, 1981.

US Life-Saving Station at Sea Bright, 1876.

SB along the coast, 2018 (Fran Snead Photo).

Hotel Pannaci (l) on Ocean Avenue, 1905.

Sea Bright Democrat allies: Cecile F. Norton and John S. Forsman, review election results indicating their victories. She as mayor; he as council member. And for most of the next two decades: Norton was the mayor and Forsman was the council president. APP, November 1967.

Sea Bright’s US Life-Saving Service crew & equipment, 1885.

New McLoone’s Rum Runner under construction, 2015.

Sea Bright Supermarket & Liquors on Ocean Avenue, 2020. At the time of this photo, the property was up for sale at $2.5 million. It had been Fox’s Foodtown beginning in 1958 and before that Del Food Market run by Max Charnack.

Harry’s Lobster House menu, 1940s.

Packer’s Real Estate Exchange near Sea Bright Inn and Rumson-Sea Bright bridge, early 1900s.

Christmas time in SB, 2020.

Irwin & Nesbitt Plumbing on Ocean Avenue, early 1900s.

Looking north to NYC skyline from SB, 2020.

A deer on top of the North Beach seawall, 2020.

John W. Eyles Carriage Maker on Ocean Avenue, 1904. Eyles was a SB mayor in 1916-17.

National Grocery on Ocean Avenue, early 1900s.

Ocean Avenue postcard, 1960s. The Cy & Art store (r) seen above was owned by Cy Friedman and Art Katims. The building dates to 1888; Cy & Art started business there in 1945, acquired the building in 1949 and made several improvements over the years. In the 1970s, the shop became Arthur’s of Sea Bright.

Ocean Avenue looking north, 1970s.

Columbia Bicycles on Ocean Avenue, 1905.

SB Presbyterian Church, late 1900s. Today, it is the Chapel Beach Club.

SB Presbyterian Church, late 1900s.

SB Presbyterian Church, 1905 (Pach Brothers Photo).

Original SB First United Methodist Church, 1889. “The Fishermen’s Church.”

SB First United Methodist Church, 2020. The original church — designed by William Bigelow and built by A.P. Cubberly — was burned down in the “Great Fire of Sea Bright” in June 1891. The existing church was rebuilt in 1892.

US Life-Saving Station at SB, 1877.

SB town center, mid-1960s.

Steve Garelli in his Ocean Avenue breakfast and lunch shop, 2001.

Charles Manor (l) and Sea Bright Inn (r), 1940s. The Charles Manor, the old Pannaci Hotel, was run by Joseph and Dorothy Charles starting in 1949. Both buildings were damaged by a major fire in October 1953. William Osiecky owned the SB inn when the fire struck. The manor had 45 guest rooms; the inn had 23.

Ocean Avenue looking north, early 1900s.

Bowser’s Esso Service Station (l), 1930s.

Ocean Avenue looking north, early 1900s.

Getting a pound boat ashore, 1906.

SB firehouse, 1980s.

Harry Zobel’s Boat Works, 1940s.

Woolley’s Market on Ocean Avenue, 1920s. The store was run by Raymond Woolley who was also the Monmouth County Superintendent of Streets for 20 years. The spot later became Gardella’s Super Market.

SB ladder firetruck, 1950s.

Sailing by SB, 1915.

SB coast at the turn of the century.

SB Fishermen’s Market on Church Street, 1930s.

Ichabod’s Bar, 2000s.

M. Garland Plumber, 1895 (Ploughshare Press).

SB Presbyterian Church 1895 (Ploughshare Press).

SB ad in Asbury Park Press, January 1962.

Sea Bright Hotel sketch, July 1882. Designed by H. Edwards Ficken of NYC. (Photo from Local History Room, Long Branch Public Library James Durnell Collection).

SS Elberon, a Patten line steamship docked in SB, 1895

Fire at the Ocean View Hotel (later to be Millie’s Bar, Ichabod’s Bar, and today’s Woody’s Ocean Grille), August 1952. The building dates to 1929.

SB hotel on fire — then owned by Hattie and Morris Kaplan — included a bar and 22 guest rooms.

This summer afternoon fire of ’52 drew thousands of beach spectators and backed up traffic along Ocean Avenue for miles. Note the P House in the distance.

SB Boro Hall, Police and First Aid building, 1950s. The SB First Aid Squad was organized in January 1936. The SB squad acquired its first vehicle, an old Cadillac Meteor, from the Highlands squad for $150. Harry Brennan was the squad’s first president.

Hurricane Sandy damage along Ocean Avenue, 2012.

The Sandlass Beach Club on Ocean Avenue in SB, 1940s.

The Sandlass Beach Club on Ocean Avenue in SB, 1940s.

SB Fire Company, Police and First Aid buildings, 2000s.

The Ocean House hotel, 1857. The Jersey’s Shore first hotel was built in 1841.

Rutherford Arms on Ocean Avenue, 1895 (Ploughshare Press).

Sea Bright Pharmacy, 1895 (Ploughshare Press).

McCue & LeCompte Livery Stables, 1895 (Ploughshare Press).

Sea Bright Methodist Church, 1895 (Ploughshare Press).

Map of New York and its Vicinity by D.H. Burr, 1834.

The Oceanfront Bar on Ocean Avenue, 1980s.

Oceanfront Bar sign, 1980s. Ed Furman and Mike Love were longtime owners.

Ocean Avenue looking south, early 1900s.

Ocean Avenue cottage in SB, early 1900s.

Ocean Avenue cottage in SB, early 1900s.

US Life-Saving Station at Sea Bright, 1920s.

NYC skyline seen from SB, 2020.

Twin Lights seen from Highland Beach, 1907.

Where things were in old Sea Bright.

Sea Bright when it was just a small fishing village, 1870s.

Fishermen and pound boats crowd a beach in Sea Bright. Harper’s Weekly, 1891.

Play at the Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club (in Rumson), 1910. The club, which opened in July 1886, is the oldest of its kind in the country.

Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club (in Rumson), 1930s.

Scene from Soprano’s HBO-TV show: “Whitecaps,” 2002.

Scene from Soprano’s HBO-TV show: “Whitecaps,” 2002.

NYC skyline beyond SB seawall, 2010s.

“Free Bathing” in SB. APP, July 1928.

Old time fishing in SB, 1873.

In the beginning … Sea Bright before development, 1868. It was called “Nauvoo” or in Hebrew, “beautiful place.”

Nauvoo fishing village, 1888.

Major Spring storm damage, March 1962.

Fire damages the Charles Manor and Sea Bright Inn (parts of the old Pannaci Hotel) on Ocean Avenue, 1953.

Five SB hotels are visible in the image, 1906.

Sea Bright seawall work, 1961.

Sea Bright north view from P House, 1900.

Central Jersey Bank and Trust Company on Ocean Avenue exterior and interior, 1960s. In December 1967, it merged with the Sea Bright National Bank. Eleanor Lindsay was a branch manager in the 1970s.

Memorial Day in SB, 2015.

Tropical storm beach erosion, July 2020.

“The Beach at Seabright” by Francis Augustus Silva, 1880.

NYC skyline as seen from SB, 2020.

Hurricane Sandy damage in SB, 2012.

Ocean Avenue house in North Beach, 1930s.

Hurricane Sandy damage on Ocean Avenue, 2012.

Sea Bright Public Playground, 1918. Looking at the bandstand that stood at the foot of the children’s playground. The spot now is the Sea Bright Community Center.

Pound boat fishermen in SB, early 1900s.

Donovan’s Reef, early 2000s.

APP, February 1950.

Dr. Henry Tuck house on Ocean Avenue, 1905.

John Achelis house on Ocean Avenue, 1905.

SB storm damage, 1885.

SB Beach, 1883.

Walking the boards in SB, early 1900s.

SB coast, 1950s.

SB is in there somewhere.

Sea Bright views from Peninsula House, 1901.

Storm damage to the Long Branch & Seashore Railroad tracks, 1914.

SB police officer “Sparky” Adams, 1939.

Looking north from SB, 2010s.

Hotel Pannaci (c). Built by Hilborn Roosevelt in 1881 and later called the Sea Bright Inn, it burned in 1953.

Charles Manor fire, October 1953. Dorothy and Joe Charles ran the 43-room hotel.

McLoone’s Rum Runner comes down, 2014.

Methodist Church on Ocean Avenue, early 1900s.

Fire at The Cove marina/restaurant on Ocean Avenue, 1988 (Jack Flaherty Photo).

Irwin & Nesbitt Plumbing, Tinning and Hardware, 1900.

Storm damage in SB, 1913.

Asbury Park Press ad, June 1936.

Old US Life-Saving Station at Sea Bright, 2002.

Sea Bright — working the sea in 1873.

Sea Bright Methodist Church, burned in 1891.

Storm impact, 1914.

Storm impact, 1914.

Sea Bright area map, 2010s.

Salvage of the wrecked steamer ship L’Amerique in SB, 1877.

Pound boat fishermen in SB, 1873.

“Lifeboat Station at Seabright NJ” sketch  by Joseph Becker, late 1880s.

U.S. Life Saving Station at Sea Bright area, early 1900s.

U.S. Life Saving Station #3 at Sea Bright and crew (then on the beach), built in 1871.

U.S. Life Saving Station at Sea Bright, early 1900s.

Inside U.S. Life Saving Station #3 at Sea Bright, from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, 1873.

Seabright Beach Club & Railroad Station, early 1900s.

Greetings From Sea Bright, NJ.

“Miss Packers House,” 1903.

Ocean Avenue in SB, early 1900s.

Seafood for dinner in SB, early 1900s.

SB along the river, early 1900s.

Hotel Pannaci, early 1900s.

Cottages along Ocean Avenue, early 1900s.

Cottages along Ocean Avenue, 1930s.

River view from Sea Bright , early 1900s.

Ocean Avenue, early 1900s.

SB Lawn-Tennis & Cricket Club (in Rumson), early 1900s.

Ocean Avenue in SB, 1908.

Ocean Avenue in SB, early 1900s.

Sea Bright in its glory days, 1906.

Storm waves hit SB coast, 1914.

Harry’s Lobster House postcard, 1935.

Pound boat in SB, 1920s.

Boat ad, 1946.

Sea Bright Gulf on Ocean Avenue after Hurricane Sandy, 2013. Mike Confone ran the gas station.

Hurricane Sandy remains, 2012.

Ad for boat builder, 1913.

Ocean Avenue in SB, 1950s.

SB aerial image, 2018.

Sea Bright fixture: Frances Rooney selling hot dogs at Surf & Ocean Avenues, 2017. She started selling from her pushcart at that spot in 1977. Word is she has called it a career since Covid.

Anjelica’s Restaurant outside dinning, 2010s. Chef Ray Lena opened the Ocean Avenue restaurant in 1996. The fine dining spot is named for his daughter.

Tim McLoone and his wife watch their Rum Runner restaurant torn down, 2014.

McLoone’s Rum Runner, 2014.

McLoone’s Rum Runner tear down, 2014.

Ocean Avenue business/apartment fire, 2014.

Storm waves pound SB coast, 1914.

Very high tide in SB, 1901.

Old SB firehouse, 2008.

Donovan’s Reef, 2018.

Hurricane Sandy flooding, 2012.

SB south coast, 2019.

Ocean Avenue flooding in SB, 1933 (Getty Images).

Vagabond Hurricane remains in SB, 1903 (Getty Images).

William Nelson Cromwell summer home on Ocean Avenue, early 1900s.

Storm damage, early 1910s.

Ocean Avenue bus stop shed, 2019.

Regan’s Dock restaurant ad, 1947. George Regan ran the Ocean Avenue business for 20 years before retiring in 1987. He died in 1993.

Flooding on Ocean Avenue by Gardella’s Super Market, 1960s. Ernest Gardella ran the business from about 1920 to 1947. He died in 1966.

In front of the SB Post Office, 1920.

Mifflin Paul, “Founder of Sea Bright”

SB borough council members pay tribute to retiring Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long, 2019.

Mad Hatter Pub & Pizzeria on Ocean Avenue, early 2010s.

On the beach in SB, 1908.

Ocean Avenue looking south after Hurricane Sandy, 2012.

SB Post Office damage after Hurricane Sandy, 2012.

Sea Bright looking northeast, 2010s.

View of SB barrier beach from Twin Lights, late 1800s.

EvenTide Grille on Ocean Avenue, 2019.

Asbury Park Press, August 1959.

Emory guest house on Ocean Avenue after storm, 1953.

SB storm tides, 1910s.

SB fishing beach, 1906.

SB north beach, 1975.

Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club (in Rumson), 2016.

Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club (in Rumson), 1920s. Established in 1876; it’s the oldest tennis club in the nation. William Shippen won the first club title in 1879.

SB downtown area Sanborn Map, 1886.

Washington E. Connor house on Ocean Avenue, 1903.

John L. Riker house on Ocean Avenue, 1903. When he died in July 1909 at his house in SB, his estate was valued at $28 million.

SB train station, 1903.

James A. Scrymser house on Ocean Avenue in Low Moor, 1903. He was President of the Central and South American Cable Company.

J. Harsen Rhoades house on Ocean Avenue, 1903.

Ancient Mariner Restaurant on Ocean Avenue, 1963. John Kertesz and his wife renovated a century-old Ocean Avenue mansion and opened a 125-seat Hungarian-American restaurant in January 1963. It burned down in July 1963.

Sea Bright aerial image looking south, 2017.

SB below Sandy Hook aerial image.

Tim McLoone overseeing construction of his new “Rum Runner” Restaurant, 2016.

Tommy’s Tavern + Tap on Ocean Avenue, 2018. Named for owner Thomas J. Bonfiglio, the tavern opened in the Summer of 2015. During the borough’s heyday as a resort community in the early 1900s, the location was part of the elegant Pannaci Hotel (then a hotel and restaurant, it was called “Delmonico of Sea Bright”). The structure has survived a couple of big fires and at one time or another it was a U.S. Post Office, the Oceanfront Bar, Chubby’s Pub, the Sea Bright Inn, and several apartments.

Grace Longo, Chef BaHa Toker and Leonard Longo at Longo’s Restaurant, 1973. The family opened the Italian restaurant on Ocean Avenue opened in 1945. In 1976, the business became Olivo’s run by the Corbisiero brothers.

Harry’s Lobster House owner Anna Jacoubs, 1969. The family took control of the Ocean Avenue restaurant in 1953. Anna retired in 1987 (her son Louis ran the business until 2008); she died in 2005. SB Mayor George H. Krauss owned the business before the Jacoubs.

SB clammers at work, 2009