Compared to other Shore Communities, Long Branch is one of the Largest, It was also one of the earliest resorts to attract the crowds from Philadelphia and it's proximity to New York also made it the destination of choice for some of the richest and most famous people of the era. President Grant's first visit in 1869 started Long Branch on it's road to fame as a destination of choice for the in-crowd of the day. Grant visited every summer while he was President and many summers after that.
Gambling throughout the town's many casino's and racetrack brought an era of prosperity to Long Branch which lasted until the early 1920's, when laws forbidding gambling gradually stopped the flow of money into the resort town.
A lot of the fame associated with Long branch stemmed from the amount of Presidents that vacationed there, which is evident in it's historical collection including The Church of the Presidents at 1260 Ocean Avenue and Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park (See Separate listing). The Church is now a museum run by the Long Branch Historical Society and is opened by appointment.
The beach crowd is mainly from North Jersey on summer weekends, but weekdays a smaller, more local crowd comes for the family atmosphere. There are several volleyball nets set up along the beach and all beaches are protected except the section popular with surfers at Matilda Terrace.
Restrooms are provided at various sections of the beach and numerous concession stands and boardwalk restaurants are also located toward the West end of the beachfront.
The promenade has a health walk, consisting of several exercise stations along the beach for the energetic among us and the town sponsors numerous events during the season. Parking is at a premium on weekends as the overflow crowd from nearby communities converge on the town and nearby park.
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Long Branch
Monmouth County | The Jersey Shore
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Updated October 21, 1999 | © 1998, 1999, beachcomber.com
